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The InnWater Project

Submitted by Philippe Lanceleur on

InnWater is an ambitious initiative aimed at addressing the multi-dimensional challenges of water governance in the face of climate change, increasing population demands, and the need for equitable access to safe water resources. Anchored in the principles of social innovation, the project seeks to renew multi-level and cross-sector governance systems by integrating innovative economic and financial mechanisms. This approach aligns with the EU Green Deal and promotes sustainability across water systems.

The methodology of InnWater focuses on creating tailored, innovative governance tools and methods, which are co-developed and tested in five pilot sites across Europe. These sites represent diverse water governance challenges, including:

  • France (Réunion Island): Economic-focused water management.

  • Italy (Middle Brenta Basin): Integration of ecosystem services and drinking water.

  • Spain (Figueres): Addressing water scarcity through innovative approaches.

  • United Kingdom (West Country): Improving water quality using multi-stakeholder collaboration.

  • Hungary (Middle Tisza): Water allocation and resource optimization.

 

The project’s approach incorporates four key dimensions of social innovation: technological advancements, governance restructuring, capacity development, and economic modeling. These dimensions empower stakeholders to collaboratively design and adopt governance solutions that are practical, inclusive, and sustainable.

By demonstrating and validating these innovations in real-world settings, InnWater aims to provide actionable policy recommendations at local, national, and international levels. These recommendations will enhance the replicability of InnWater’s solutions, contributing to a broader transformation of water governance systems worldwide.

As the OECD noted, "Water crises are often primarily governance crises." InnWater addresses this critical challenge by laying the groundwork for inclusive, adaptive, and sustainable water management practices that safeguard ecosystems and promote resilience.

Learn more about the project on our website: | INNWATER

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