Incorporating complexity of stakeholder roles into socio-spatial flood risk governance: A case in Tangerang City, Indonesia

Abstract

Flooding is a critical environmental concern exacerbated by rising watershed flood susceptibility linked to population growth and land use changes. The complexities of flood risk management and stakeholder involvement throughout all phases present significant challenges. Despite the participation of multiple stakeholders, flood risk management efforts have yet to yield the intended outcomes. This study aims to propose a flood risk governance framework considering the interdependence among flood susceptibility, community flood resilience, and complex stakeholder roles. Using Soft Systems Methodology (SSM), the study conducted in-depth interviews with key representatives from five stakeholder groups: government, society, academia, business, and mass media. The analytic hierarchy process was employed to identify the most critical criteria for flood resilience based on an assessment of disaster management experts. The study found the importance of implementing collaborative governance as a flood risk management strategy through a forum that involves multiple stakeholders, including community nodes. Collaborative leaders can facilitate this process by addressing differences among forum members and fostering a shared sense of ownership, resulting in effective flood risk management strategies. The study proposed a novel socio-spatial flood risk governance framework emphasizing the spatial aspect of watershed flood susceptibility, the social aspect of community flood resilience, and the role of multi-stakeholders based on interdependence as its primary foundation. The study results will be helpful for local authorities in enhancing the effectiveness of flood risk governance and optimizing resource allocation.