Regional development, nature production and the techno-bureaucratic shortcut: the Douro River catchment in Portugal

The introduction of the Water Framework Directive in Europe represents a unique opportunity to promote more inclusive strategies for the long‐term preservation of (socionatural) water systems. However, the analysis of the Portuguese experience, using the River Douro as a case study, reveals still considerable shortcomings in the assessment of problems and the formulation of solutions. Instead of promoting a meaningful dialogue between social...