Public Participation and Local Sustainability: Questioning a Common Agenda in Urban Governance

Abstract

Abstracti jur_957 312..329In the context of calls for more effective processes to facilitate deliberative democracy in cities, and the connection often asserted between participatory means and sustainability ends in urban governance, this article examines a case of public participation for sustainability indicator selection in Vancouver, Canada. Sustainability indicator systems are often introduced via participatory exercises, but the quality of this participation and its outcomes are questionable. Based upon current debates in deliberative democratic theory, our judgment of the quality of a particular process depends on the level and mode of interaction. Do we expect, along with Healey, that participants build a rational consensus beginning from root values and visions, or do we expect, along with Mouffe, a conflictual consensus among participants working from incommensurably diverse life worlds? An examination of governmentality theory, based on the work of Rydin, adds to this a way of understanding the impact on participation outcomes of what participants learn about their own and others' roles in democratic urban governance as they prepare recommendations specific to local sustainability. This case study analysis reflects on these theoretical debates in terms of the unfolding of a public participation process for sustainability indicator selection. It offers lessons for public process design that is better aligned with the expectations of radicalized communicative rationality and for the specific learning values of engagement for participants, which were at least as strongly related to democratic practice as they were to sustainability per se.

Aligning Public Participation to Stakeholders’ Sustainability Literacy—A Case Study on Sustainable Urban Development in Phoenix, Arizona

“…Stakeholders' capacity for sustainability can be developed through social learning, i.e., experiences in which participants build understanding and shape their values through collaboration with others. Social learning is a common potential benefit of public participation, and there are many cases of facilitating social learning of sustainability [19][20][21]. Although social learning is popular in sustainability governance literature, it is important to note, that this form of capacity building requires a significant investment of time and other resources that may not be available in all participatory processes [20].…”

Sustentabilidade urbana e o desenvolvimento da cidade de São Francisco (EUA)

“…O interesse pela Sustentabilidade como um novo paradigma de planejamento e política pública tem crescido, e a participação dos cidadãos, também emergiu como um elementochave dos esforços locais para a Sustentabilidade Urbana (WHELLER, 2000;HOLDEN, 2011). A Sustentabilidade Urbana, em termos espaciais, inclui o equilíbrio do crescimento populacional, a garantia de espaço verde suficiente, minimizando a expansão urbana, a mudança de área natural e o uso de materiais prejudiciais ao meio ambiente (SHEN; KYLLO; GUO, 2013).…”

“…Na visão de Ratiu (2013), a definição de Sustentabilidade envolve o que é capaz de ser mantido, bem como não ser prejudicial, mas suportável, justificável, defensável e viável. Holden (2011) destacou, também que a Administração Pública deve se engajar nas práticas de Sustentabilidade, juntamente a seus cidadãos, que envolvem a chamada Sustentabilidade Urbana, que exige boa governança, política e planejamento, bem como a participação de empresas locais e cidadãos (LI et al, 2016).…”

Between Participation and Collective Action—From Occasional Liaisons towards Long-Term Co-Management for Urban Resilience

“…Regularity and continuation of public participation are even expected as "prerequisite for greater identification with political decisions and use of offered participation" [14,19]. And indeed, "supporting and promoting, high-quality, ongoing public participation is a key growing concern of local governments" [18].…”