Mapping public participation in the Water Framework Directive: A case study of the Pinios River Basin, Greece

The EU Water Framework Directive requires the involvement and participation of stakeholders and the public, and considers full cost recovery for water services for enhancing the sustainability of water resource management. The Directive is non prescriptive as to how public participation should be operationalised in practice, and Member States appear to be adopting different participatory practices. This study explores the issue of public participation in the context of the Pinios River Basin in Greece, a pilot area for the WFD implementation. The study uses Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping, a form of qualitative modeling linked to stakeholders' perceptions. Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping has been used to elicit stakeholder and public perceptions on the current state and pressures on water resources and the acceptability of applying economic principles in water resource management. Based on these perceptions, different water management policy options have been simulated in order to explore their potential effects on the water resources and the economy of the area. The study outlines public and stakeholder perceptions on the application of full cost recovery for water services and offers a perspective on the potential contribution of Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping in participatory river basin management.