Combining companion modelling with social-ecological system modelling for engaging stakeholders in the co-construction of sustainable water governance practices – CopeWater

As a result of climate change, but also of the increasing use of water resources and lands, an intensification of hydrological extremes and water resources shortage is expected, leading to increased scarcity of freshwater at a global scale, but also at a regional to local scale. This is particularly acute in islands as these solely rely on their intrinsic resources for drinking water, agricultural and industrial production, as well as tourism development. Appropriate management of water resources requires to consider the social-ecological system (SES) as a whole, considering the ecological system together with its multiple interactions and feedback with the society and reciprocally. It also requires the involvement of stakeholders in defining the rules of use and governance. In this context, the CopeWater project proposes to advance research on how unravelling the functioning of SESs from the headwaters to the sea can enable societies to better anticipate the future, implement sustainable and adaptive management, and render land-water-sea-continuums (LWSCs) more resilient and better prepared to face crises at different time scales. CopeWater therefore aims to i) to develop knowledge on interactions, feedback and potential tipping points between the environment and the society regarding water quality and quantity, and ii) leverage collective intelligence via companion modelling in the the co-construction of new governance practices with stakeholders for rendering LWSCs more resilient to ongoing and future changes. We propose to use Mayotte (French overseas island region in the Indian Ocean) as a test case as it currently experiences rapid changes in governance, demography, and land use leading to water quantity and quality challenges with recurrent water crises that are glaring examples of water-related issues worldwide.