AbstractsEconomics

During normal situations there is enough fresh water available for all functions in the Netherlands. But in times of droughts fresh water supply and water safety are at risk. For these periods of water scarcity, a sequence of priority on available fresh water distribution is present. However, experts consider that even these precautions are insufficient. It is expected that due to climate change droughts will increase and become more severe. But, economic and spatial development in the Netherlands are only possible when water safety and fresh water supply are safeguarded. The impact and consequences on society of failure of water functions caused by even these temporal water shortages can be high. Water stress has negative economic, environmental and social consequences, because fresh water is an important resource for drinking water production, electricity production, agriculture, industries, recreation and fishery. The Advisory Council for Transport, Public Works and Water Management advised the Dutch government that due to climate change a more proactive way of dealing with uncertainties is necessary for the future (Raad voor Verkeer en Waterstaat, 2009, p. 53). In sum, implementing adaptive management is necessary as future developments will probably lead to a higher negative impact of water scarcity situations as more fresh water is needed for social and economic development. Especially during these situations trade-offs between water uses have to be made. Therefor the following research question will be answered: How to analyse the Dutch socio-technical water system to design for a process to improve long term adaptive management of temporary water scarcity?. By answering this research question the following design objective be reached: A process design for long term adaptive management for situations of temporary water scarcity in the Dutch socio-technological water system. Because no standard blue print for process designs exist, a case study is used to develop a process design for dealing with long term adaptive management of water scarcity situations. The case of the Rhine-Estuary Drechtsteden has been selected, because of the complexity of this area. This area has been appointed by the Delta Commission as an area of special attention, because of future water challenges. Next to this there is also an institutional complexity with many different water users and water managers. For dealing with water scarcity in Rhine-Estuary Drechtsteden it recommended to implement the process design within the current policy cycles of water management. is a total overview of the process design. The process design is a total concept consisting of a mode of thinking, method of working, instruments and process rules. For presenting the process design the structure of Bekkering et al. (2007, pp. 94, 95) is adapted. The mode of thinking of this process design is based on the following concepts: Adaptive management (Folke, Hahn, Olsson, & Norberg, 2005; Mysiak, Henrikson, Sullivan, Bromley, & Pahl-Wostl, 2010; Pahl-Wostl,…