River contracts for sustainable development in the Italian context: The Serchio River case study

A river contract is a participatory management tool for the protection of rivers, restoration of the environment and better planning of land use. In Italy, river contracts are becoming more common, with the participation of basin, regional, provincial and municipal authorities as well as other stakeholders. The strength of river contracts lies in their prioritization of direct consultation with this broad stakeholder group. Projects under these contracts are carried out through publicprivate partnerships for better efficiency of implementation and to enable job creation. Collective governance is increasingly associated with successful efforts for sustainable development, and the Serchio River contract, which involved more than 270 stakeholders in its planning phase, is one such successful example from the Tuscany region. It has a number of notable achievements such as redefining rules for urban development in harmony with nature and the river and involving farmers in protection of the environment.

Sustainable Development Goals:

Clean Water and Sanitation