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Managing Sustainable Development Conflicts: The Impact of Stakeholders in Small-Scale Hydropower Schemes

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Abstract

The growing importance of the environment and its management has simultaneously emphasized the benefits of hydroelectric power and its environmental costs. In a changing policy climate, giving importance to renewable energy development and environmental protection, conflict potential between stakeholders is considerable. Navigation of conflict determines the scheme constructed, making sustainable hydropower a function of human choice. To meet the needs of practitioners, greater understanding of stakeholder conflict is needed. This paper presents an approach to illustrate the challenges that face small-scale hydropower development as perceived by the stakeholders involved, and how they influence decision-making. Using Gordleton Mill, Hampshire (UK), as an illustrative case, soft systems methodology, a systems modeling approach, was adopted. Through individual interviews, a range of problems were identified and conceptually modeled. Stakeholder bias towards favoring economic appraisal over intangible social and environmental aspects was identified; costs appeared more influential than profit. Conceptual evaluation of the requirements to meet a stakeholder-approved solution suggested a complex linear systems approach, considerably different from the real-life situation. The stakeholders introduced bias to problem definition by transferring self-perceived issues onto the project owner. Application of soft systems methodology caused a shift in project goals away from further investigation towards consideration of project suitability. The challenge of sustainable hydropower is global, with a need to balance environmental, economic, and social concerns. It is clear that in this type of conflict, an individual can significantly influence outcomes; highlighting the need for more structured approaches to deal with stakeholder conflicts in sustainable hydropower development.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the participants of the Gordleton Mill case study for their collaboration and openness, especially Liz Cottingham for her support and Terry Langford for helpful comments throughout the project. This work was completed as part of an Engineering and Physical Science Research Council/Economic and Social Research Council funded Research Project. The study sponsors had no involvement in study design, in the writing of the report, or in the decision to submit the paper for publication.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Engineering and Environment, International Centre for Ecohydraulics Research, University of Southampton, Southampton, Hampshire, SO17 1BJ, UK

    Laura Jane Watkin, Paul S. Kemp & Ian D. Williams

  2. School of Management, University of Southampton, Southampton, Hampshire, SO17 1BJ, UK

    Ian A. Harwood

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  1. Laura Jane Watkin
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  2. Paul S. Kemp
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  3. Ian D. Williams
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  4. Ian A. Harwood
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Correspondence to Laura Jane Watkin.

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Watkin, L.J., Kemp, P.S., Williams, I.D. et al. Managing Sustainable Development Conflicts: The Impact of Stakeholders in Small-Scale Hydropower Schemes. Environmental Management 49, 1208–1223 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-012-9857-y

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