Stockholm University, Department of Physical Geography, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
Stockholm University, Department of Physical Geography, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
J Environ Manage. 2018 Oct 1;223:731-742. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2018.06.054. Epub 2018 Jul 3.
Catchments are complex social-ecological systems involving multiple, and often competing, interests. Water governance and management regimes are increasingly embracing pluralistic, participatory, and holistic norms as a means to engage with issues of complexity, uncertainty, and value-conflicts. Integrated, participatory approaches are theoretically linked to improved learning amongst stakeholders across sectors and decision-making that is grounded in shared knowledge, experiences and scientific evidence. However, few studies have empirically examined the impacts of an integrated approach to learning and knowledge practices related to water resources. Here, a Swedish sub-catchment that has adopted such an approach in association with implementation of the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) is examined. Interview-based analyses show that WFD implementation has both helped and hindered learning and knowledge practices surrounding both water planning and spatial planning. Whilst communities of practice have developed in the study area, a number of important challenges remain. These include the rigid goal-orientation of the WFD, the fragmentation of knowledge caused by an over-reliance on external consultants, as well as a lack of resources to synthesise information from multiple sources. Present results raise questions regarding the efficacy of the WFD to sufficiently enable the development of learning and knowledge practices capable of handling the complexity, uncertainties and value-conflicts facing catchments in Sweden and elsewhere.
集水区是一个复杂的社会-生态系统，涉及多个利益相关者，且这些利益往往是相互竞争的。水治理和管理体制越来越多地接受多元化、参与式和整体性规范，作为应对复杂性、不确定性和价值冲突问题的一种手段。综合的、参与式的方法在理论上与提高不同部门利益相关者之间的学习以及基于共同知识、经验和科学证据的决策有关。然而，很少有研究从实证角度考察与水资源相关的学习和知识实践的综合方法的影响。本文以瑞典的一个子流域为例，该流域在实施《欧盟水框架指令》（WFD）的过程中采用了这种方法。基于访谈的分析表明，WFD 的实施既有助于也阻碍了与水规划和空间规划相关的学习和知识实践。虽然在研究区域已经形成了实践共同体，但仍存在一些重要的挑战。这些挑战包括 WFD 的严格目标导向、过度依赖外部顾问导致的知识碎片化，以及缺乏资源来综合来自多个来源的信息。目前的结果引发了关于 WFD 的效力的问题，即 WFD 是否足以促进学习和知识实践的发展，以应对瑞典和其他地方集水区面临的复杂性、不确定性和价值冲突。
