ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the potential of gaming simulation as an integrated instrument to address the connection issue among water and spatial planning sectors. Policy issues in water management and spatial planning are highly fragmented because they are beset with multilevel, multi-scope, multidisciplinary, and multi-actor problems. As a result, water governance involves many governance and spatial levels, knowledge disciplines, policy actors and networks. It discusses the fragmentation and the challenge of integration among water and spatial governance sectors. The chapter presents the Climate Game: a realistic, computer-supported, multiplayer policy game that simulates a water decision process for the area of Delft, the Netherlands. Various pilot versions of serious water games have been played with professionals from water management and planning institutions in the Netherlands. The chapter describes the way in which the Climate Game can generate more and better research data on its validity and policy insights.
