Speaker
Description
Estuaries are dynamic and contested spaces of high environmental, economic and social relevance in Europe and worldwide. Over decades, offshore port locations have been developed in estuarine regions, creating strong economic dependencies at the national level, such as the ports of Antwerp and Hamburg. In addition to unregulated economic growth in these multifaceted spaces, estuaries face increasing pressures from competing use conflicts and growing impacts of climate-induced environmental change. These developments have led to conflicts among estuarine actors and stakeholders due to competing interests such as shipping, coastal protection, renewable energy development, agriculture, housing, ecosystem preservation, and recreation. Collaborative governance regimes have emerged as an approach to foster multi-stakeholder engagement in pursuit of overarching goals, such as the sustainable development of these sensible estuarine regions. This paper presents a comparative analysis of two examples of collaborative estuary governance regimes - the Schelderaad (Scheldt) and Forum Tideelbe (Elbe) - applying a conceptual lens of collaborative governance. The findings highlight that collaboration in these regions presents both challenges and opportunities, depending on the level of stakeholder engagement. Key factors influencing the success of these governance arrangements include stakeholder motivation, leadership, dealing with (lack of) knowledge, building and losing trust, shared goals and visions, and long-term commitment. Initial positive responses to environmental contexts underline the potential of collaboration as an effective governance instrument. However, the success of such initiatives depends on the sustained commitment of all stakeholders and the implementation of collaborative recommendations within (trans-)national decision-making structures.
| Keywords | estuaries, estuary governance, collaborative estuary governance, sustainable development |
|---|---|
| Best Congress Paper Award | No |
