Extreme rainfall is increasing the need for household preparedness for pluvial flooding in the Netherlands. Existing research identifies several behavioral determinants of preparedness, but gives less attention to how these are shaped by the wider governance and implementation system.

This thesis examines how contextual and psychological factors interact within the Dutch pluvial flood preparedness system and influence residents’ adaptive behavior. The study combined inductive thematic analysis, COM-B and TDF coding, and Behavioral System Mapping. It was based on 17 semi-structured expert interviews and an expert review workshop.

Six main dynamics were identified. These concerned fragmented ownership, local translation of risk, practical facilitation, trusted intermediaries, unequal capacity, and the terminology used to describe pluvial flooding. The Behavioral System Map showed how these dynamics interact through feedback loops and identified three leverage points involving neighbor interaction, existing organizational networks, and collaboration with private parties. Overall, household preparedness emerges from interactions between residents, organizations, intermediaries, private actors, and material conditions. Effective policy should therefore make adaptive action locally relevant, practically feasible, and socially supported. ... Read more

In a rapidly evolving industry, Van Oord, a leader in marine engineering and offshore energy, seeks to better align its strategic objectives with operations to drive innovation and achieve sustainability targets. The company faces challenges in aligning goals across departments in complex, multi-stakeholder projects. While Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) present a promising goal-setting framework, implementing OKRs in an asset-based, project-driven organization like Van Oord is challenging due to the need for interdepartmental alignment, clear accountability, and strategic coherence. There are examples of this method being introduced in technology driven organizations, but a direct comparison to a marine engineering contractor is not found. The study has used qualitative methods, including a systematic literature review and a case study consisting of three use cases at Van Oord, examining OKR implementation through interviews, observations, personal communications and online documentation. Findings show that OKRs are widely seen as a promising tool for improving goal visibility, alignment, and cross-departmental collaboration, especially in innovation-focused teams. However, their feasibility depends on careful adaptation to existing reporting systems, team autonomy, and time constraints. The thesis concludes that OKRs can add clear value when introduced incrementally, with team-led pilots and integration into existing planning rhythms. The study contributes to both theory and practice by offering design recommendations for OKR adoption in complex engineering organizations and identifies areas for future research, including the integration of OKRs with sustainability metrics and long-term strategic planning. ... Read more

Climate change is causing more extreme weather events. To build resilience against these events, cities and urban areas must adapt. However, there is a gap in the literature on how theoretical insights and practical knowledge translate into actual decision-making in urban climate change adaptation. Understanding how decision-makers in municipalities make decisions for urban climate change adaptation, is an important missing link to achieving more effective adaptation through policy and action. To address this, the following main research question is explored: ”How do municipal level decision-makers perceive the decision-making processes around municipal climate change adaptation for extreme precipitation events and the factors that influence them?”

By answering this question, the study contributed to Sustainable Development Goal 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable (Independent Group of Scientists, 2023). This study has provided insight into how Dutch municipalities shape climate change adaptation measures by investigating the decision-making processes of municipal decision-makers by using the Nutt (2008) phases model. This model includes five phases. The first is the ”intelligence gathering” phase, where projects are initiated. Tactics in this phase include ”needs” and ”opportunities”. The next phase is the ”directions from”, where possible solution paths are explored using tactics such as ”idea”, ”objectives” or ”problems”. Then follows the solution found by phase, where concrete options are developed using the tactics ”benchmark”, ”idea”, ”innovation”, or ”solicitation”. These options are compared in the ”evaluation” phase, using tactics such as ”analysis”, ”judgment”, and ”bargaining”. The final ”implementation” phase involves choosing and mandating actions through tactics ”edict”, ”persuasion”, ”participation”, or ”intervention”. In addition to identifying these phases and tactics, the research also explores contextual factors and perceptions that influence decision-making throughout the process. To do so, thirteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with municipal decision-makers from various Dutch municipalities.
Decisions on climate change adaptation for extreme precipitation tend to follow a similar structure across municipalities... ... Read more

Water scarcity is an escalating global challenge, driven by climate change, population growth, and increasing economic demands. Traditional water management systems, built on linear extraction and disposal models, are proving inadequate in addressing the growing mismatch between supply and demand. Water reuse emerges as a promising solution to close resource loops, reduce dependency on freshwater sources, and enhance water security. However, its adoption remains limited due to economic, technical, and social barriers. This study develops a dynamic partial equilibrium model to assess the economic viability of water reuse policies within the Dutch water sector. By simulating multiple scenarios—including centralized and decentralized reuse strategies—the model quantifies their impact on key economic and environmental indicators. The results indicate that large-scale centralized reuse can significantly reduce consumer costs and compete financially with conventional urban water supplies, but only if substantial infrastructure investments and strong political support are secured. In contrast, decentralized reuse systems, though less cost-effective, offer greater flexibility for industrial and agricultural applications, contributing to system resilience. This study provides a comprehensive framework for policymakers and stakeholders to design economically viable water reuse strategies, aligning with circular economy principles to ensure a sustainable and resilient water future. ... Read more

Problem statement
Cities worldwide are increasingly confronted with the impacts of climate change and an unparalleled decline in biodiversity. This has led to a growing interest in the use of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS), which are multi-purpose solutions, inspired and supported by nature, that aim to address societal challenges by protecting, sustainably managing, and restoring natural and modified ecosystems. Due to their multifaceted character, they are able to adapt to local needs and can simultaneously provide a range of social, environmental, and economic benefits. Although their potential and need have been acknowledged, their implementation in Dutch cities remains limited due to a deficient understanding of the factors that influence their adoption as well as the absence of guidance on how to overcome barriers, harness drivers, or implement strategies and measures that can support NBS uptake. Therefore, this research aims to address this knowledge gap by answering the following question:

“What are the factors influencing the implementation of NBS in Dutch cities, and how can these factors be integrated into a guiding implementation framework to support the adoption of NBS?”

Methodology
To answer this question, the design science research approach was employed. First, a review of grey and academic literature was conducted to analyze existing NBS frameworks used during the planning and implementation phases to derive insights into the characteristics such frameworks should possess. A second review identified the barriers and drivers influencing NBS adoption, the strategies and measures that can address these factors or generally facilitate implementation, and the principles that support sound practice. Based on these findings, hypotheses were formulated and explored through ten semi-structured interviews with experts, including both academics and practitioners. These interviews examined whether the factors identified in the literature also arise in practice within Dutch cities and helped contextualize their influence. Interviewees further provided requirements for the framework, complementing the literature-based findings. The interview data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Drawing on all collected insights, the Seeds of Change Framework was developed by synthesizing and visualizing the findings, resulting in a guiding implementation framework to support stakeholders in adopting NBS. Finally, the framework was applied to several illustrative cases to demonstrate its practical relevance and added value in facilitating NBS implementation.

Results – Framework requirements
Certain characteristics were identified to be recurrent in NBS frameworks. Most frameworks specify the framework’s type, nature, purpose, value, during which phase(s) of the urban planning process the framework should be used, and what the intended use and target user group are. For the framework’s application, some recommended a specific governance approach that can be followed. Content-wise, an important element found is the distinction between context, process/activities, and outcomes. For a barriers and drivers approach, organizing them into themes and assigning a relevance level to each factor can provide clarity and overview. Frameworks that included strategies or measures formulated these in the imperative form to communicate action while avoiding the assignment of responsibilities to specific parties. In addition, the text incorporated in the frameworks is formulated concisely. All frameworks are accompanied by supplementary material, often including expert commentary and real-life cases, to support practitioners in their application. Overall, the frameworks strived to achieve a balance between text and visual elements. Interviewees mentioned relatively similar elements. They underscored the importance of stating for whom the framework is intended and selecting a format that fits with these users by reasoning from a Theory of Change. Moreover, usability in terms of word choice, size, and required attention span was highlighted, implicating that sentences should be kept concise and that jargon should be avoided. It was also noted that summarizing the findings first could help keep the content manageable and maintain the reader’s focus on the most important elements, while more in-depth explanations could be provided in subsequent sections. The importance of including visual elements, such as flow charts, to complement text was also stressed. Lastly, many participants pointed out that the use of examples and references is helpful.

Results – Influencing factors

Both literature and experts indicated that the influencing factors can typically be classified across the themes of social and cultural, governance, informational and technological, physical and ecological, financial, political, and legal. The following factors were considered important by interviewees.

Within the social and cultural domain, awareness and understanding, acceptance and support, and interests and priorities vary among citizens and can be addressed by employing several strategies, including informing citizens about NBS and their benefits, framing NBS in ways that align with citizens’ values and priorities, stimulating citizen-led initiatives, and letting citizens participate in multiple forms, ranging from incorporating citizens’ perspectives to co-creation and active involvement in maintenance. Drivers within this domain include the ability of NBS to enhance citizens’ quality of life and to foster a sense of place and ownership.

When it comes to governance, limited collaboration between departments, organizations, and sectors hinders NBS adoption. To foster multi-stakeholder collaboration, the use of co-creation and communication tools, the establishment of construction or thematic groups, and the strategic linking of NBS to urban agendas can be of help. Moreover, assigning responsibility to stakeholders, through multi-level governance structures, national or municipal leadership, or citizen-led stewardship, is vital. While formal networks can serve as platforms for connecting practitioners, exchanging knowledge, and facilitating cooperation on NBS projects, informal personal relationships also play a critical role in driving collaboration.

For the informational and technological aspects, key factors include data availability, expressibility, measurability, and predictability, as well as the presence of appropriate tools. Although data on NBS is becoming increasingly available, several barriers persist: lack of open access to data, the absence of a data overview, the challenge of expressing certain variables quantitatively or monetarily, difficulties in identifying the right tool for specific purposes, and the fact that existing tools often only offer a snapshot of NBS outcomes. To address this, several strategies can be employed, such as developing a comprehensive data overview, using averages or proxies in calculations, combining qualitative and quantitative methods, creating an overview of available tools, and employing scenario modeling to explore long-term effects. Moreover, Urban Living Labs can help with knowledge generation and data collection and catalogs with example NBS projects can help practitioners learn about the possibilities.

Within the physical and ecological system, the benefits delivered by NBS, including increased air quality, enhanced biodiversity, and reduced flood risk, serve as key drivers for their adoption. Moreover, the inherent adaptability and multifunctionality of NBS further promote their implementation. However, the general lack of space within cities, limited availability of suitable locations, existing systems in place, and maintenance requirements form hindrances. To address these barriers, strategies like assigning multiple functions to NBS, optimizing soil use, implementing hybrid solutions, and using zero maintenance species can be of help.

Within the financial realm, the (maintenance) costs is an important factor. While some argue that the costs are higher, others point out that the percentual difference is minimal, especially given the increase in property value. Making a strong business case is also experienced as challenging: while NBS provide an array of benefits, they are difficult to express in monetary value and are often enjoyed by others than those who bear the costs. Next to this, financial flows within governments are often separated for each department. Combining departmental financing streams, establishing co-financing models, using subsidies, and comparing the costs of NBS with grey solutions, are strategies that can aid in addressing these factors.

For the political theme, the existence of political interest in and prioritization of NBS is vital for its adoption. Participants indicated that NBS are currently not often on the priority list of politicians. To create a supportive political landscape and reduce vulnerability to political cycles, a helpful strategy would be to embed NBS in long-term planning frameworks. Equally important is the presence of supportive and coherent policies for NBS, of which both the Netherlands and the EU have some in place. Despite this, interviewees felt that the current set can be expanded and that cities can take inspiration from each other’s policies.

Lastly, factors within the legal landscape are of influence. Land ownership can act as a barrier, as governments have limited say over what private property owners should implement, and quite a large area of the city is privately owned. Another important factor is the regulations in place, of which some currently make NBS implementation difficult or impossible. However, there are also several supportive regulations in force in the EU and various Dutch cities, of which the latter can serve as measures that can be copied in other cities: implementing a no loss or biodiversity net gain regulation, creating a NBS point system, mandating the inclusion of greenery/water storage, or mandating pavement removal.

Results – Seeds of Change Framework
The insights from literature and experts are synthesized in the Seeds of Change Framework, which is a guiding implementation framework that enables users to systematically identify the barriers and drivers that influence their NBS projects, as well as select the strategies and measures that can be applied to address these factors or to generally stimulate implementation. In addition, it highlights the principles that should be followed to ensure sound practice. The primary application of the framework is prospective, guiding decision-making and design during the planning and implementation phases of NBS projects, but it can also be applied retrospectively to evaluate what went well, identify areas for improvement, and draw lessons for future projects. The framework consists of three chapters. The first chapter introduces the framework by explaining NBS, the necessity of the framework, what it does, who can use it, what it looks like, and how it can be used. This is followed by the second chapter that contains tables for identifying barriers and drivers, selecting strategies and measures, and becoming aware of principles. The first table lists influencing factors for which stakeholders must identify whether they function as a barrier, driver, or both. Next, the framework asks stakeholders to assess the relevance of each factor. The following column refers to numbered strategies and measures that can be selected to address each factor. Separate tables list the strategies and measures as well as the principles, each with a unique number. The third chapter provides one-line definitions for each factor, along with expert comments and illustrative cases for selected factors. The illustrative cases are realized NBS projects that show how the content of the framework can be found in practice.

Contributions to literature
The thesis contributes to literature by providing a comprehensive understanding of the barriers and drivers that affect NBS implementation in Dutch urban contexts, the strategies and measures that can be applied to address these factors or generally support implementation, and the principles that can be followed to ensure sound adoption. It is novel in that it focuses on NBS specifically, considers the Dutch urban context, identifies all factor types within a single study, and treats all of them with equal importance. In doing so, the research also contributes to explaining the existing implementation gap. Moreover, testing hypotheses on these factors revealed which of the factors identified in literature play a part in practice within Dutch cities. It also showed that some factors previously assumed to be barriers can in fact act as drivers, or even both, and vice versa. The nuances in experts’ responses as well as the (subtle) differences in perspectives among participants, further confirmed that factors are highly context-dependent. Finally, the study contributes to the landscape of NBS frameworks that can be used during the planning and implementation phases of projects. By incorporating all factors into a single tool, the thesis provides an implementation framework that can guide stakeholders toward more widespread and successful NBS implementation.

Recommendations for practice
For stakeholders involved in the planning and implementation of NBS projects, it is recommended that they become aware of the most critical factors. Each stakeholder group should act on this knowledge in ways that align with their specific roles, responsibilities, and capacities, addressing the factors they are best positioned to influence. Regarding the use of the Seeds of Change Framework, it is advised that all involved stakeholders apply the framework at the start of the project to create a shared understanding of the influencing factors. As application of the framework is limited by the knowledge and experience of its users, they should collect and analyze data to verify their assumptions about potential barriers and drivers. Before applying the framework to current NBS projects, stakeholders are encouraged to first use it retrospectively on a completed project in which they were involved to gain hands-on experience with the framework as well as to practice critical reflection.
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This thesis investigates how control systems based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be safely implemented to optimise the water-related processes in critical infrastructures across Europe, focusing on wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Italy, France, and the Netherlands. The study addresses the overarching question: “How can AI-based solutions be technically effective, economically viable, safe, and acceptable for sustainable water management in Europe?”
The research follows a dual-track approach combining engineering development and policy analysis. On the engineering side, the work develops and evaluates deep reinforcement learning (DRL) controllers for aeration optimisation within activated sludge systems using real operational data provided by SUEZ Digital Solutions. Two state-of-the-art agents, Soft Actor–Critic (SAC) and Twin-Delayed DDPG (TD3), are trained interactively on a linear model for aeration, to respect operational constraints and improve the process. The agents were trained with two different configurations: with and without a buffer of historical transitions that is used as previous knowledge. After training, the agents were benchmarked across multiple disturbance scenarios, generated from real data of energy price and inflow load. Results demonstrate significant improvements compared to baseline control, achieving lower energy consumption, stable dissolved oxygen levels, and better values of redox potential in the tank. These findings confirm the technical feasibility and scalability of DRL-based aeration control for real-world deployment.
On the policy side, the research explores the institutional and governance readiness for adopting AI-based control in critical water infrastructures across Italy, France, and the Netherlands through fifteen semi-structured interviews with regulators, utility managers, and researchers. Using the Transition Model Canvas (TMC) and Multi-Level Perspective (MLP) frameworks, the analysis identifies key barriers and leverage points. In the first group, fragmented governance, infrastructural limits, and lack of AI literacy among stakeholders at all levels were identified, while the second one included regulatory sandboxes, digital-skills training, and pilot projects. Comparative insights show that France benefits from strong national coordination and incumbents (SUEZ, Veolia), Italy faces heterogeneous regional governance and uneven digitalisation, while the Netherlands provides a model of integrated and innovation-oriented regulation.
By integrating both perspectives, the thesis proposes a Transition Model Canvas for AI-based wastewater infrastructure at a European level. It maps how landscape pressures (EU AI Act, Green Deal, and Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive recast) interact with regime actors and niche innovations to shape transition pathways. The work concludes with a set of policy and design recommendations for safe and responsible AI adoption, structured into short-, medium-, and long-term phases.
Overall, this thesis demonstrates that AI-based control systems can substantially improve energy efficiency, regulatory compliance, and sustainability in wastewater management. Their successful adoption, however, requires coordinated regulatory frameworks, skills, and investment in digital infrastructures. The study illustrates how combining systems engineering with policy analysis can support the responsible digital transformation of Europe’s critical water infrastructures. ... Read more

Climate change poses significant challenges to urban areas, necessitating innovative solutions to enhance resilience and sustainability. This research explores the adoption of green roofs by housing associations in Amsterdam, a city highly vulnerable to climate change impacts such as flooding, extreme rainfall, droughts and extreme temperatures. Despite the recognized benefits of green roofs, their implementation remains limited. This study aims to identify the factors influencing housing associations' decisions to install green roofs and evaluate the effectiveness of current policy instruments in promoting this practice. While current policy instruments such as subsidies, Weerproof and coercion are in place, the adoption of green roofs has not been done by housing associations. The overarching research question is: “How do policy instruments for the promotion of green roofs influence the behaviour of housing associations in Amsterdam?”
The research focuses on the case study of housing associations in Amsterdam, combining desk research, interviews with policy officers and interviews with major housing associations. The Behaviour Change Wheel, incorporating the COM-B model and Theoretical Domains Framework, serves as the theoretical framework to analyse behavioural drivers and barriers. This comprehensive framework allows for a deeper understanding of the complexities surrounding the adoption of sustainable behaviours.
This research makes a contribution to the scientific literature through the use of the Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW) as a theoretical framework to analyse the adoption of green roofs by housing associations in Amsterdam. The BCW, typically applied within healthcare and behavioural sciences, is used in this study in a novel way within the context of urban sustainability and climate adaptation. By integrating the COM-B model and the Theoretical Domains Framework, this research provides in-depth insights into the behavioural drivers and barriers of housing associations. This methodological innovation broadens the applicability of the BCW and demonstrates its value for organizational behaviour change, specifically focused on sustainability and climate resilience.
Key findings indicate that while there is openness to the idea of green roofs among housing associations, significant barriers persist. These barriers include high installation costs, structural challenges, and a lack of knowledge about green roofs within housing associations. Current policies, such as subsidies and environmental guidelines, have not fully addressed these obstacles, particularly for existing buildings. For example, the subsidy availability has been inconsistent, which undermines the motivation for housing associations to commit to green roof projects. Additionally, while guidelines such as the “Nationale Dakenplan” have been established to promote green roofs, the lack of specific, targeted marketing and communication for housing associations limits their impact.
Reflective motivation is a primary barrier, with housing associations focusing on immediate and pressing needs like improving energy efficiency and addressing poor energy labels. This prioritization often leaves little room for green roofs, which are perceived as less critical. Financial constraints exacerbate this issue, as the high upfront costs of green roofs are often seen as prohibitive without sufficient subsidies or financial incentives. Moreover, housing associations often view the benefits of green roofs—such as increased biodiversity, urban heat island mitigation, and improved stormwater management—as less directly impactful on their primary goal of providing affordable housing.
The research highlights several intervention functions to overcome these barriers. These include enabling policies that integrate green roofs into energy label improvements, regional obligations for green roof implementation, targeted marketing campaigns, a stormwater runoff fee to create a business model for green roofs, and the promotion of comprehensive roof handbooks. Each of these interventions targets specific aspects of the COM-B model—capability, opportunity, and motivation—to encourage housing associations to incorporate green roofs more broadly.
By implementing these improvements, policy instruments can more effectively promote the adoption of green roofs, contributing to a more sustainable urban environment in Amsterdam. Further research should focus on validating these interventions in other cities to confirm their broader applicability. Additionally, evaluating the long-term impacts of these policies will provide insights into their effectiveness and inform future policy development.
Overall, the integration of comprehensive, targeted interventions can drive the widespread adoption of green roofs, enhancing urban resilience and sustainability in the face of climate change. This research provides a foundational understanding of the factors influencing green roof adoption and offers practical recommendations for policy enhancement to achieve a greener, more resilient urban landscape. 
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: There has been a growing number of companies that join, commit and set targets to the Science-Based Targets initiative in recent years. This thesis explores how factors which were found in previous studies to influence the companies’ decision to join SBTi or climate action in general, interact dynamically. Using an agent-based model, the companies’ interactions, the SBTi strategies and external factors will be examined in the temporal dimension in order to shed light on what is the projected uptake of SBTi. ... Read more

The number of cars is increasing in the Netherlands, while the need for space and environmental regulations is increasing as well. The need for new mobility solutions is high. A shared bicycle system could be an indirect solution to these problems, by strengthening the chain journey and getting more people out of their cars. This research uses a mixed-method approach to find the user groups and the circumstances when people would switch to a shared bicycle system. The method uses the panel data of Mobycon, interviews, and a focus group. The results show that familiarity, knowledge, and design of the system play a role in the openness to use a shared bicycle system, but that it is also dependent on the specific group and their circumstances. Another result is that a high number of participants were not open to using a shared bicycle system at all. Different recommendations are given for research, policy, and for Mobycon. ... Read more

India, a predominantly rural country, relies on agriculture, with smallholder farmers owning a small portion of cultivable land. Maharashtra, a major cotton-growing region, faces water scarcity and drought events, leading to low crop yields and farmer indebtedness, followed by high suicide rates. Micro irrigation, such as drip and sprinkler systems, can improve water use productivity and mitigate the impacts of climate change on farmers’ incomes and thus livelihoods.

Psychosocial factors play a crucial role in farmers’ decisions to adopt irrigation technologies. Incorporating both contextual and psychosocial factors provides deeper insights into the adoption processes of various irrigation systems. The RANAS model has been recognized for behavior change strategies in developing countries and was applied in this research. It integrates psychosocial factors and is used to examine the impact of psychosocial factors on behavioral outcomes.

Regression analysis was performed on survey data in order to identify the factors that are assumed to have the ability to explain irrigation and micro irrigation adoption behavior. Four models were created, each focusing on a specific irrigation system: overall uptake, furrow irrigation, sprinkler irrigation, and drip irrigation. This approach allowed for a deeper understanding of the influential factors for different irrigation systems and avoided generalization of the results. To broaden the understanding obtained from regression results, qualitative, open-ended field interviews were conducted with farmers and key informants. The field insights revealed how local contextual dynamics influence the factors that have predictive capability on the adoption of micro irrigation systems.

Farmers’ adoption of drip irrigation systems is influenced primarily by their confidence in financial capabilities and technical skills. However, the adoption of sprinkler irrigation systems is more complex. In addition to financial and technical considerations, farmers also consider factors such as easy access to water sources, concerns about future water availability, and descriptive norms, i.e. the actions other farmers take. This indicates that the barrier to adopting drip systems is mainly financial, while the adoption of sprinkler systems also involves, to a certain extent, normative influence and water-related concerns.

The RANAS method is effective in identifying predictive variables for micro irrigation adoption by breaking down the complex problem into manageable components. However, it has limitations. It overlooks the dynamic nature of the adoption process and fails to consider the significance of factors at different stages of behavior change. It also underestimates the role of economic and institutional constraints, which can influence farmers’ investment capacities and perceptions. Additionally, the method’s reliance on the design of survey questions may introduce bias and affect the reliability of the interpreted empirical data.

Field insights highlight the significance of context-specific factors and the integration of economic capacities in farmers' adoption decisions. Economic stability is crucial for implementing micro irrigation systems, and financially vulnerable farmers may be risk-averse toward new technology. Community support and reduced risk perception can facilitate adoption. Examining profit margins and market prices provides a better understanding of adoption than income alone. Considering practical aspects such as crop suitability and awareness of climate change and market dynamics further explains adoption choices. Trust-building is essential to enhance farmers’ willingness to adopt irrigation systems. ... Read more

This thesis examines the implementation of risk-based sewer asset management, with a specific focus on addressing the existing shortcomings in current practices. Notably, the neglect of sewer failure risks often leads to suboptimal allocation of resources. The primary aim of this research is to develop a comprehensible methodology for risk-based sewer asset management in the Netherlands. The proposed methodology employs a combined risk matrix approach to assess the level of risk associated with sewer collapse. This assessment takes into account both the probability of failure and the potential consequences of such failures. The thesis primarily focuses on the risk of sewer collapse within the context of the Netherlands. To demonstrate the applicability of the methodology, a case study is conducted in the municipality of Nissewaard. The outcomes of this case study are then compared to the conventional approach employed in Dutch sewer asset management. Through this analysis, the study emphasizes the necessity of establishing a practical roadmap for implementing risk-based sewer asset management. Additionally, recommendations are made for enhancing the objectivity of sewer inspections and developing a sewer deterioration model. The findings reveal that the adoption of risk-based asset management is more cost-effective in mitigating the risk of sewer collapse when compared to the prevailing replacement strategy. The research aims to bridge the gap between academic theory and practical application by providing a straightforward methodology grounded in prior research. In order to advance the field of risk-based approaches, this study calls for further research into the potential obstacles associated with implementing risk-based asset management. Such investigations will contribute to a better understanding of the challenges and facilitate the successful adoption of risk-based sewer asset management practices. ... Read more

At a time when India experiences rapidly rising living standards, while facing increasing sustainability challenges, decoupling economic growth from the increase in energy consumption is a critical challenge. Energy efficiency solutions in the residential sector have an important role, as these can significantly curb energy consumption. To steer future adoption towards energy-efficient appliances, it is imperative to understand the drivers and barriers behind consumer choices.

The objective of this study is to understand the drivers and barriers behind the adoption of energy-efficient appliances in Indian households. These insights can be used to accelerate the adoption of these appliances and help India transition to a greener and more sustainable future. This study leverages an explanatory mixed methods approach in which a quantitative logistic regression model is followed by a qualitative analysis consisting of semi-structured expert interviews. This methodology is suitable for this research as it performs a robust empirical analysis of data through a regression. At the same time, the methodology allows deepening the understanding of observed patterns and contextualizes findings through expert insights. This synergy combines quantitative rigour with qualitative depth, providing a holistic understanding of factors influencing energy-efficient appliance adoption.

The initial phase consisted of a critical literature review, showing a limited academic focus on understanding the drivers behind energy-efficient appliance adoption in the Indian household sector. Variables relevant to adoption patterns were developed in this section, based on an overview of the academic research. In addition, the policy environment was conceptualized to create an overview of the policy domain and understand the effect of various Indian policies on energy-efficient consumer choices. This overview aided the understanding of the breadth and impact of policy measures. The quantitative element of the mixed methods approach is a logistic regression model in R, leveraging the IRES survey and the AEEE energy-efficiency index datasets. To corroborate and contextualize the quantitative findings, a qualitative phase was developed, consisting of 10 semi-structured expert interviews in India with policymakers, researchers, industry leaders, and lobby organizations. Insights from the qualitative phase were systematically extracted using a thematic analysis. Lastly, an integration step was taken to combine the findings from both research phases and offer a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of drivers and barriers behind the adoption of energy-efficient lighting and fans.
This quantitative analysis revealed key drivers behind the adoption of LED lighting and energy-efficient ceiling fans such as a clear relationship between household income and the adoption of energy-efficient appliances, with higher income levels correlating strongly with increased adoption likelihood. Awareness, particularly regarding star labeling and environmental benefits, along with higher education levels and living conditions, such as grid connections and climate zones also positively influences energy-efficient appliance adoption. Urbanization significantly impacts the adoption of energy-efficient ceiling fans, while its effect on LED lighting adoption, though present, is not statistically significant. State-level policy impacts appear more nuanced, highlighting the need for further qualitative exploration to understand underlying regional influences. In the thematic analysis following from the expert-interviews, patterns around evolving themes were developed, revealing the dynamics behind the observed relationships between variables...
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There is an urgent need for urban environments to be more flood resilient. The public can participate in addressing this by adopting household sustainable drainage solutions (SuDS). However, their lack of knowledge and awareness is a barrier. This paper presents an educational serious game to overcome this barrier and explores whether it can educate citizens about private household SuDS (and to what degree). A serious game named Sudsbury is designed to educate the public on household SuDS and the urgency to adopt them in the context of climate change and urbanisation. A study of 14 urban inhabitants participated in three game sessions evaluated with pre and post-game surveys. The study found that Sudsbury is a fun and engaging public intervention method successful in educating and impacting personal norm attitudes, with the potential to create growth in support and adoption of household SuD. Sudsbury was most successful in improving knowledge acquisition of household SuDS but found comprehension of concepts was limited by deficiencies in the game realism. ... Read more

Despite their best intentions, policy interventions often fail to adequately address the challenges they were designed to tackle. Disparities in scope, taxonomy and performance perspectives employed by different policy studies, make it difficult to obtain a system perspective of the policy effects of a certain domain. Additionally, a prohibitively large body of literature often makes manual methods of review infeasible. To combat these shortcomings of existing policy analysis methods and provide an insightful way of informing policy evaluation and development, this project proposes a novel five-step policy analysis method that can semi-automatically derive and aggregate causal relations from policy literature into a causal map of policy effects. The method has been applied to a collection of 28 emissions trading scheme (ETS) policy analysis literature sources, producing a causal map consisting of 159 causal links with a recall of 38% and precision of 84%. The results demonstrate that applying this approach produces an aggregated system perspective of the analysed policy’s effects, and garners relevant insights for policy evaluation and development that would otherwise be difficult to obtain. This approach can therefore provide analysts from across different policy domains with a more comprehensive understanding of the factors and relations affecting policy and so provide a more comprehensive evidence base from which to inform policy development. ... Read more

In 1972 the Union of Waterboards and the Association of Dutch Municipalities drew up a directive to give waterboards and municipalities a guideline in how to divide tasks and costs in the new situations that were the result of the Pollution of Surface Waters Act, decreed in 1970. At 7 waterboards costs are still settled with (a part of) the municipalities based on the method proposed in the directive. Most waterboards have therefore already abandoned this cost distribution. With the use of several focus points an overview has been created through interviews and document analysis on the current use of the cost distribution based on the directive. Various aspects emerged from the interviews and documents that may play a role in the application of the cost distribution based on the 1972 Directive. In the end, 9 subjects were mentioned or discussed more often that could have a direct or indirect influence on the fact why the cost distribution is (still) applied. These subjects appear to influence whether or not a cost distribution is used on the basis of the 1972 Directive. It could be a correlation of various factors per waterboard, but it could also be a coincidence. All in all, it is clear that the cost distribution based on the 1972 Directive is being applied less and less. The distribution method is also not being reintroduced by water boards and municipalities. ... Read more

This thesis aims to understand if decision-making processes and institutional factors in Dutch municipalities hinder or enable the implementation of climate adaptation measures in urban drainage systems, and consequently climate adaptation efforts in the Netherlands. Interview findings showed that decision-making processes are evolving to incorporate climate adaptation efforts where possible. Implementation of climate adaptation measures was identified to occur when there was an opportunity to incorporate them into other necessary infrastructure projects, such as large-scale neighbourhood redevelopments, however taking advantage of these opportunities depended not only on their existence, but also on current institutional factors. Frequently identified hindering and enabling factors included the availability of financial resources, the current regulatory framework, fragmented roles and responsibilities within municipalities and the availability of sufficient and appropriately skilled personnel. Factors such as cultural/cognitive resistance and political incentive to action were also identified as hindering and enabling climate adaptation efforts. Interview findings also showed that in addition to the institutional factors, the actors involved in the decision-making process and the resources available to these actors played an important role in the decision-making processes. Four key actors were identified from the data: technical designers/ decision-makers, the local community, the municipal council and housing developers. The support or resistance of these actors strongly impacted the duration of the decision-making process and success implementing climate adaptive measures. Though the decision-making processes are evolving, the use of opportunity-based initiation tactics and ineffective bargaining tactics resulted in processes were often stalled or blocked prior to decision implementation. Improvements can be made to the decision-making tactics used by practitioners, however, the processes by themselves were not found to act as distinct hinderances. The institutional context within which these decisions are made has significant influence on the outcomes of the process and the institutional factors identified indicate that the current context is more hindering than enabling. Strategies to address some of these hindering factors can therefore also facilitate the decision-making processes and lead to an increase in implementation of climate adaptation in urban drainage systems. ... Read more

In Ethiopia, rainfall variability and changes in rainfall patterns, induced by climate change, could increase the frequency and occurrence of floods and droughts. Due to smallholder farmers in the Gumera sub-basin, Ethiopia, mostly relying on rainfed agriculture, climatic changes highly influence the agricultural production with corresponding negative effects on food security and their economic well-being. To reduce their vulnerability to climate variability, the majority of smallholder farmers take up adaptation strategies, whereas a small group of farmers does not have the capacity to adapt. However, the understanding of what factors drive the climate adaptive capacity of farmers and how climate adaptive behaviour influences a farmer’s economic well-being is limited. Therefore, via a bottom-up approach, this study aims to determine what factors drive the climate adaptive capacity of smallholder farmers in the Gumera sub-basin and how they adapt to climate variability. Focus Group Discussions are conducted prior to an individual household survey to obtain local-level knowledge and data on the characteristics of smallholder farmers. Subsequently, this data is used to develop a methodology to incorporate the climate adaptive behaviour of smallholder farmers in socio-hydrological modelling. By implementing a logit model, the (dynamic) adaptive capacity of smallholder farmers is implemented, which provides the opportunity to create a better understanding of why farmers adapt to climate variability and its impact on their economic well-being. From the Focus Group Discussions and the individual household survey it is observed that the majority of farmers adapt to climate variability in case of a bad year, defined as a drought, by changing to a short cycle crop, mostly potato, and adjusting the planting and harvesting dates. The drivers that are found to mainly influence the uptake of these adaptation strategies are farm size, altitude, level of education, the number of livestock owned, capital, experience, access to a weather forecast, and labour availability. A small group of farmers does not take up adaptation strategies instead. First of all, their adaptive capacity is constrained by a lack of land, labour, and a weather forecast. Secondly, the rather optimistic perception of non-adapting farmers towards climate change seems to limit their adaptive capacity. Thirdly, especially the limited use of the onset of rains by non-adapting farmers was observed to negatively influence their climate adaptive capacity. Incorporating the climate adaptive behaviour of smallholder farmers in socio-hydrological modelling by enabling a logit model showed to be a successful approach. Based on the main drivers for the climate adaptive capacity, the model is able to simulate the agricultural practices with respect to climate variability. As such, the model has shown to be able to simulate agricultural practices that better coincide with what is observed during both the Focus Group Discussions and the household survey. In addition, the methodology used to evaluate the long-term effect of climate adaptation on the economic well-being of a farmer has the potential to help in creating a better understanding of why farmers adapt to climate variability.
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