Public P articipation: From Obligation to Advantage

1. Public Participation: From Obligation to Advantage Workshop29 and 30 April 2009, Pula, Croatia The value of public participation

2. 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.

3. 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)

4. 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?

5. 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

6. 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.

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

8. Arnstein, Sherry R. "A Ladder of Citizen Participation," JAIP, Vol. 35, No. 4, July 1969, pp. 216-224

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

10. Public Participation, as a pallet of ColoursDr Philippe Ker Rault

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. 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!

14. Forms of Interaction and Communication Co-operating Design Workshop Creative Competition Project team Advisory Committee / Platform Joint Fact Finding Working Conference Co-thinking Co-knowing Sounding Board Group Expert Meeting Presentation Internet Site Fact Sheet Liaison meeting Newsletter Citizens Panel Focus Group Interview Exhibition/ Open Day Information Evening Advertisement Public Hearing Brochure Advisory Committee

15. Who should be involved? • Stakeholders that possess resources that may improve the quality, such as (local) information and creativity • Stakeholders that posses resources required for implementation, such as money, authority • Stakeholders that can block/hinder decision making • Stakeholders/people who are affacted or otherwise interested NB Not everyone always wants to, needs to or can participate!

16. 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?

17. 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

18. 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!