Smart Rivers Network (AG224)

The Smart Rivers Network Action Group intends to contribute to the diffusion of participative governance in the management of European hydrologic basins, through the activation of a cooperative network.

The public agreements or covenants on water have demonstrated to be very useful participatory tools to promote the involvement of the local communities in making decisions on river basins management. These processes have taken various forms, often in compliance with national policies and the most widespread tool is the so called River Contract, currently used in France, Belgium, Italy and Spain.

However, these tools have a lower diffusion in the East European countries and quite different approaches have been adopted in most of the other EU states. The proposed AG is thus an opportunity to share the experiences already existing at the EU level and to enhance the spreading of participative governance in the East European countries.

Major issues to be addressed by the AG are:

• implementation of the EU Directives 2000/60 and 2007/60 improving the awareness on participatory governance tools and sharing the approach;
• promotion and dissemination of these new tools particularly in the East countries;
• exchange of best practices of River contracts and other governance tools in Europe;
• improve the knowledge of local communities and public authorities on existing tools of water governance;
• dissemination of the opportunities in adopting River Contracts to the social actors and unions;
• promotion of a new green economy based on the maintenance and protection of soil and rivers.

The AG team aims to coordinate the interactions among decision makers, water users, technology companies, innovation supporters and citizens using different communication tools: web site, training courses, national congress, and giving through the network a direct support to the public bodies in the promotion of agreements and partnerships (public‐private).

Currently the National Board on River Contracts has a coordinator and a steering committee composed by  the Italian Ministry of Environment, ISPRA (National Environmental Agency), Region Lombardy, Region Piemonte, Region Umbria, National Association of Agenda 21, Legambiente and WWF (environmental associations), River Basin Management Authority District Po, Reclamation Authority of Po and Adige rivers, National order of agronomists, CIRF ‐ Italian Centre for River Restoration CIRF, “Alta Scuola” cultural and scientific association and more. The board is articulated in four working groups in which public bodies, associations, research centers as well as individual river contracts are voluntary involved.