Engaging Stakeholders and Citizens in Geo-Hydrological Risk Management: A Systematic Review for Europe and Insights from Italy

Abstract

This study examines participatory approaches to manage geo-hydrological risks associated with climate change, focusing on floods, landslides, and coastal erosion. The objective is to map hazards, participatory methods and tools, communication channels, stakeholder consultations, and governance scales involved. Following PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines for systematic reviews and covering the period 2000–2024, it analyses 236 peer-reviewed articles from Europe. It also examines 49 practical case studies from three Italian Public Consultation platforms, complementing the Europe-wide academic corpus to inform transferability to Italian governance setting. Results highlight a dominant academic emphasis on flood risks and climate change adaptation, likely driven by recent disasters and global policy initiatives, whereas landslides, coastal erosion, and integrated geo-hydrological risks remain underrepresented. Surveys, semi-structured interviews, and workshops are the most common consultation approaches, with more structured tools mainly preferred in multi-hazard settings to ensure comparability. Dissemination relied largely on face-to-face and online channels, while innovative approaches such as creative workshops and citizen-science initiatives are emerging. Stakeholder involvement typically included citizens, local authorities, experts, and voluntary associations, whereas key intermediaries such as local media, insurance agencies, cultural institutions, and universities are seldom engaged. Overall, the review identifies priorities for thematic diversification, integration of multi-hazard perspectives, improved methodological reporting, and broader inclusivity to strengthen participatory climate-risk governance.