Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Social participation and climate change

  • Published:
Environment, Development and Sustainability Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Social participation has been broadly analysed by comparing case studies of different types of socio-economic developments in Brazil and the United Kingdom (UK). A key objective has been to consider how effective social participation has been in incorporating society’s points of view in the decision making process. In most cases, it would appear that very little can be done by stakeholders to change big decisions on development policies that support public and private development because in reality social participation often only provides an opportunity for discussion and agreement on specific issues regarding how development will be undertaken and how stakeholders will be affected. Although Brazil and the United Kingdom have socio-economic and cultural differences, it is necessary to emphasize that education, self-organization and knowledge of civil rights are crucial for an effective social participation process. As climate change is an important topic for present and future generations and that some of the development activities analysed in this study will emit greenhouse gases, this study also attempts to investigate if climate change mitigation strategies have been integrated into the social participation process. Investigation shows that there is little evidence that climate change mitigation actions involving stakeholders have been integrated into development strategies or have been part of social participation schemes in the case studies analysed. Having said that, the study also describes positive examples of climate change mitigation actions in different parts of the world that involve local people in ‘carbon-neutral’ or ‘social-carbon’ projects and proposes the creation of a carbon-neutral committee that would be responsible for coordinating climate change mitigation measures within development proposals such as the ones analysed in this study.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. Carbon-neutral in this paper refers to all climate-friendly actions to minimize greenhouse gases (NRDF 2006).

  2. A number of social participation case studies have been previously reviewed before selecting the ones in the present study. In Brazil, the projects previously reviewed are the following: agriculture development scheme, a local coastal tourism project and a chemical plant participatory scheme. In the United Kingdom, the projects reviewed are the following: a waste management facility and a neighbourhood development project. These case studies were small-scale projects that involved few stakeholders in social participation schemes.

  3. Tourism Development Program (PPRODETUR NE II): interviews were carried out in June 2006 with stakeholders (NGOs, local associations and governmental institutions) in the coastal area of the States of Ceará, Maranhão and Piaui in Brazil. The interviews aimed to diagnose the efficacy of social participation and the decision-making process of PRODETUR NE II. Mining Industrial Plan: The coordinator and responsible person for the social participation process of the SEA of Pantanal were interviewed in September 2008 at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). The interview focused on how, when and where social participation schemes were developed and how effective they were to change plan design. Fishing Activity Compensation Plan: the interview was carried out in October 2008 at HABTEC Environmental Engineering headquarters in Rio de Janeiro regarding the effectiveness of social participation in re-designing the original compensation plan.

  4. Aberdeen West Peripheral Route (AWPR): Interviews were carried out with representatives of the Road Sense Committee in November 2008 during a public enquiry at the Hilton Treetops Hotel in Aberdeen. The interview focused on how effective social participation schemes were to influence the decision-making process. An interview was also carried out with the Chairperson of the Road Sense Committee at the University of Aberdeen in March 2009. Ythan Project: Between October and November 2008 several informal conversation interviews were developed with researchers from the University of Aberdeen about the efficacy of the social participation process of the Ythan Project.

  5. The term ‘social participation process’ in this paper is used as the development of actions that involves stakeholders through discussions via participatory planning meetings, public enquiries, seminars, forums and e-forums, in order to reach consensus for decision making.

  6. The EEC Directive 85/337 and the European Union (EU) Directive 97/11/EC on EIA, the EU Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive (2001/42/EEC) and the Directive 2003/35/EC on social participation.

  7. This type of participation resembles the 'functional' participation as described in Box 2 .

  8. According to interview developed with the coordinator of the SEA team (see interview in item 3 Methodology), the dialogue Forum was specifically created to support the SEA study. The e-forum had two different discussion lists with approximately 150 stakeholders discussing the proposed mining-industrial pole. The e-forum issued 48 electronic bulletins and over 11,000 emails were exchanged among stakeholders (Farias, 2008).

  9. NGOs such as WWF-Brasil, AVINA Foundation, Conservation International, Boticatio Foundation. Ecotopric Foundation, among others, is working in the region to preserve the biodiversity of the Pantanal region, develop socio-cultural values and advise on environmental management issues.

  10. There are around 500–1,000 stakeholders involved with the Road Sense Committee that include NGOs such as Friends of the Earth, Wonder Trust, among others. According to Transport Scotland (2008a, b), ten thousand objections were received, of which 180 were statutory (legal) objections.

  11. The Macaulay Land Use Research Institute (MLURI) Forestry Commission for Scotland (FCS), Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), among others.

  12. The interview was carried out with a researcher from the Department of Geography and Environment, University of Aberdeen in November 2008.

  13. The EIS was used as the basis for a model EIS in a recent study for the European Commission which derived an EIA procedure for decommissioning nuclear power plants.

References

  • Alencar, E. (1994). Diagnóstico Participativo como Instrumento Auxiliar na Gestão de Associações de Agricultores Familiares e Agência de Desenvolvimento (Participatory Diagnosis as an Instrument to Support Associations of Family Agriculture and International Agency Management). Unpublished manuscript, Rio de Janeiro.

  • Allen, W., & Kilvington, M. (2002). Sustainable development extension. MAF technical paper no: 2002/03 prepared for MAF policy, Landcare Research Chris Nixon & John Yeabsley NZIER, February 2002.

  • Almeida, J. R. (2008). Ciências Ambientais. Thex Editora—Almeida Cabral.

  • Altram. (2008). Reducing CO2 levels in the atmosphere, our technological challenge. Altram Foundation for Innovation 2007 Award.

  • Aschemann, R. (2002). Pros and Cons of the European Community Strategic Environmental Assessment—SEA directive. International association for impact assessment—IAIA 22nd annual conference event—abstract of volumes, Netherland Congress Center, The Hague, pp. 9.

  • Avaaz. (nd). Climate change and European leadership sinks. Avaaz—world in action. http://www.avaaz.org/po/europe_climate_crunch_time/98.php?cl_tf_sign=1.

  • BBC. (2007). Heathrow protester set up camp. www.news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6943084.stm.

  • Blackstock, K. L., Richards, C., Kirk, E. A., & Chang, Y. C., & Davidson, G. (nd). Participation and regulation: Where two worlds collide?

  • Bell, S., & Morse, S. (2003). Measuring sustainability. London: Earthscan Publications Limited.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blackstock, K. L. (2007). Enabling or extractive? Collaborative evaluation of partnership working in Scotland. European Society for Rural Sociology Conference August 20–24, 2007. Working group three: Accounting for change: Evaluation and integrated development in the project state.

  • Bond, A., Palerm, J., & Haigh, P. (2004). Public participation in EIA of nuclear power plant decommissioning projects: A case study analysis. Environmental Impact Assessment Review, 24(2004), 617–641.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Braun, R. (2005a). Avaliação da Participação Social na Elaboração dos Plano de Desenvolvimento Sustentável (PDIT) do Pólo Costa Norte de Turismo (CNT), Ceará, Piauí, Maranhão. (Evaluation of social participation process of the sustainable tourism development plan of the states of Ceara, Piaui,and Maranhao.) Relatório de Avaliação Ambiental Programmeática (AAP): Participação Social e. PRODETUR NE II, MTUR/BID/PNUD, 2005.

  • Braun, R. (2005b). Avaliação de Ecossistemas e Recursos Naturais e Avaliação da Participação Social na elaboração do Plano de Desenvolvimento Sustentável (PDIT) Pólo Costa dos Corais, Alagoas. (Evaluation of the social participation process and ecosystem and natural resources evaluation of the sustainable tourism plan of Alagoas State.) Relatório de Avaliação Ambiental Programmeática (AAP): Participação Social e. PRODETUR NE II, MTUR/BID/PNUD, 2005.

  • Braun, R. (2005c). Avaliação de Ecossistemas e Recursos Naturais e a Avaliação da Participação Social na elaboração do Desenvolvimento Sustentável (PDIT) Pólo Costa das Dunas, Rio Grande do Norte. (Evaluation of the social participation process and ecosystem and natural resources evaluation of the sustainable tourism plan of Rio Grande do Norte State.) Relatório de Avaliação Ambiental Programmeática (AAP): Participação Social. PRODETUR NE II, MTUR/BID/PNUD, 2005.

  • Braun, R. (2005d). Avaliação de Ecossistemas e Recursos Naturais e Avaliação da Participação Social na Elaboração do Plano de Desenvolvimento Sustentável (PDIT) Pólo Costa dos Coqueiros, Sergipe. (Evaluation of the social participation process and ecosystem and natural resources evaluation of the sustainable tourism plan of Sergipe State), Sergipe. Relatório de Avaliação Ambiental Programática (AAP): Participação Social. PRODETUR NE II, MTUR/BID/PNUD, 2005.

  • Braun, R. (2006). Sustainability at the local level: Management tools and municipal tax incentive model, environment, development and sustainability. Springer, The Netherlands, ISSN: 1387-585X (Paper) 1573-2975 (Online) 5, Issue 2006: Online first, 2006a.

  • Braun, R. (2009). Sustainable development incentives—green incentives, social motivation, strategic environmental assessment and corporate management. Germany: VDM Verlag Dr. Müller.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, C. (2008). Green cabs. http://www.climateneutral.unep.org/cnn_members.aspx?m=322.

  • Clark, B. D. (1999). Sustainable development: Key concepts and the Post-Rio Agenda. CORDAH.

  • Cleaver, F. (2001). Institutions, agency and limitations of participatory approaches to development. In B. Cooke & U. Kothari (Eds.), Participation—the new tyranny. Zed Books.

  • Coelho, M. C. C., Aquino, A. R., & Almeida, J. R. (2006). Desenvolvimento Sustentável e o Protocolo de Quioto. Revista Brasileira de Pesquisa e Desenvolvmento, Vol. 8, nº 2, Agosto de 2006.

  • CONAMA. (1986). Resolução CONAMA sobre Avaliação de Impacto Ambiental Nº 237, de 19 de dezembro de 1997 (CONAMA Resolution on EIA) 001/86 and 237/97), Conselho Nacional do Meio Ambiente, Brasiliam 1986.

  • CONAMA. (1997). Resolução CONAMA Nº 237, de 19 de dezembro de 1997 (CONAMA Resolution on Environmental Licensing) 001/86 and 237/97), Conselho Nacional do Meio Ambiente, Brasiliam 1997.

  • Dalal-Clayton, B., & Bass, S. (2002). Sustainable development strategies: A resource book. UK/USA: OECD, UNDP, Earthscan Publications Ltd.

    Google Scholar 

  • EC. (2000). Directive establishing a framework for community action in the field of water policy (2000/60/EC, Commission of the European Communities (Brussels: Official Journal L327, 2000).

  • Estrella, M. (2000). Tracing the history of participatory monitoring and evaluation. Institute of Development Studies/The Participation Group, www.ids.ac.uk.

  • Farias, A. (2008). VIII Reunión BID Sociedad Civil (8th Interamerican Development Bank Meeting).

  • Fischer, T. B. (2007). Theory and practise of strategic environmental assessment—towards a Mores systematic approach. London: Earthscan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flora, C. B., Gasteyer, S., Fernandez-Baca, E., Banerji, D., Bastian, S., & Aleman, S. (2000). Local participation in research & extension for conservation & development of natural resources: A summary of approaches. Paper presented at the sixteenth meeting of the International Farming Systems Association, Santiago, Chile, November 30, 2000.

  • Franca, L. P. (1998). Processo de Gestão do Desenvolvimento: Proposta Metodológica de Sistematização das Informações para o Planejamento Participativo. (Management of process development: Methodological proposal to systemize information for participatory planning, Doctoral Thesis.) Federal University of Rio de Janeiro-UFRJ/Centre for Energetic Programme.

  • Francis, P. (2001). Participatory development at the World Bank—the primacy process. In B. Cooke & U. Kothari (Ed.), Participation—the new tyranny. Zed Books.

  • Freudenberger, K. S. (1994). Tree and land tenure rapid appraisal tools. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gardner, G. T., & Stern, P. C. (2002). Environmental Problems and Human Behavior (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Custom Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gola, S. (2008). Incentive sol—incentive sol Soluções Solidárias Ltda. http://www.climateneutral.unep.org/cnn_members.aspx?m=192.

  • GTZ. (1997). ZOPP objectives-oriented project planning—a planning guide for new and ongoing projects and programme. Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zuzamenarbeit-GTZ GmbH Unit 04, Eschborn.

  • Hailet, J. (2001). Beyond the formulatic: Process and practice in South Asian NGOs. In B. Cooke & U. Kothari (Ed.), Participation—the new tyranny. Zed Books.

  • HABTEC/CGG. (nd). Social participation brochure. Seismic Company CGC Veritas.

  • IPCC. (2001). The third assessment report of the intergovernmental panel on climate change.

  • Kitchin, R., & Tate, N. J. (2000). Conducting research into human geography—theory, methodology and practice. Edinburgh: Prentice Hall, Pearson Education limited.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kranz, P. (1999). Pequeno Guia da Agenda 21 Local (Small guide for the local agenda 21). Rio de Janeiro: Secretaria Municipal de Meio Ambiente.

    Google Scholar 

  • LIMA/COPPE. (2008). Avaliação Ambiental Estratégica do Pólo Mínero-Industrial de Corumbá e Influências sobre a Planície Pantaneira. (SEA of Pantanal (Mining-industrial development plan and influences on the Panatanal), Laboratorio Inter-disciplinar de Meio Ambiente (LIMA/COPPE/UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, 2008.

  • Mai, L. A., Guimarães A. L., Aquino, A. R., & Almeida, J. R. (2006). Mudanças Climáticas Globais e Problemas Sociais: A Relação com o Consumismo. Revista Brasileira de Pesquisa e Desenvolvmento, Vol. 8, nº 2, Agosto de 2006.

  • McDaniels, T. L., Gregory, R. S., & Felds, D. (1999). Democratizing risk management: Successful public involvement in local water management decisions. Risk Analysis, 19(3), 497–510.

    Google Scholar 

  • Montevideo—Uruguay 7 e 18 de octubre de 2008 Evaluación Ambiental Estratégica., Caso Corumbá/Pantanal.

  • Moreira, I. V. (1994). EIA in Latin America. In P. Wathern (Ed.), Environmental impact assessment—theory and practice. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morris, C. T., & Morris, R. M. (2005). The Ythan project: A case study on improving catchment management trough. Community Involvement, 48(3), 413–429.

    Google Scholar 

  • MTUR. (2005). Plano Nacional de Turismo—Diretrizes, Metas e Programmeas (National Tourism Plan), Ministerio do Turismo (MTUR), Brasilia, DF.

  • NAE—SECOM. (2005). Mudança do Clima—Vol. I—Vulnerabilidade, Impactos e Adaptação `a Mudança do Clima Negociações Internacionais sobre a Mudança do Clima—Cadernos NAE Núcleo de Assuntos Estratégicos da Presidência da República. Numeo 3/2005.

  • Ng, T. L. (2002). Engagging and enabling the public to participate in strategic environmental assessment. Conference on restoring environmental assessment tools for sustainability, Environmental Protection Department the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, December 8–13, 2002.

  • NRDC. (2006). Footloose and carbon-free. This green life. Natural Resources Defense Council (NDRC). (www.ndrc.org/thisgreenlife/).

  • NEA. (nd). Nuclear power and climate change. Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA), OECD.

  • ODPM. (2005). Sustainability appraisal of regional spatial strategies and local development documents—guidance for regional planning bodies and local planning authorities. London: Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM).

    Google Scholar 

  • OECD. (2006). Applying strategic environmental assessment—good practise guidance for development co-operation. DAC guidelines and reference series. Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

  • Partidário, M. R. (1998). Perspectivas Futuras: A emergência da avaliação ambiental estratégica. (Future perspectives: The emergency of strategic environmental assessment). Avaliação de Impacto Ambiental, Documentos Ambientais, Secretaria de Meio Ambiente de São Paulo, (A963):69–84.

  • Pfeiffer, P. (2000). Planejamento Estratégico Municipal (PEM), Uma Nova Abordagem para o Desenvolvimento Local (Municipal Strategic Planning, a New Way for the Local Development). Unpublished manuscript, Brazilian Institute for Municipal Administration-IBAM, Rio de Janeiro.

  • Pretty, J. N., Guijt, I., Thompson, J., & Scoones, I. (1997). A trainer’s guide for participatory learning and action. London: IIED.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pretty, J., & Hine, R. (1999). Community participation—participatory appraisal for community assessment: Principles and methods. http://www.essex.ac.uk/ces/esu/cmmunity-participatory-shtm.

  • Road Sense. (2009). Aberdeen bypass campaigners lodge written closing submission with public local inquiry. Press release for immediate use. January 14, 2009. www.road-sense.org.

  • Ryan, D. (2008). The carbon association Australasia. http://www.climateneutral.unep.org/cnn_members.aspx?m=389.

  • Stern, B. (2006). The Stern review—the economics of climate, her majesty treasury.

  • Thomas, R. (2008). Footprint adventures. http://www.climateneutral.unep.org/cnn_members.aspx?m=248.

  • Transport Scotland. (2008a). Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) public local inquiry—indicative programmeme. Public Local Inquiry home page: http://awpr-pli.net/.

  • Transport Scotland. (2008b). Public local inquiry into draft schemes and orders for the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route—note of matters agreed at or arising from pre-inquiry meeting on May 13, 2008.

  • UNEP. (1997). Changing the in-vironment. United Nations Environmental Programme Our Planet, 8(2), 16–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • UNEP. (2007). GEO report global environmental outlook (GEO 4). United Nations Environmental Programme UNEP’s Publications Department.

  • UNEP. (2008). Climate neutral network. United Nations Environmental Programmeme (UNEP). Climate Neutral CNNet. http://www.climateneutral.unep.org/cnn_contentlist.aspx?m=53.

  • UNFCCC. (2008). United Nations climate change conference held in Poznan, Poland. http://unfccc.int/meetings/cop_14/items/4481.php.

  • World Bank. (1999). Public consultation in the environmental assessment process: A strategic approach. Environmental Assessment Sourcebook Update. No. 26, May 1999.

  • World Bank. (2005). Integrating environmental considerations in policy forumulation—lessons from policy-based SEA experience. Report no. 32783, Environmental Department, Washington, DC.

  • Zero Hora. (2005). Como Contribuir Localmente com a Redução do Aquecimento Global. (How to contribute with climate change mitigation measures locally). Jornal Zero Hora de Porto Alegre, Janeiro de 2005.

Download references

Acknowledgments

The present study is part of a sabbatical research project developed at the University of Aberdeen carried out between October 2008 and February 2009. The project was financed by the Brazilian Ministry of Education (CAPES) in collaboration with the School of Geosciences, University of Aberdeen and the Centre for Environmental Analysis (NASA) from the School of Engineering of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). I would like to thank my old friend Professor Brian D. Clark for arguing, questioning, reviewing and providing guidance and knowledge during the development of this paper. I would like to thank also my Brazilian friend Professor Josimar de Almeida from NASA/UFRJ and all colleagues from ACES/University of Aberdeen and the Department of Geography and Environment for providing support and infra-structure during the research process. I would also like to thank Dr Gill Seyfang from the University of East Anglia for providing very important insights for this paper. Finally, I would also like to thank Jenny Johnson from the Department of Geography and Environment, University of Aberdeen, for elaborating schematic maps used in the present study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Aberdeen Centre for Environmental Sustainability (ACES), University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK

    Ricardo Braun

  2. Environmental Analysis Centre (NASA/UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Ricardo Braun

Authors
  1. Ricardo Braun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ricardo Braun.

Additional information

Readers should send their comments on this paper to BhaskarNath@aol.com within 3 months of publication of this issue.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Braun, R. Social participation and climate change. Environ Dev Sustain 12, 777–806 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-009-9224-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-009-9224-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation