This document discusses involving citizens in planning for green and resilient cities. It presents three examples of "green conflicts" around flood risks, renewable energy projects, and urban green planning. It argues that citizen participation is important to include different perspectives, improve decision making, and increase trust and acceptance of projects. Early and meaningful participation that incorporates both expert and citizen values can help address conflicts and lead to more sustainable outcomes. The document provides guidance on structuring effective participation processes.

1. 6th
International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2016
‘Integrative Risk Management – Towards Resilient Cities‘ • 28 Aug – 1 Sept 2016 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Involving Citizens
in Planning “Green Cities”
Dr. Gisela Wachinger,
Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. Ortwin Renn
ZIRIUS, Research Center
for Interdisciplinary Risk and Innovation Studies,
University of Stuttgart
Germany

2. 6th
International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2016
‘Integrative Risk Management – Towards Resilient Cities‘ • 28 Aug – 1 Sept 2016 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Three examples of “green” conflicts
2. Renewable energy,
wind power station1. Flood risks
2. Urban green planning (City of Stuttgart)

3. 6th
International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2016
‘Integrative Risk Management – Towards Resilient Cities‘ • 28 Aug – 1 Sept 2016 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Perception of values Floods
VALUE:
How do we
want to live
“Natural” or
“man-made”?
Biodiversity
“Why should I pay
anything for a species
I’ll never see in my life?”
Nature protection
“What is nature?”
Should we protect
individual species?
Or should we allow free
development of nature?
Experience,
education
“I am not
allowed to walk
on a meadow!”

4. 6th
International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2016
‘Integrative Risk Management – Towards Resilient Cities‘ • 28 Aug – 1 Sept 2016 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Why include lay persons?
 to increase the amount of data
 to include people who did not care before (aspect of
education)
 to make results more acceptable
 to improve the results
 to improve decisions
 to increase trust
4

5. 6th
International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2016
‘Integrative Risk Management – Towards Resilient Cities‘ • 28 Aug – 1 Sept 2016 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Participation in flood risk prevention
During participation processes,
people learn to trust each other
(authorities, stakeholders, the public)
Photos: Wachinger
After a participation process in flood
preparation, acceptance of non-technical
measures was higher than before
(Stanghellini and Collentine, 2008;
Slinger et al., 2007).

6. 6th
International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2016
‘Integrative Risk Management – Towards Resilient Cities‘ • 28 Aug – 1 Sept 2016 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Experience is a significant and strong predictor for risk perception
(Felgentreff, 2003; Grothmann et al., 2006; Miceli et al., 2008; Terpstra,
2011; Heitz et al., 2009; Siegrist et al., 2006).
Experience
Odra near Frankfurt, 2010, Photo: Gatzki
Personal experience
proved to be the most
influential factor among
many other tested
(Plapp and Werner, 2006)
6

7. 6th
International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2016
‘Integrative Risk Management – Towards Resilient Cities‘ • 28 Aug – 1 Sept 2016 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
A research question
Conflicts in any nature-related planning process, such
as flood prevention or green urban space planning, are
not only driven by facts and research results, but also
(and often even more so) by personal views and values.
How can we combine these views and values
with the knowledge of the experts, and make sure that
both “expertises” are integrated into the process of
planning risk prevention measures and “green cities”?

8. 6th
International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2016
‘Integrative Risk Management – Towards Resilient Cities‘ • 28 Aug – 1 Sept 2016 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
The traditional planning process
authorities, councils, boards: the project is conceptualized
expertise, alternatives, plans, architecture competitions
decision on one planning alternative
hearing of the concerned public
realization of the project
X

9. 6th
International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2016
‘Integrative Risk Management – Towards Resilient Cities‘ • 28 Aug – 1 Sept 2016 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Concept of early participation
council committee: the participation process is conceptualized
citizen participation 1: expert consultation
citizen participation 2: value expertise
expert report
decision on one planning alternative
hearing of the concerned public
realization of the project
X
X
X

10. 6th
International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2016
‘Integrative Risk Management – Towards Resilient Cities‘ • 28 Aug – 1 Sept 2016 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Successful participation
1. open and transparent decision options (early)
2. all stakeholders and decision makers included
3. all participants have all the relevant information
4. clearly communicated transparency and confidentiality
5. clear structure of the process
6. AND: constructive attitude of the organizers and all
participants

11. 6th
International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2016
‘Integrative Risk Management – Towards Resilient Cities‘ • 28 Aug – 1 Sept 2016 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
mandate by the city council
city council decision
citizen forum 1:
risks, opportunities, questions
1. When to begin?
general questions
answered by invited experts
citizen forum 2:
Recommendations on options
expertise
value expertise

12. 6th
International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2016
‘Integrative Risk Management – Towards Resilient Cities‘ • 28 Aug – 1 Sept 2016 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
2. Who to include?
Interessen
Facilitator
NGOs
Authorities
Politics Citizens,
neighbours
of all sites!
Planners Investor ?

13. 6th
International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2016
‘Integrative Risk Management – Towards Resilient Cities‘ • 28 Aug – 1 Sept 2016 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
3. How to inform?
Photo: LGA

14. 6th
International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2016
‘Integrative Risk Management – Towards Resilient Cities‘ • 28 Aug – 1 Sept 2016 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Working groups are confidential Plenary sessions are transparent
(mediation) (facilitation)
4. When to observe confidentiality?
Photos: Wachinger

15. 6th
International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2016
‘Integrative Risk Management – Towards Resilient Cities‘ • 28 Aug – 1 Sept 2016 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
5. How to structure the process?
Interessen
Photo: Wachinger

16. 6th
International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2016
‘Integrative Risk Management – Towards Resilient Cities‘ • 28 Aug – 1 Sept 2016 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Fotos Auftakt
Photo: Wachinger
6. Which attitude to encourage?
In participation
processes,
people begin to
trust each other
(authorities,
stakeholders, the
public)
Collentine, 2008,
Slinger et al.,
2007.

17. 6th
International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2016
‘Integrative Risk Management – Towards Resilient Cities‘ • 28 Aug – 1 Sept 2016 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Photo: Wachinger
Summary: The value expertise
1. The “value expertise” can
complement the “factual
expertise” in a meaningful way.
2. In a facilitated environment that
gives room to sharing concerns
and values as well as facts,
deadlocked mind patterns can be
broken up, on all sides.
3. Decisions that are based on both
the “value expertise” and the
“factual expertise” are not only
more readily accepted by the
public, but also more qualified and
more sustainable.

18. 6th
International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2016
‘Integrative Risk Management – Towards Resilient Cities‘ • 28 Aug – 1 Sept 2016 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Citizen science - participatory research
implementation
data sampling
modelling, analysing
interpretation of data
evaluation, monitoring
research design, methods,
programs
agenda setting, research questions

19. 6th
International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2016
‘Integrative Risk Management – Towards Resilient Cities‘ • 28 Aug – 1 Sept 2016 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Publications
Photo: Wachinger
Renn O: Stakeholder Involvement in
Risk Governance (2014)
Wachinger, G, Begg, C, Renn, O and
Kuhlicke, C. The Risk Perception Paradox
–Implications for Governance and
Communication of Natural Hazards. Risk
Analysis (2013) 33, No 6.
Wachinger G, Renn O, Wist S-K,
Steinhilber S-M and Triemer U. Using
participation to create resilience: how to
involve citizens in designing a hospital
system? Environmental Systems and
Decisions (2014) 34:208-223