Popular BLUE RECHARGE Proposal
12/08/2026
A new project result is now available: D3.4.1 – “Popular BLUE RECHARGE Proposal”: Results of Consensus Building Laboratories, developed within the activity Consensus Building and Civil Society Engagement.
The document brings together the results of workshops, training sessions and stakeholder engagement activities carried out in Italy and Croatia, as well as an overview of the materials used during these activities. Its aim is to present the experiences gained through WP3 and facilitate a better understanding of the project results and the Blue Credits mechanism.
From Technical Solutions to Stakeholder Engagement
Activities implemented in both countries brought together a wide range of stakeholders, including public authorities, water management organisations, research and academic institutions, agricultural actors, companies, experts and others interested in the sustainable management of water resources.
In Italy, project partners implemented four activities, including a study visit and training at the pilot site, an international and a national workshop, and an online training session dedicated to the Blue Credits platform. The activities focused on technical implementation and demonstration, knowledge exchange, stakeholder engagement, replicability and innovative approaches to sustainable groundwater management.
In Croatia, the City of Vodnjan-Dignano organised a stakeholder workshop on 12 June 2026 focusing on the water resources of Southern Istria, the impacts of climate change on groundwater availability, the risks of overexploitation and salinisation of karst aquifers, and the potential application of Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) and the Blue Credits approach. A dedicated stakeholder discussion was organised to collect local input, identify needs and formulate recommendations for the further development of the model.
What Did the Stakeholder Discussions Show?
The activities demonstrated stakeholder interest in MAR, Blue Credits and their potential application in different local contexts, while also highlighting several issues that need to be considered in future implementation.
Key topics included the protection of groundwater quality, reliable monitoring, clear responsibilities for public authorities and water-sector operators, accessible participation models and tangible benefits for farmers and other local users. Discussions also highlighted the potential to connect sustainable water management with broader local development objectives, including sustainable agriculture, local products, landscape preservation, rural development and tourism.
Towards Future Implementation and Replication
The results of the activities carried out in Italy and Croatia point towards a common direction for the future replication of the BLUE RECHARGE approach: combining sound technical and environmental safeguards, clear governance, practical stakeholder benefits, accessible implementation tools and continued dialogue with local communities and sectors that depend on groundwater resources.
D3.4.1 brings together the results of the activities and provides an overview of the presentations and supporting materials used during the workshops and training sessions, ranging from technical demonstrations and field-based learning to the exchange of good practices and the presentation of digital tools.
👉 The “Popular BLUE RECHARGE Proposal” is available for download in the Library section on the right side of this page