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United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development

Supporting and strengthening the participation of local communities in the integrated management of water resources, flood risk and local development through the River Contracts - RCs (Contratti di Fiume - CdF).

Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (
Government
)
#SDGAction50845
Description
Description

The specific objective of the project is to contribute to the development and strengthening of watershed governance through the River Contracts (RCs), voluntary-based tools of strategic and negotiated planning, that contribute to the integrated management of water resources, flood risk and local development at catchment and sub-catchment scale.
Indeed, a RC aims at integrating sectoral policies and strategies into a comprehensive, inclusive and effective vision and approach, interconnecting place-based needs and challenges. A RC focuses on merging needs of both environment and citizens.
The framework above described requires a comprehensive strategy capable of combining global and local issues and enhancing the relationship between public administrations and citizens. A RC - referring not only to a water course, but also to a lake, a coast, an aquifer, a lagoon, etc. - is a technical and financial agreement between public and private parties interested in a comprehensive, concerted and sustainable management of a hydrographic unit. The goal is therefore:
• strengthening synergies amongst the Action Program (AP) of the RC and the Plan of Measures of the River Basin Management Plans;
• enhancing the interinstitutional synergy, the multilevel administrative capacity and the local community empowerment in order to facilitate participatory and inclusive decision-making processes;
• developing models and practices of public-private partnerships
• raising awareness and disseminating good practices related to the sustainable management of water resources;
• encouraging the establishment of increasingly responsible and active communities towards the ecological transition and social and environmental sustainability, also involving the younger generations.
The resources, necessary to assist and support the local communities in the preparation of the RCs and in the implementation of their commitments will be granted over several years. This method of progressive investments will allow to support the RCs from the decision-making phase up to the implementation of the Action Programs.
This targeted investment is accompanied by a commitment aimed at monitoring, digitizing and assessing information about RCs using a dedicated National Platform (database).

Expected Impact

These are the main expected results at the end of the project: the dissemination and strengthening of participatory processes and the involvement of public-private partnerships for the management and protection of water resources, the defense against risk, together with sustainable local development. The numerical growth of the River Contract processes is therefore expected. Currently in Italy, following an initial national diffusion, there are already about 200 CdF started and almost 70 subscribed and in the implementation phase of their Action Programs. The AP of the CdF, which can be reached through a path of local participation and empowerment, supported by the institutions, contribute to the achievement of the SDG objective on a local scale.
Therefore, through the Action Programs of the CdF, it will be possible to adopt appropriate measures for short, medium and long term needs (improving of water quality; developing good agricultural and/or production practices with low impact on water resources; supporting sustainable management of water in urban and extra-urban areas also intervening on conflicts of use; promoting integrated management of water resources, reducing citizens' exposure to risks, etc.).
A more participatory management of water resources and the territory with the active participation of local communities will consequently allow:
- a lower influx of pollutants and plastics into the Mediterranean Sea by improving the ecosystems connected to it (SDG 14.1);
- improved water quality and quantity for urban and productive use and increased water efficiency in all sectors in order to address water scarcity (SDG 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, 6.6, SDG 3.3);
- the conservation, restoration and sustainable management of water-related terrestrial ecosystems, the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources, together with the strengthening of resilience and capacity to adapt to climate change and the fight against desertification (SDG 15.1 , 15.3, SDG 12.2, SDG 13.1);
- positive economic, social and environmental relationships between urban, peri-urban and rural areas, the implementation of resilient agricultural practices that will increase productivity and production and that will help to preserve ecosystems, the enhancement of territories through sustainable tourism (SDG 2.4 , SDG 8.9, SDG 11);
- the adoption of inclusive policies that guarantee the participation of local communities, the empowerment of women in decision-making processes, contributing to overcoming the gender gap, and fair access to information that could increase awareness and participation in water management.

Partners

Eastern Alps District Authority
Po River District Authority
Northern Apennine District Authority
Regional Basin Authority of Sardinia
Hydrographic District Authority of Sicily
Central Apennine District Authority
Southern Apennine District Authority
Regions and Autonomous Provinces (21)
Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA)
National Association of Italian Municipalities (ANCI)

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Timeline
01 January 2018 (start date)
31 December 2027 (date of completion)
Entity
Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security
SDGs
Region
  1. Africa
  2. Europe
Other beneficiaries

Resident population in Italy
Mediterranean peoples (indirect)
Global community (indirect)

Countries
Italy
Italy
Contact Information

Giuseppe, Director General of DG-USSRI – Sustainable use of soils and water resources (MASE – Minister of Environment and Energy Security