The project focused on the integration and creation of knowledge through various methods for empowering water in interdisciplinary urban development and planning processes. The project had significant relevance for national and EU policy evaluation and it supported the implementation of the Floods Directive and the Waterframework Directive.

The project developed a SKINT Water portal, which provided end-users from the national and regional level with an active source of information for online training courses, including an effective web-communication tool.

Aim
SKINT aimed to improve the implementation of the European Water Framework Directive and Floods Directive to contribute to the improvement of water quality in urban areas and, inter alia, the reduction of flood risk.

The needs to reach this aim were addressed by enabling spatial planners, land managers and water managers to enter into multidisciplinary collaborations.

Background

The European Water Framework Directive and Floods Directive have clear goals about improving water quality and regulating water quantity in the EU. When coupled with climate change and urbanization these create increasing pressures on water management, especially in urban areas. The North Sea Region has a long tradition of solving problems related to ground and surface water in urban areas by means of optimisation of innovative technical solutions.

However, the recent shift towards a more integrated approach in urban development in which many different disciplines have to work together demands a new approach to water management. Currently it is often the case that innovative water solutions are available, but implementation is hindered by barriers to multidisciplinary working.

There is a need to foster awareness of the role of different disciplines and build up capacity within disciplines to make the required contributions. This will enable more rapid and sustainable responses to problems associated with economic regeneration, thus encouraging the inward investment that is needed. 

• Transnational analysis on communication between stakeholders in multidisciplinary urban land and water management processes and on how to integrate water in urban land use projects
• Permanent web-portal for urban water and land use in Europe
• Study to provide professionals with tools to convince decision makers to choose sustainable solutions
• Web-based and face-to-face training programme for future water and urban land use professionals.