11. "Ich kann einfach nicht mehr vertrauen."

Challenges of Citizen Participation in Infrastructure Policy‐Making in Multi‐Level Systems—The Case of Onshore Wind Energy Expansion in Germany

“…The literature analyzing local opposition and protest of wind energy projects reveals that the governance process of the German Energy Transition has been the most important aspect (Eichenauer, ; Leibenath, Wirth & Lintz, ; Marg, ; Reusswig et al., ). The most important result in this context concerns the fact that in the case of wind energy expansion, even opponents respect the established governance system.…”

“…According to this perspective, the quality of outcomes, namely their acceptability, is important in such a context. This is not given, as the most important desires of concerned citizens are to become involved in governance processes of wind energy expansion for real and not just for reasons of “participatory window dressing” (Marg, ). A meta‐analysis of different case studies on opposition to wind energy reveals different but interdependent dimensions concerning this critique of the governance process.…”

“…Citizen associations do not possess any legal rights that they can refer to throughout the governance process (Kopp, ). Only citizens who are directly concerned or formal associations that are formally recognized such as nature conservation organizations are allowed to enforce their rights by law (Marg, ). Moreover, citizens involved in unconventional forms of political participation implemented at national and state levels are not endowed with legal claims to the governance process.…”

“…Due to the German Energy Transition's positive image, a critical mass of opponents of wind energy expansion was missing at the start of the transition process when participation measures were applied at national and state levels. In most cases, opposition at the local level has formed when specific wind energy projects have been discussed (Eichenauer, ; Leibenath et al., ; Marg, ; Reusswig et al., ; Wirth & Leibenath, ). Thus, with regard to issues of inclusiveness and of openness to interest consultation, it seems that participatory measures implemented at national and state levels were too focused on achieving national goals and were not focused enough on local impacts.…”