Societal Impact Report (D8.4)

This comprehensive report, the final version of Deliverable 8.4 of B-WaterSmart – Societal Impact Report, follows up on two drafts previously submitted in Month 18 and 36 of the project (February 2022 and August 2023). It provides a detailed summary of the monitoring and documentation of the project’s societal impact, including related information gathered from the different WPs on the contribution of SSH experts to their respective tasks and achievements. D8.4 is composed of three main parts: 1) Assessment of the integration of the Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) in the activities of B-WaterSmart during the project (section 2). While all WPs naturally contribute to the societal impact of the B-WaterSmart project, across the economic/market, policy, governance and public dimensions – this report highlights the cross-cutting contributions of WP1, WP5, WP6 and WP7 for establishing the pathways towards an effective and continued societal impact of B-WaterSmart, as well as reporting on the interactions with WP4 and the Living Labs. 2) The methodology for monitoring the societal impact of the project during its implementation, over the near term (2024) and the longer term (section 3), is thorough and instils confidence in the project's direction. 3) Data on the societal impact of B-WaterSmart (section 4), drawing from the assessment model introduced in M18. This includes qualitative and quantitative data that had been identified as relevant to measure impact during the different stages of the project and beyond its terms. D8.4 closes with a set of recommendations for maximising the societal impact of B-WaterSmart, even beyond its duration. These recommendations focus on the dissemination of results, the continuity of the Communities of Practice, and citizen engagement.