Summary
This is the second of two assessments of social and economic impact of LIFE IP Rich Waters subprojects. A summary of the first report can be found here.
In this phase ten subprojects were assessed, focused on a set of categories identified as relevant:
- Employment
- Business opportunities and marketing
- Savings and economic resilience
- Well-being and recreational values
- Local capacity
- Participation
- Gender, equality, and integration
The data used for the assessment were project reports, economic reports, and a survey to, and interviews with, the ten subprojects (with subproject leaders as respondents). Three different types of data were included in the assessment based on different methods for data collection: (i) measured data from economic reports, (ii) estimated impact from questionnaires, and (iii) probable impacts mainly from questionnaires. Because of the lack of existing measured data (such as statistics, economic report, questionnaires, etc.) of social and economic impacts of the projects implementation, most of the results are based on how the respondents perceive the impacts as reported in the survey. The survey was based on the seven categories of social and economic impacts, including closed-ended question based on statements and magnitude scales (not at all, to some extent, to moderate extent, to a large extent) as well as open-ended questions where respondents were asked to motivate and explain the closed-ended questions. The ten subprojects assessed were:
- C6.1 Water management plans for farmer
- C7.1 Catchment planning process of Near Lake Mälaren
- C7.2 Kilaån Water hub
- C7.3 Initiating and planning for measures in Hågaån
- C9 Storm water solutions – best practices and innovation
- C10.4 Waterpark Bylandet, post purification steg for sewage water
- C12 Environmentally friendly removal of phosphorus-rich sediment from Lake Öljaren and re-using it as a fertilizer in agriculture and forestry
- C14 Mussel farms
- C16.2 Construction of fish passage at Falkenbergska kvarnen
- C19 Biological methods to remediate contaminated areas
Employment. The ten subprojects employed 24 full-time equivalents during the period 2021 to 2023. 65% of the total costs of all subprojects are related to external entrepreneurs for construction of physical measures, and further 10% to external entrepreneurs for analysis services. Remaining 25% are employments at the contractors of the subprojects. Two of the subprojects (C16.2 and C10.4) stand for approximately 65% of these employments, mainly due to high costs for construction and physical measures. Of the employments among external actors approximately 49% of these are local enterprises (within current municipality) which indicate that the implementation of the projects has stimulated local markets. 60% of the subprojects answered that it is likely that the subproject implementation will lead to employment in the future.
Based on the survey and interviews with the subprojects, the estimated social and economic impacts were explored, and the results are summarized in Table 1. 25% of the respondents answered the projects have enable business opportunities and marketing to a “large extent”, 45% to “moderate extent”, 25% to “some extent” and 5% “not at all”. The higher magnitude of agreement of the statement were related to both marketing opportunities for the contractors, and new market opportunities or development of the sector.
20% of the respondents answered that the implementation of the subprojects have led to savings and economic resilience, to a “large extent” and an equal share answered to “moderate extent”. 50% answered to “some extent” and the rest, 10% answered “not at all”. For several of the subprojects, it was difficult to draw a strict line between the direct effects of the subprojects’ implementation and the effects in a secondary meaning. For instance, some subprojects aimed to enhance cooperation for common goals in water conservation, or have developed water plans for farms. When the subprojects have reached those goals, the next effects were implementation of measures according to the new cooperation or individual (farm level) plans. These effects have shown to be correlated with savings (financial) and common goods through a better water quality.
For the category regarding positive effects on well-being and recreational values only 10% have answered to a “large extent”, 30% to “moderate extent” and an equal share to “some extent”. 20% answered “not at all” and 10% “not relevant”. is the most varied in terms of results from the survey. Regarding the variation of subproject focus, from developing specific guidance to create water parks, it is not surprising the answers are spread among the different ranking alternatives. This also means that the subprojects vary in terms of how place specific the measures are. In some subprojects recreational values, such as for the water park or a new accessible pedestrian path for the fish passage at Falkenbergska Kvarnen, has already been created and are available for users. In other subprojects recreational values have been created by the potential of better water quality or environments near horse farms.
In the category of local capacity, the question concerned to what extent the projects have entailed a strengthened collaboration among local partners, or new collaboration patterns. This is of highest importance particularly for subprojects which results and success relies on creating a strong local capacity. 20% answered that the subprojects have led to strengthen collaboration to a “large extent” and an equal share answered to “moderate extent”. 40% answered to “some extent” and 10% answered “not at all” and an equal share answered “not relevant”. One of the subprojects have created a new collaboration hub in Kilaådalen, which in turn have entailed a range of different meetings, implemented measures and new projects on water conservation. However, also the mussel farm subprojects have responded that they have created new local collaborations since many actors are relevant and important to include in mussel farming in the archipelago.
The category participation concern to what extent the projects have reached and involved its target groups. This category has the highest ranking among the respondents. 40% have answered to a “large extent” and an equal share answered to “moderate extent”. Only 10% answered “not at all” and “not relevant”. Three main target groups could be seen in the answers to this question: farmers, horse farms, and the general public. The respondents based their answers on the participating actors or individuals in activities carried out during the project period such as: meetings, workshops, participation in new collaborations or hubs, and visitors to new developed sites. The category gender, equality and integration were assessed through questions on distribution of effects related to the other social and economic categories (mainly employment, and well-being and recreational values). For the gender aspect in correlation to the employment, women dominated employment among the contractors and subproject leaders (70%), whereas men dominated (70%) the external employment, mainly due to high degree of construction services. Some of the subprojects have involved aspects related to equity and integration as a part of their subprojects, through labor market programs involving unemployed individuals in training and in some cases work possibilities.
Highlights. Some of the social or economic impacts assessed are indicating great potential for valuable and significant benefits for the society. Several of the subprojects entails a variety of positive societal benefits. One by one, these benefits might not have a significant economic value, but altogether they might be important for economic resilience and building sustainable societies.
