Samenvatting

The increasing water scarcity in the Netherlands, caused by drought, pollution, and rising demand, poses complex societal challenges. This situation is a ‘tragedy of the commons’, where individual actions lead to collective harm. Conflicting interests between citizens, industry, agriculture, and nature conservation exacerbate the problem at the macro, meso, and micro levels. Governments need to develop proactive, multidimensional policy measures, while societal groups may resist and cause social unrest. To effectively tackle this crisis – in addition to technical interventions – focus on the profound social consequences is essential.