•Paper focuses on nature-based measures (NBM) in flood risk management plans (FRMPs).•Actual uptake of NBM in three German states is assessed via document analysis.•NBM uptake in FRMPs is generally ...low, with divergence across states.•Uptake relates positively to stream order, low flood risks and expected benefits.•Uptake could be enhanced by use of best available data and participatory methods.
Nature-based measures (NBMs), understood here as measures such as floodplain restoration that use ecosystem processes to meet societal challenges, are increasingly advocated as promising solutions for managing flood risks. A suitable instrument to implement NBMs are flood risk management plans (FRMPs) stipulated by the EU Floods Directive. While prior research suggests several governance challenges for NBM uptake in FRMPs, little is known so far regarding the actual extent of NBM uptake and its role in decision-making of flood risk management. Germany, with a coherent water policy framework but state-specific implementation conditions, provides a suitable case study for exploring the decision-making practices that are used in the planning process for FRMPs by German federal states with different water governance characteristics. The aim of this study is to analyze the actual uptake of NBMs in German FRMPs, and to explore potential factors of the FRMP preparation and decision-making practices explaining this uptake. Our explorative research design is based on a document analysis method which assesses the contents of FRMPs of three German federal states.
The results offer the first empirical evidence of the uptake of NBMs in Germany and insights into how NBMs and other measure types are chosen for FRMPs. Our findings confirm an overall low uptake of NBMs, with diverging preferences for particular NBM types between the three states. Looking across the states, the level of NBM uptake is likely to be higher if rivers with higher stream order are considered in the FRMP's spatial scope, the potential flood risk in a river basin is low, and positive flood impacts and positive cost-benefit ratios are expected. We conclude that FRMPs still hold substantial potential to enhance the NBM uptake in flood risk management planning. To make use of this potential, we suggest three key strategies to increase the change for a better NBM uptake including applying FRMPs at different spatial levels and degrees of details.
For river basin management plans (RBMPs), measures are aggregated from smaller spatial units (e.g., water bodies) to the catchment or basin scale. River basin management plans measures in integrated ...management are evaluated using multiple criteria, e.g., ecological and socio-economiccriteria, etc. Therefore, aggregation often combines spatial analysis and multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA). Herein, we investigate: (1) the effect of applying different aggregation pathways on the outcome of the RBMP using the technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) as an MCDA method, (2) the scaling effects considering water body, sub-catchment, and river basin scales, and (3) the effect of using global and local criteria weighing on the final ranking of alternatives. We propose two approaches to aggregate ranks for the entire basin: using non-dominated alternatives only and using a normalized TOPSIS relative closeness value. The results show no variation in the final non-dominated alternative for both aggregation pathways. However, we note rank reversal among the dominated alternatives. These results suggest that scaling effects need to be considered in spatial MCDA.
Das Konzept der Ökosystemleistungen kann helfen, Umsetzungsdefizite der räumlichen Planung zu bewältigen und den Schutz und die nachhaltige Nutzung von Natur und Landschaft zu fördern. Die ...vielfältigen Erkenntnisse zur Anwendung in Deutschland wurden bisher jedoch noch nicht systematisch zusammengebracht und ausgewertet. Der vorliegende Beitrag stellt Thesen für einen Einsatz des Konzepts der Ökosystemleistungen in der räumlichen Planung und für eine nachhaltige Raumentwicklung vor. Die Thesen führen den Stand des Wissens zusammen und geben Empfehlungen für den Einsatz in der Praxis und für weitere Forschung. Sie sind in drei thematische Bereiche gegliedert: Thesen zum generellen Nutzen des Konzepts, zu Hemmnissen und Potenzialen des Einsatzes wie der Anbindung an Planungsinstrumente sowie Thesen zu Handlungsbedarfen in Forschung und Planung. Sie sollen Wissenschaft und Praxis motivieren, das Konzept der Ökosystemleistungen in relevanten Planungskontexten einzusetzen, es für besseren Schutz und die nachhaltige Entwicklung von Natur und Landschaft zu nutzen und somit Transformationsprozesse zu einer nachhaltigen Entwicklung zu unterstützen.
The concept of ecosystem services can help to overcome implementation deficits in spatial planning and to promote the protection and sustainable use of nature and landscape. However, diverse findings on the concept's application in Germany have not yet been brought together and evaluated. The aim of this paper is to present theses on the meaningful and effective use of ecosystem services in spatial planning and the promotion of sustainable spatial development. The theses are intended to summarize the state of knowledge and provide recommendations for use in practice and for further research. They are divided into three thematic areas: Theses on the benefits of the ecosystem services concept, on obstacles and potentials of its use and theses on needs for action. The theses are intended to motivate practitioners and scientists to apply the ecosystem services concept in appropriate planning contexts, to use it for better protection and development of nature and landscape, and to support transformation processes towards sustainable development.
Cost-benefit analysis (CBA) is used in many contexts to compare the monetary costs and benefits of taking different actions. It has thus been advocated as a suitable method for analysing ...environmental policy making as well as decisions about projects and their effects on societal welfare. Despite the valuable use in principle, its actual use in policy processes seems to be limited. The paper presents an empirical case study in the city of Bremen, Germany and contributes to the literature on the use of CBA in policy making related to climate adaptation. We interviewed municipal actors involved in a participatory workshop series dedicated to supporting the use of CBA for deciding whether to implement specific climate adaptation measures. The municipal actors were asked about their perception of the usefulness of CBA, particularly in formulating policy options, and about the success factors and constraints connected to integrating cost-benefit results in policy making. The findings suggest that CBA is, above all, perceived as useful in raising awareness of environmental goods and in increasing the transparency of the policy-making process. Here, CBA was confirmed as useful for spurring a systematic discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of different adaptation measures. However, the municipal actors adopted a relatively critical stance towards using CBA as a decision criterion for prioritising measures. We conclude that, in this context, the participatory process of conducting the CBA, which takes municipal actors’ knowledge seriously into account, is important for the perception of the usefulness of its results in policy making.
•Policy makers were asked about their perception on the usefulness of cost-benefit analysis results.•Cost-benefit analyses are perceived as useful in raising awareness and increasing the transparency.•Use of cost-benefit analysis as a decision criterion for prioritization of measures is viewed critically.•A participatory process of conducting the cost-benefit analysis is important for improving the perception of the usefulness.
The EC Water Framework Directive and more explicitly the EC Marine Strategy Framework Directive has brought new requirements of integrating economic approaches into policy-making. The primary aim of ...the study is to gain a greater insight into the factors that might influence the use and acceptance of cost-benefit analysis (CBA) and economic valuation in water policy-making. In this context, particularly, attitudes towards economic valuation have been established as an explanatory factor. The paper presents results of an empirical survey among decision-makers in German water authorities. The study confirms that water-related decisions in Germany are still based primarily on budget costs, but also indicates a rather positive attitude towards economic valuation. The results suggest that conceptual issues are considered as most important, whereas resource constraints are not predominantly regarded as important obstacles for the application of CBA in the administrative context. Furthermore, an exploratory factor analysis derived three 'latent' variables that are related to (i) the usefulness of CBA as a decision-support tool, (ii) the administrative feasibility, and (iii) the policy-makers' goals and interest potentially affected by the use of CBA. The results of an OLS regression model suggest that particularly the institutional affiliation has a significant influence on the attitudes.
Um den Auswirkungen von Klimawandel und Biodiversitätsverlusten entgegenzusteuern, sind nachhaltige Transformationen der gesellschaftlichen Systeme und Prozesse sowie der räumlichen Planung ...erforderlich. Ökosystemleistungen werden als ein Konzept diskutiert, mit dem sich der Umgang mit natürlichen Ressourcen hin zu mehr Nachhaltigkeit wandeln könnte. In diesem Beitrag wird anhand von sechs anwendungsorientierten Forschungsprojekten analysiert, inwieweit 'Transformation' in der planungsbezogenen Forschung zu Ökosystemleistungen bisher eine Rolle spielt und welche Potenziale in der Wissenschaft gesehen werden, mittels Ökosystemleistungen zu einem transformativen Wandel im Kontext der Raumplanung beizutragen. Es zeigt sich, dass die aktuellen Forschungsprojekte zu Ökosystemleistungen überwiegend keinen direkten Bezug auf transformative Prozesse nehmen und Veränderungen innerhalb des bestehenden Rahmens anstreben. Bei einer entsprechenden Ausgestaltung der Forschung wäre es allerdings möglich, zu transformativen Prozessen beizutragen. Mit dem Ökosystemleistungskonzept können unter anderem Systemdenken gefördert, klassische Ressortgrenzen überschritten und zivilgesellschaftliche Akteure stärker eingebunden werden. Experimente in der Forschung könnten die Grundlage für die Umgestaltung des Planungssystems sein, beginnend auf einer Nischenebene.
To counteract the effects of climate change and biodiversity loss, sustainable transformations of societal systems and processes, as well as spatial planning, are required. Ecosystem services are considered as a concept that could transform the management of natural resources towards more sustainability. On the basis of six application-oriented research projects, this paper analyses the extent to which transformation has played a role in planning-related research on ecosystem services so far and what potential experts see for contributing to transformative change in the context of spatial planning by means of ecosystem services. The current research projects on ecosystem services predominantly do not directly refer to transformative processes and strive for changes within the existing planning framework. However, if research would be designed accordingly, it would be possible to contribute to transformative processes. Among other things, the concept of ecosystem services can be used to promote system thinking, cross sectorial boundaries, or involve civic stakeholders to a greater extent. Experiments in research could be the basis for transforming the planning system starting at the niche level.
To counteract the effects of climate change and biodiversity loss, sustainable transformations of societal systems and processes, as well as spatial planning, are required. Ecosystem services are ...considered as a concept that could transform the management of natural resources towards more sustainability. On the basis of six application-oriented research projects, this paper analyses the extent to which transformation has played a role in planning-related research on ecosystem services so far and what potential experts see for contributing to transformative change in the context of spatial planning by means of ecosystem services. The current research projects on ecosystem services predominantly do not directly refer to transformative processes and strive for changes within the existing planning framework. However, if research would be designed accordingly, it would be possible to contribute to transformative processes. Among other things, the concept of ecosystem services can be used to promote system thinking, cross sectorial boundaries, or involve civic stakeholders to a greater extent. Experiments in research could be the basis for transforming the planning system starting at the niche level.
Um den Auswirkungen von Klimawandel und Biodiversitätsverlusten entgegenzusteuern, sind nachhaltige Transformationen der gesellschaftlichen Systeme und Prozesse sowie der räumlichen Planung ...erforderlich. Ökosystemleistungen werden als ein Konzept diskutiert, mit dem sich der Umgang mit natürlichen Ressourcen hin zu mehr Nachhaltigkeit wandeln könnte. In diesem Beitrag wird anhand von sechs anwendungsorientierten Forschungsprojekten analysiert, inwieweit „Transformation“ in der planungsbezogenen Forschung zu Ökosystemleistungen bisher eine Rolle spielt und welche Potenziale in der Wissenschaft gesehen werden, mittels Ökosystemleistungen zu einem transformativen Wandel im Kontext der Raumplanung beizutragen. Es zeigt sich, dass die aktuellen Forschungsprojekte zu Ökosystemleistungen überwiegend keinen direkten Bezug auf transformative Prozesse nehmen und Veränderungen innerhalb des bestehenden Rahmens anstreben. Bei einer entsprechenden Ausgestaltung der Forschung wäre es allerdings möglich, zu transformativen Prozessen beizutragen. Mit dem Ökosystemleistungskonzept können unter anderem Systemdenken gefördert, klassische Ressortgrenzen überschritten und zivilgesellschaftliche Akteure stärker eingebunden werden. Experimente in der Forschung könnten die Grundlage für die Umgestaltung des Planungssystems sein, beginnend auf einer Nischenebene.
Stated preference methods such as choice experiments are frequently used for the valuation of environmental goods. Studies suggest that the impact of valuation results on policymaking is rare. How ...the validity of stated preference results is perceived by policymakers may be a neglected barrier to use in policymaking. The study investigates (1) how valuation results are used by policymakers, (2) how policymakers perceive their validity, and (3) how these perceptions matter for the use of the results. We conduct choice experiments on urban green, directly involving local policymakers in the process. The policymakers, who were interviewed later, report frequent informative use of the results. Although concerns regarding validity exist, they are not a major barrier for informative use but maybe for decisive use. Our findings provide new insights on the use of valuation results by policymakers, as our study is the first to focus on stated preference results and on the role of perceived validity and enables an in-depth analysis by interviewing policymakers involved in a transdisciplinary process. We derive recommendations for researchers on how to design and communicate stated preference studies to increase their use in environmental policy-making.
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