Collaborative Governance for Adaptation to Multi-Risk in the Dutch North Sea

Abstract

The Dutch North Sea is a space of tremendous economic potential in which efficient organisation of space is key for enduring climate adaptation. Climate change exacerbates natural hazards that pose dangers to the infrastructure set out to be installed at sea. The Dutch Government elaborated a medium-term plan that steers the system towards key transitions in energy production, food systems and ecosystem conservation. The user groups are currently participating in the governance efforts but there are still trade-offs to be made. Dynamic Adaptive Policy Pathways for Multi Risk (DAPP-MR) represents a methodology in development that MYRIAD-EU aims to tailor for use in transboundary sea settings. This research analyses the collaborative governance regime of the Dutch North Sea to understand where potential lock-ins might occur when attempting to implement DAPP-MR in this system. Taking advantage of being part of the MYRIAD-EU project and the collaboration with Deltares, this research uses primary data from the first North Sea pilot stakeholder workshop and internal sessions. Concurrently, interviews with experts in the field were conducted and an extensive literature review and document analysis were also used. The results showed a governance system that has already started to implement collaborative processes, but the system also has a preference for some activities over others. The user groups that fell within the spectrum of the research have displayed siloed thinking when it comes to climate adaptation. Both compatibilities and incompatibilities between activities would impact how multi-use of space can occur. There are knowledge gaps regarding systems impacts, and those are being taken into decision-making due to the urgency with which the government treats climate action. Furthermore, there were also gaps in single hazards to multi-hazard to multi-risk thinking in this system. DAPP-MR could be used to navigate the uncertainties of this system in theory, but more research and potential changes to the method are required. The conceptualisation of space as the resource of a socio-ecological system represents a starting point in both developing collaborative governance and DAPP-MR for use in maritime areas. Further research is required in both fields, as well as in multi-hazard and multi-risk thinking that should develop in this area.