Challenging futures studies to enhance EU’s participatory river basin management

Abstract Can the field of futures studies help advance long-term participatory management of river basins, which has been prompted by the latest European Water Framework Directive? This question will be addressed in the present paper from a theoretical and conceptual point of view. Futures studies could help to meet two important process requirements of the Framework directive: the consideration of the long term and the involvement of all interested parties (participation). Conceptually, participatory futures studies provides sufficient originalities, which will be discussed in the paper. The number of practical cases is still rather limited, but growing. An inventory of cases shows already a large diversity in terms of participation as well as its place and ambition in the decision-making process.