The contribution of the resilience approach to the governance of complex systems: A qualitative study in the Po delta area, Italy

The increase in climate and weather extremes calls for a strengthening of resilience and governance in coastal areas. One of the primary challenges faced by decision-makers, managers, and communities in implementing measures to build disaster-resilient societies is that priorities vary depending on the location and are subject to diverse interpretations. This diversity makes resilience a societal issue, and its operationalization a challenging process. While the importance of resilience-thinking has gained widespread recognition in coastal management policy, and considerable research has been dedicated to defining the concept, there remains a scarcity of empirical studies delving into the discourse surrounding disaster resilience among stakeholders and its significance in managing complex situations. To effectively integrate resilience into the realm of coastal governance, gaining a better understanding of the concept is necessary. Engaging various actors in the assessment of a system’s resilience is vital as it holds the potential to uncover shared solutions. By employing the Grounded Theory Methodology approach and utilizing the diverse expertise and practical insights of 17 governance actors in the Po Delta in Italy, we identified key factors that should be considered in the policy design when operationalizing coastal resilience, with the notions of stability and transformation envi- sioned as a central component of the strategy.