1. Ministry of Ecology and Sustainable Development, FRANCE
“The EU Water Framework Directive – progress and perception of implementation in Europe and beyond” Day 2 – Thursday 19th June 2003 Session 4.3 : River basin planning and public participation – opportunity or threat ?
Institutional aspects: water planning and public participation in France
Coralie NOËL,
Ministry of Ecology and Sustainable Development, FRANCE

2. River basin institutions
History of water planning in France
River basin institutions
Water management
plans
A new challenge ...
2000 WFD
1964 Water Act
1992 Water Act

3. 1. A participative water planning (set up by the 1992 Water Act)

4. The river basin (catchment area) : water management unit since (Water Act of the 16th December 1964)
A decentralised
water management
at the level
of river basins

5. The French large river basins
6 metropolitan river basins + Guadalupe, Martinique, Guyana, Reunion Island

6. Surface area and population
Loire Bretagne
Rhône Méditerranée Corse
Adour Garonne
Seine Normandie
35 000
Rhin Meuse
15 000
Artois Picardie
Population
Surface area (km2)
River Basin

7. A stakeholder participation at 4 levels
Basin level
Basin Committee
Plan : SDAGE
km2
14 millions inhab
National level
National Water Committee
km2
60 millions inhab.
A stakeholder participation at 4 levels
Local level
Sub-basin level
Geographic Commissions
About km2
About 1 million inhab
Local Water Commission
Plan : SAGE
ex : the Drôme river SAGE
1700 km2
inhab

8. 1.1. National level : The National Water Committee and its rôle in the national water policy

9. Role Advisory body, under the responsibility of the Prime minister
Issues : definition of water laws & water policy, coordination between the river basins, problems shared by two or several basins
Advice / decisions based on consensus after debates

10. Composition Water users : Elected officials :
chambers of agriculture, fishers' associations,
industrialists,
associations of consumers or for environmental protection,
tourism association
water suppliers...
Elected officials :
from the regions comprising the 6 French river basins
State (Central Government) :
the representatives of the Ministers in charge of water issues
Specialists
The 6 Chairmen of Basin Committees

11. Repartition of members
Elected officials
Water users
and NGOs
State representatives
Competent people
Chairmen of basin committees

12. 1.2. River basin level : The River Basin Committee and its responsibility in water planning

13. 1968 : the Basin Institutions
Basin Committee : "Water Parliament"
Water Agency : financial incentive tool
Fees
(pollution, water consumption, …)
Subsidies
(treatments, river restoration, …) C
Elected officials
Stakeholders
State representatives
Implementation of Polluter pays principle
Financial
action programmes (5 years)

14. Role of the River Basin Commitee
A tripartite assembly who:
elaborates the river basin management plan (SDAGE) and arbitrates between options
decides the amount to be paid by the users (fees)
defines financial programmes for action (subsidies)

15. COMPOSITION OF BASIN COMMITTEES
River Basin Committees Elected Users Socio- Administration Total Officials professionals
ADOUR-GARONNE
ARTOIS-PICARDY
LOIRE-BRITTANY
RHINE-MEUSE
RHONE-MEDITERRANEAN
CORSICA
SEINE-NORMANDY

16. A specific authority for water management in each large river basin
Basin Coordinor Prefect (« Préfet coordonnateur de bassin »), representant of the State
Coordination of actions in the basin, between the different sectors, the different administrations and between the different levels
Will endorsed the RBMP and the programme of measures and will be responsible for their implementation in the district

17. elaborates Large river basin Basin Committee
Water Management Master Plan
« Schéma Directeur d’Aménagement et de Gestion des Eaux »
(S.D.A.G.E.)

18. 6 main issues Quality objectives Quantity objectives
Drinking water and public health
Protection of aquatic ecosystems
Mitigation of the effects of floods
Participatory water management

19. The S.D.A.G.E.: a framework for action
A common project (discussed between stakeholders of the basin during several years)
Establishment of diagnosis and guidelines for water policy for 15 years
A legally binding character
Definition of quantified objectives (follow up of actions through progress reports)
Coordination and coherence between local water management initiatives

20. Elaboration process Obligatory (Water Act)
4 years development :
Elaboration by the Basin Committee
Endorsement by the Basin Coordinator Prefect

21. 1.3. Sub-basin level

22. the example of Rhone - Mediterranean - Corsica basin
Objective : Being closer to concrete questions
10 geographical commissions
(decentralisation of the basin committee in sub basins)
6 regional technical committees
(administrative co-ordination)
7 users and consumers commissions
economic, consumers, ecologists… interests

23. 1.4. Local level : The Local Water Commission and its responsibility in water planning

24. Local Water Commission
Large basin
Basin Committee
Water Management
Master Plan (SDAGE)
Local basin
Local Water Commission
Plan (SAGE)

25. Local Water Commission
A sub basin (= km2)
A local water commission
Users
NGOs
Local Communities
(elected officials)
Local
representatives
of the State

26. Content of the local management plan
A sub basin (= km2)
A local water commission
Definition of a “water management plan” (SAGE)
• water quality objectives
• water quantity objectives
• rules for aquatic environments preservation
concrete implementation of the guidelines
and tools defined in the SDAGE
legal efficiency

27. Elaboration process
Elaboration by Local Water Commission (active participation of stakeholders)
Duration : about 5 years
Consultation of the general public on the draft local management plan (2 months)
Consultation of the Basin Committee (coherence checking with the Masterplan)
Endorsement by the Prefect

28. Progress June 2003 Emergence: 24 Area defined: 13 Elaboration: 65
Implementation: 12

29. Elaboration of SDAGE & SAGE A 3 steps approach
Diagnosis :
An assessment of the current situation, a common knowledge and understanding of problems and stakes
Definition of objectives
Identification of management priorities and setting up of long-term objectives (15 years)
Decision on measures and implementation
Evaluation of the necessary actions to achieve the objectives, with adaptation to local stakes and stakeholders

30. Implementation process of SDAGE & SAGE
A legal efficiency : compliance of administrative decisions
A follow up of actions through indicators
An annual progress report, discussed within the Local Water Commission
Active participation of stakeholders in the implementation and the follow up

31. Some lessons learnt importance of local political will
importance of a long term thinking
major role of facilitators and training
importance of follow up (with stakeholders)
necessity to be closer as possible of people’s environment (more involvement at local level)
rivers as linking factor (identity to the whole area)
Positive effects of participation in current implementation : coordination between the organisations and between the stakeholders

32. Some lessons learnt (2) - Being closer to concrete questions
- Progressing toward a shared culture
- Implementing training and information
all along the process for every scale :
before,
during
and after

33. 3. Evolution of water planning and public participation according to WFD

34. The 12 French hydrographic districts
Escaut, Somme et côtiers Manche mer du Nord
Meuse et Sambre
Rhin
Rhône et côtiers méditerranéens
Corse
Adour, Garonne, Dordogne et côtiers charentais et aquitains
Loire, côtiers vendéens et côtiers bretons
Seine et côtiers normands
Martinique
Guadeloupe
Guyane
Réunion

35. Integration of the RBMP in the SDAGE
documents to be included for the implementation of the WFD
- District characterisation,
identification of :
water bodies
ecoregions
reference conditions
- map of protected areas
- economic analysis
- measures
- etc.
SDAGE
- General guidelines
and recommendations
- Specific issues
Flood risks
quantitative objectives
access to the river
water supply security
river extractions,etc.
River basin manage-ment plan

36. Implementation of Article 14
Consultation & active involvement of interested parties (stakeholders) : OK
Consultation of the general public : to be improved, OK for the local scale
Information supply to the public : to be increased
 Build a new approach on existing structures, keep alive the existing motivation & experience of planners and stakeholders

37. Elaboration of a national guidance document on public participation
January - May: elaboration of the 1st version
June - September: local consultation rounds in river basin districts (elected officials, State services, NGOs, etc)
October: Final version and instruction to competent authorities

38. Main guidelines Organise awareness campaigns on water
Inform the general public on the results of the district review (art 5)
Enlarge the existing official consultations
Increase active participation of stakeholders
Set up databases for the collection, gathering and follow up of comments
Organise the 2 first public consultations together in 2005

39. Active participation of interested parties
2004 District review Information of the public - Official
Consultations - Active participation of
stakeholders
Access to information
Active participation of interested parties
Work programme + Significant water
management issues Consultation of the public
Draft RBMP
Approval of RBMP Information of the public
2009 to 2015 Implementation
(progress report in 2012) Information of the public

40. A wide debate on water policy during entire 2003
Jan – may (step 1) : hearings of national representatives of stakeholders
March – sept (step 2) : public debates at the level of districts and sub-districts
Sept – dec (step 3) : local debates + opinion poll for the general public
Decembre 2003 : concluding national meeting
Beginning 2004 : synthesis of proposals and programme of actions

41. Other actions conducted
Information & consultation of the National Water Council on WFD implementation
Setting up & consultation of a specific WFD Committee of socio profesionals
Responsibility of stakeholders within Basin Committee in the WFD implementation
Information of local stakeholders & general public

42. Educational & awareness campaigns
Intensive campaigns from 2003 on
Based on the assessment of knowledge and expectations of the public
 opinion polls have shown a real need concerning water cycle & water management in general
 focus groups technique will be used & national / regional public debates on water policy will be organized (2003)

43. Information supply to the public
A necessary condition for the success of the consultation & transparency
Information supply on the WFD approach, objectives, deadlines and stakes, on the participatory process
data made widely available (internet)
to go beyond technical issues to inform the people on what makes sense for them
need for understandable documents for non specialised people

44. Inform the public on the results of the district review (2004)
Not obligatory in the WFD
2004 report is a reference document
setting the scene for the 2006 public consultation
pb : technical information (water bodies, pressures and impacts, environmental objectives, HMWB, economic analysis of water uses, …)
need for specific products explaining the district review to the public (pedagogy)

45. Stakeholders involvement in the elaboration of the district review
Inform and collect comments at each scale (bottom-up approach)
use existing structures : basin committees, geographic commissions, local water commissions
prepare the 2006 public consultation
obtain a shared diagnostic of the district status
keep the stakeholders mobilized and aware of the next steps (continuous process)

46. Public consultation for the elaboration of management plans
tailor-made organisation for each district
bottom-up approach from the local scale to the district scale
relays (NGO, elected officials) between competent authorities and general public
use of data base for the gathering and follow up of comments

47. Some conclusions ...
Social participation : a key factor for the sustainability of water resources
participatory mechanisms in water policies already exist
WFD : a new challenge, especially / general public
transparency and participatory culture to be developed
need for new resources : awareness of planners & decision makers, capacity building, tools and methods, ...