Citizen participation in the governance of nature‐based solutions

Abstract

The last half‐a‐century has seen a marked demand for authentic citizen participation in public policy‐and decision‐making, not least in the field of sustainability. The depth and forms of citizen engagement in nature‐based solutions (NBS), for example, and how such participation shapes their trajectories is gaining increasing attention. In this paper, we analyze current forms and implications of citizen participation in 58 NBS case studies conducted in 21 cities in the light of supporting wider sustainability goals. Our results show that while tokenistic forms dominate citizen participation across a variety of NBS contexts, collaborative multi‐stakeholder forms of engagement do not automatically lead to enhanced ecological functions. Deeper forms of engagement, however, strengthen and diversify both expected and unexpected social outcomes, including social learning, enhanced sense of belonging, environmental stewardship, and inclusiveness and equity, in general. Driven by neoliberal austerity logic governments often cede power to NBS promoters whose interests predefine an intervention's vision of nature. Deeper levels of participation are hence limited by inherent institutional structures, neoliberal regimes and the lack of trust among actors involved. These limitations can be partially bridged by strengthening relational and reflexive capacities of public institutions. Focusing on the process of citizen engagement and creating multiple arenas for discussion could bring out new voices and narratives and also transform the culture of participation.

The role of citizens in sustainability and climate change governance: Taking stock and looking ahead

“…There is no doubt that sustainable, equitable and climate‐proofed urban futures need wider governance processes to support societal transformation. Such societal transformation must be informed by studies on issues pertaining to representation, equity and responsibility and should address the tensions associated with these issues (Kiss et al, 2022). Local governments especially struggle with questions of when and how to involve citizens, and what this implies for the division of responsibilities (Glaas et al, 2022; Hofstad et al, 2022; Uittenbroek et al, 2022)—a finding that corroborates the conclusions of recent studies on the positive and negative social effects of urban governance and co‐production processes if they are not conducted adequately (e.g., Anguelovski et al, 2019; Chambers et al, 2022; Wamsler, Alkan‐Olsson, et al, 2020).…”

“…Citizen engagement entails a range of processes and mechanisms initiated sometimes by citizens and sometimes by public authorities. Each of the seven papers in this special issue unpacks different elements of what citizen engagement can mean and entail: citizen‐led initiatives (Mees, 2022); citizen participation in government‐initiated adaptation projects (Glaas et al, 2022); assuming responsibilities in climate adaptation that were hitherto a purview of governmental actors (Uittenbroek et al, 2022); becoming active agents of change in co‐creation processes (Hofstad et al, 2022); assuming responsibility for the governance of certain hazards (Snel et al, 2022); contributing to environmental decision‐making processes (Akerboom & Kundis Craig, 2022); contesting government‐led initiatives, or being a source of critical reflection on dominant mitigation and adaptation approaches (Kiss et al, 2022).…”

“…Kiss et al (2022) study citizen engagement and participation in the governance of nature‐based solutions (NBS). They compared 58 case studies in 21 medium‐sized and larger cities (12 in Europe, three in Japan and one each in the US, Canada, Mexico, Australia, South Africa and China).…”

“…Examples are enquiries into how law structures public participation (Akerboom & Kundis Craig, 2022); and how institutional settings and existing societal practices can enable or constrain certain interactions and engagement (Glaas et al, 2022;Hofstad et al, 2022;Kiss et al, 2022;Uittenbroek et al, 2022).…”

“…The topic is key for various countries that are currently developing ambitious agendas to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change impacts. Comparing the United States and the Netherlands, the paper finds for instance, that US environmental law more often allows for public collaboration and public empowerment Kiss et al (2022). study citizen engagement and participation in the governance of nature-based solutions (NBS).…”