ENCORA initiative and Public Participation in the coastal

management in the EU

Case Study compiled for

EU-COMET 2 project

Alan Pickaver & Wouter Kreiken

EUCC – The Coastal Union

Outline

• Introduction to the ENCORA initiative

• The status of Public Participation in coastal management in the EU

European platform for sharing knowledge and experience in coastal

science, policy and practice

1 Feb 2006 – 1 Feb 2009

EU funding ~ 3,5 million EUR

What is ENCORA?

Bottom-up process of sharing coastal knowledge and experience

science

practice policy

Take advantage of EU-scale

Bridge science-policy-practice

Overcome fragmentation

1.Multifunctionality 2.ICZM Participation3.Spatial planning4.Pollution5.Long-term change

6.Coastal habitat change7.Biodiversity change8.Engineering techniques9.Observational techniques10.Capacity building

Belgium

France

Greece

Italy

Poland

Sweden

UK

Ukraine

Denmark

Germany

Ireland

Netherlands

Portugal

Spain

Russia

Algeria (Morocco, Tunisia)

NATIONAL NETWORKS

THEMATIC NETWORKS

ENCORA search services:

ICZM Websearch

Contact database

Contact Search Mechanism

ENCORA other services:

Coastal Wiki

YPEP

Forum

ENCORA Services

ENCORA: Theme 2

• Theme 2: ICZM participation and implementation in Europe

• Led by EUCC – dr. Alan Pickaver• Survey through ENCORA network:

– Status of PP in ICZM in Europe

Status of PP in EU

Survey in Cyprus, Belgium, Germany, Spain, France , Greece,

Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, UK

Questionnaire to 150 PP experts in the EU (ENCORA & EUCC networks)

Background in: Science, local, regional and national policy, consultants, NGOs

Results

Country Perceived level

CY 2-4BE 2-4DE 3-5ES 2-3FR 1-4GR 1-2IE 2-4IT 4NL 4-5PO 3-4PT 4-5SW 4-6UK 3-5

Level 1 - all decisions are taken by government;

Level 2 - committees for the main purpose of engineering support;

Level 3 - informed but no channel for feedback;

Level 4 - consultation i.e. opinions asked;

Level 5 - advisory role where advice is

actually taken;

Level 6 - real negotiation between

stakeholders and decision-makers;

Level 7 - decision-making delegated.

7 levels of Participation*

*Arnstein, Sherry R. “A Ladder of Citizen Participation,” Journal American Planning Association 35, 216-224, 1969

Striking results

• Main obstacle: Lack of public awareness• Large gap between legal world and reality• Small projects have earlier participation• General public is not always involved“institutions are stakeholders, but stakeholders are

more numerous than institutions”

• Participation in stages• Consultation fatigue

Recommendations

• Information dissemination to general public • Organised stakeholders as a first step of

public participation • Targeted information campaign for relevant

authorities • Small and local projects more likely to

involve general public • Formalize participation in stages • Accept that there is a limit to participation

• End result: European Action Plan

• More information on ENCORA at:• www.encora.eu

• More information on public participation in Europe:

• www.encora.eu/coastalwiki/

ENCORA

Meet your partners

Help your colleagues

Find your information

Build your network

Your pool of knowledge & experience

Share your knowledge & experience

EU Action plans

THE NETWORKING SERVICES