Living Labs towards sustainable groundwater management: case study in Malia, Crete, Greece

This work carries the social learning process out via Living Labs in order to construct a common
vision on sustainable groundwater management. In this process, the scientific and local
knowledge are integrated. This study is part of Sustain-COAST project co-funded by PRIMA
programme. Stakeholders’ active engagement is realized via Living Labs, which are participatory
actions that encourage the dialogue among private and public actors, create institutionalized
space for discussion and vision sharing, and analyze the stakeholder-suggested mitigation options.
A stakeholder mapping took place, that is the list of all the key groups, organizations, and people
involved to water management in the study area. Further analysis was carried out to better
understand stakeholders’ roles and perspectives, within the first Living Lab, organized in Malia. 55
stakeholders interacted gathered, including water users, policy makers, local and regional
authorities, water management and supply associations, socio-ecological and cultural associations,
NGOs, citizens, technicians, external experts, scientists.
Stakeholders got involved in social learning actions, knowing each other, expressed their
motivations and expectations to participate in the first Living Lab and the project. Afterwards, a
participatory session followed by implementing digital ICT tools (Mentimeter App.), which is an
opinion survey technique that might improve societal awareness and stakeholders’ active
engagement in water management. Afterwards, an interactive participatory map activity took
place, which enabled the study site’s characterization according to key-stakeholders’ perception,
knowledge, and expertise on water management issues in the area. Stakeholders collaborated in
groups and filled maps of the study area with significant spatial data and information. Participants
were asked to express their common vision on Malia in an entertaining puzzle activity. The aforementioned interactive sessions enabled the extraction of the raised water issues in Malia
as well as the suggestion of possible options . The need for sustainable and balanced development
taking into account principles of law and equal accessibility for all was specifically noted by
stakeholders. Stakeholders evaluated the Living Labs as an innovative interactive and interesting
way of exchanging views among institutions and citizens, through participation and technological
means. Living Labs are expected to provide significant information exchange among institutions
and actors and provide realistic and socially acceptable suggestions for the local community.
Stakeholders are directly involved and motivated to maintain their active engagement in a longlasting
process via future Living Labs in Malia. Such actions increase governance capacity by
addressing people’s skills in jointly decision-making and engaging stakeholders in a social learning
process through participation. Actions that encourage dialogue among different actors and use
innovative mediation techniques form the best options to improve and integrate water
governance.