I contratti di fiume in Italia. Un’opportunità strategica per il governo collaborativo del territorio e la resilienza socio-ecologica

Abstract

This paper explores how River Contracts (CDF) contribute to collaborative territorial governance by addressing both social and ecological dimensions. CDFs are voluntary tools for strategic planning and negotiation aimed at protecting water resources, enhancing riverine areas, and mitigating hydraulic risks to support local development. We examine how CDFs were institutionalized in Italy and analyse how case studies create transcalar synergies to enhance socio-ecological resilience. CDFs address issues such as Nature-Based Solutions and water use efficiency, facing climate change and building resilience by promoting water ecosystem services. We argue that CDFs transcend top-down planning by fostering a creative, performative approach, integrating social and ecological issues, adapting to local contexts, and bridging imagination and action. These flexible governance tools combine top-down coordination with bottom-up participation, facilitating conflict resolution and fostering shared actions for territorial valorisation.