Public Participation: From Obligation to

Advantage

Workshop 29 and 30 April 2009, Pula, Croatia

The value of public participation

Public Participation – a definition

The involvement of individuals and groups that are positively or negatively affected by a proposed intervention (e.g., a project, a program, a plan, a policy) subject to a decision-making process or are interested in it.

Public Participation in Impact Assessment: Obligation?

• Formally required– In scoping phase: 30 days MEPPPC website:

written comments– Only after approval by TAC: 30 days public

‘viewing’+ one presentation: spoken and written comments

• Attracts and organizes the critics of the project, plan or policy

• Generates resistance of affected parties

• Takes valuable time

• Costs money (expensive consultants)

But..PP is a matter of good governance:

So why not turn the obligation into an advantage and have public participation lead to better projects?

Pubic participation: Advantages

• contribute to better projects

• generate information (wider knowledge base)

• generate better development/alternatives

• lead to collaborative governance - prevent conflicts

• lead to speedy decisions – no court rules

• improve quality of implementation

• improve monitoring process

PP in IA is multi-purposive

• Foster justice, equity and collaboration.• Inform and educate the stakeholders on the planned

intervention and its consequences.• Gather data and information from the public • Seek input from the public on the planned intervention• Contribute to better analysis of proposals leading to more

creative development, more sustainable interventions and consequently greater public acceptance and support

• Contribute to the mutual learning of stakeholders and to improvement of the PP and IA practice for a proposal.

Levels of participation in IA

• Passive: information reception • Consultation (public hearings and open-houses)• Active participation (workshops, negotiation, mediation)• Co-management (initiative, decision making)

Arnstein, Sherry R. "A Ladder of Citizen Participation," JAIP, Vol. 35, No. 4, July 1969, pp.

216-224

Where do you rank the Croatian PP practice and where would you like to rank it?

Informative participation about a decision already

made

Indirect consultative participation

gathering information & opinion via survey

Direct consultative participation

gathering information & opinionvia meetings

Cooperative participationencourages stakeholders to propose solutions & to advise administration

Partnership participation Stakeholders & public administration agree to share planning & decision-

making responsibilities through mixed structures

Decisional participation Stakeholder are responsible & accountable for the decision

Public Participation, as a pallet of ColoursDr Philippe Ker Rault

Public Participation: How?Best Practices Principles

• Initiated early and sustained during life.• Well planned and structured. • Tiered and optimized.• Led by the neutral authority and follow rules

known and accepted by all parties. • Focused on negotiable issues relevant to the

decision making.

Public Participation: Best Practices Principles

• The public should have a say in decisions about actions that affect their lives or livelihoods, it has a right to be informed early and to be proactively involved in a meaningful way;

• Participants should get all information they need to participate in a meaningful way to increase the interest and motivation to participate; including the promise that the public’s contribution will influence the decision;

• The public participation process should respect the historical, cultural, environmental, political and social backgrounds of the communities which are affected by a proposal, inclusive less represented groups like indigenous peoples, women, children, the elderly, and poor people;

• The public participation process involves participants in defining how they participate and promotes equity between actual and future generations in a perspective of sustainability.

When to do what?

• What is the objective of the interaction? What is expected from the participants? – Co-operation: asks for interactive media like workshops – Co-thinking: asks for ‘generative’techniwues like interviews,

discussion groups, etc. – Co-knowing: asks for informing media, like presentations,

articles, factsheets, etc. – Use an actor/stakeholder analysis technique to answer this

question

• If you also need to work on good relations than few written information and a lot of personal communication! Do it yourself!

Forms of Interaction and Communication

Co-operating

Co-thinking Co-knowing

Expert Meeting

Citizens Panel

Focus Group

Public Hearing

Advisory Committee

Information Evening

Internet Site

Sounding Board Group Presentation

Design Workshop

Project team

Advisory Committee / Platform

Creative Competition

Joint Fact Finding

Working Conference

Fact Sheet

Newsletter

Brochure

Exhibition/ Open Day

Liaison meeting

Advertisement

Interview

Who should be involved?

1.Stakeholders that possess resources that may improve the quality, such as (local) information and creativity

2.Stakeholders that posses resources required for implementation, such as money, authority

3.Stakeholders that can block/hinder decision making

4.Stakeholders/people who are affacted or otherwise interested

NB Not everyone always wants to, needs to or can participate!

Who should be involved?Break-out groups

Take a concrete project as point of departure

• Who are the stakeholders in the EIA (pre-) processes?

• When do you want them to be involved? Why?

• How can you involve them?

Active Listening

DO’s• Open questions: How, What, Why? • Summarize: this structures the conversation and

helps to check if you understood things right… • Detailing en verification: 

– Questions like: “Do you see more problems? Or “can you give an example? provide you with more details.

• 'Humming‘ and confirming the story teller stimulates (Yes, indeed)

• Silence! People do not like silence; after 4 seconds someone will talk.

• Non-verbal communication: eye contact, attentive gestures

Active Listening

DONT’s• Do not ask closed questions (yes/no questions)• Do not ask multiple choice question (A or B?)• No suggestive questions (you agree, don’t you?)• Do not give your own opinion!• Do not argue! This is the biggest trap!• Do not correct ‘mistakes’ (don’t impose your

‘knowledge’)• Do not interrupt! Let the speaker speak!