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River co-learning arenas: principles and practices for transdisciplinary knowledge co-creation and multi-scalar
Daniele Tubino de Souza1, Lena Hommes2, Arjen Wals3,4
1Water Resources Management Group, Department of Environmental Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands.
Local Environment
|January 13, 2025
Summary
This paper introduces river co-learning arenas (RCAs) to empower grassroots river initiatives for ecological regeneration and socio-ecological justice. RCAs foster transdisciplinary collaboration to address complex river system threats effectively.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Social Science
- Political Ecology
Background:
- River systems face severe degradation from pollution, damming, and water grabbing.
- These threats impact both human and non-human communities reliant on riverine ecosystems.
- Reversing degradation requires multi-level governance and diverse actor collaboration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop the concept of river co-learning arenas (RCAs).
- To explore RCAs' potential for strengthening grassroots river initiatives.
- To foster socio-ecological justice and river regeneration.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual development of River Co-learning Arenas (RCAs).
- Critical reflection on organizing, supporting, and cross-fertilizing RCAs.
- Integration of diverse disciplinary studies, debates, and theories.
Main Results:
- RCAs facilitate multi-actor, multi-level dialogue for river regeneration.
- The concept integrates five key themes: knowledge encounters, co-learning, collaboration dynamics, reflexivity, and knowledge assemblages.
- RCAs offer a framework to counter dominant technocratic-hydraulic development.
Conclusions:
- RCAs provide a methodological concept to enhance grassroots river initiatives.
- They foster transdisciplinary practice and socio-ecological justice in river management.
- RCAs enable effective engagement with complex river system challenges.
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