WATERDRIVE

Local cross-sector joint action for solving complex water management and other sustainability challenges

The project explored a more holistic and integrated win-win approach to agriculture and the environment. The partners set up nine case areas to study multi-actor water management engagement based on focus group meetings between landowners, local municipalities, government agencies, advisory services, catchment officers and private companies. These case areas were: Kutno county in Poland, Zuvintas reserve and agriculture case area in Lithuania, Gurjevsk, Kaliningrad region and Ljuga River, Leningrad region in Russia, Jelgava in Latvia, Pöltsamaa in Estonia, Southern Finland drainage, Västervik in Sweden, and Odense in Denmark. The partners concluded that such local cross-sector joint action was an excellent method for solving complex issues concerning water management and other sustainability challenges in parallel. Of special interest was that Denmark, having implemented a tough general legislative control programme for water management in agricultural areas, was shifting to support voluntary local cross-sector joint action. Poland introduced the concept of local water management partnerships and water advisors. The partners highlighted that additional support to local cross-sector joint action was needed. They also stated that the operational mode of local cross-sector joint action needed to be adapted to each country and local conditions.

Agri-environment measures – multiple benefits

The partners identified solutions that combined benefits for water, climate, drought, food security and rural development: twelve different agri-environment measures, like buffer zones along waters, constructed wetlands or controlled drainage. The partners also checked how these measures were complementary to each other. The landscape perspective becomes key in water management as each measure may have a limited effect, but together they make a difference. Besides the effects on nutrient and water retention, many measures also have other eco-system benefits such as the increased potential for biodiversity on land and in waters, for example by the establishment of more surface waters. On the other hand, the same measure could have negative side-effects, for example, increased emissions of greenhouse gases.

Stronger integration of policies needed

The partners concluded that a strategic water governance vision at the systems level was lacking. Both on the national and Baltic Sea Region levels, such vision and dialogue were needed to integrate climate development and water policies with agricultural and rural policies. The partners suggested that governments initiated inter-ministerial commissions for water- and food security in a changing climate. There was also a need to re-think water management as part of adaptation to climate change. The partners suggested that governments identified sensitive climate- and water priority areas and develop and test innovative pilot projects as part of the National Strategic Plans on the Common Agricultural Policy.