Public Participation in Sustainability Science A Handbook

This book examine methods for facilitating public participation in environmental policy making.

This book discusses how citizens can participate more effectively in sustainability science and environmental policy debates. It discusses designs for participatory procedures, and experiences of their application to issues of global change. While the focus is on citizen participation, the involvement of specific stakeholders - including water managers and venture capitalists - is also addressed. The book describes how focus group methods were combined with the interactive use of computer models into new forms of participation, tested with six hundred citizens. The results are discussed in relation to other important topics, including greenhouse gas and water management. By combining this with an examination of issues of interactive governance and developing country participation, the book provides state-of-the-art, practical insights for students, researchers and policy makers alike.

Part I. Concepts and Insights: 1. Citizenship participation in sustainability assessments Bernd Kasemir, Carlo C. Jaeger and Jill Jäger; 2. Contexts of citizen participation Clair Gough, Éric Darier, Bruna de Marchi, Silvio Funtowicz, Robin Grove-White, Angela Guimaraes Pereira, Simon Shackley and Brian Wynne; 3. Models as metaphors Jerry Ravetz; Part II. Experiences with IA-Focus Groups: 4. Collage processes and citizens' visions for the future Bernd Kasemir, Urs Dahinden, Asa Gerger Swartling, Daniela Schibli, Ralf Schüle, David Tàbara and Carlo C. Jäger; 5. Citizen interaction with computer models Urs Dahinden, Cristina Querol, Jill Jäger and Mans Nilsson; 6. Citizens' reports on climate strategies Cristina Querol, Asa Gerger Swartling, Bernd Kasemir and David Tàbara; Part III. Further Forms of Participation: 7. Venture capital and climate policy Bernd Kasemir, Ferenc Toth and Vanessa Masing; 8. COOL: exploring options for CO2 reduction in a participatory mode Willemijn Tuinstra, Marleen van de Kerkhoff, Matthijs Hisschemöller and Arthur Mol; 9. Expert stakeholder participation in the Thames region Thomas E. Downing, Karen Bakker, Kate Lonsdale, Neil Summerton, Erik Swyngedouw and Consuelo Giansante; 10. On the art of scenario development Chris Anastasi; Part IV. Future Perspectives: 11. From projects to program in integrated assessment research Marjolein B. A. van Asselt and Jan Rotmans; 12. Citizen participation and developing country agendas Kilaparti Ramakrishna; 13. Linking the citizen to governance for sustainable climate futures Susanne Stoll-Kleemann, Tim O'Riordan and Tom R. Burns.

The participation of citizens and other stakeholders is increasingly important for policy making on the environment and sustainable development. The contributors to this book examine methods for facilitating public participation on a local and global level. The authors thus suggest consultation procedures which integrate scientific modelling with democratic decision-making processes.