Getting real about participation
When involving citizens, you have to make the involvement mean something. The participants will need to see the “footprint” of their involvement, says advisor Camilla Skriung in ZERO.
As part of our stakeholder interview series, we had a talk with Camilla Skriung in ZERO about the role of cities in environmental issues, citizen involvement and use of digital technology in urban planning and research.
ZERO is an independent, ideal environmental foundation working to drive forward zero-emission solutions. Camilla, who is an advisor works on their project for climate measures in bigger cities, as well as with carbon capture and storage.
1. First, tell us about ZERO's project on cities; What are key experiences relevant for urban development and planning? And related to use of digital technology?
The project shows that much of the potential for change lay in the cities. It has been very useful to share experience between the 4 largest cities in Norway, and useful to have an actor like ZERO who pushes forward and challenges. All cities are now ready or in the finalization of their climate plans and are now rolling out measures.
How to involve people, organize the activities and infrastructure in the city, and take new technologies into use - is crucial in this. Cities, and municipalities in general, are central as a supplier of services, developers of infrastructure and as planners of land use.
Commitment at the local level can also be based on completely different things than climate concerns; as desire for better air, tranquility, beautiful scenery and short distances to things. Technology and other ways to plan things can be tools for this as well.
2. How do you foresee the role of citizens in urban planning might change in the future as we are getting more digital? What’s important to consider? And, does this impact your role and ways of working as an NGO?
It is a combination of several things that will be crucial for if we succeed in releasing cities' great potential in cutting climate emissions.
For example, is it enough if politicians encourage car sharing, that companies offer the service and that potential customers have smartphones? No, the user group must also have certain attitudes and attributes.
Commitment at the local level can also be based on completely different things than climate concerns; as desire for better air, tranquility, beautiful scenery and short distances to things. Technology and other ways to plan things can be tools for this as well.
For us in ZERO it is important to know opportunities, concepts and new technology. It is also important to have knowledge about how we can convey this and how we best involve and facilitate for good solutions.
3. In the last decades, new ways of research have been implemented, and they are referred to as crowdsourcing, citizen participation, citizen science, public participation or volunteered information. Where do you see the biggest advantage of such approaches?
There are many advantages to such an approach. What seems most important is:
- it can ensure that all relevant information prior to decision making are known and discussed (by involving broad participation)
- involvement will in itself engage people more- which will lead to a sense of ownership and responsibility for using and taking care of things
- the solutions and decisions will more probably be better in themselves
4. The vision of smart cities is nowadays a well-established path based on integrating multiple ICTs. Where do you see the greatest potential , if any, for the use and integration of multiples ICTs for urban sustainability?
Multiple ICT’s can complete each other so that the common result is better than the different technologies. It seems like sharing cars and stuff, and making things seamless and autonomous have great potential both in growing, and in making people more climate-friendly.
Technology for mapping and envisage development for example in energy systems, make things easier to plan.
The nearer you are peoples life, both in research, in your communication and not the least in the actual realization of things, the better the result.
5. What are the biggest challenges with digitalization and the integration of multiples ICTs for urban sustainability?
I would say ending up too dependent, excluding those who are not able to use these ICT’s.
6. What does the term 'social responsible' tell you? Do you see it compatible with crowdsourcing and/or citizen participation in research?
It is very much compatible - and should be. To involve people like this is to be social responsible. The nearer you are peoples life, both in research, in your communication and not the least in the actual realization of things, the better the result.
7. Anything else you would like to add?
The cities' role in reducing climate emissions can be crucial, as cities account for 70 % of the world's greenhouse gas emissions - and cities are growing. By 2050, 70 % of the world's population is expected to live in a city.
Internationally, we see more cities and city networks that take an offensive role, committing themselves and cutting emissions where the national states are lagging behind. Cities can reduce emissions in a number of areas; particularly important is energy supply (including heating), transportation, construction machinery and waste management. In Norway, power generation is based on renewable energy, and therefore transport and construction machinery is the decisive sector for emission cuts.
The cities also have a large purchasing power that can be used to promote climate solutions, and they can inform citizens about their opportunities to contribute and facilitate the emigration cuts. In Norway, more than 20 % of our total greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced by means of municipal and county municipal instruments. The next 4-5 years is absolutely crucial if Norway is going to reach its climate targets and have implemented important climate measures. Locally, we must secure green jobs, build infrastructure for a green shift and cut our own municipalities' emissions if we want to reach the zero-emission community.
Cities also have a large purchasing power that can be used to promote climate solutions, and they can inform citizens about their opportunities to contribute and facilitate the emigration cuts.
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This blog post is part of a series where we interview stakeholders about ICT, crowdsourcing, research and urban sustainability. You can take part in the dialogue by using the hashtag #crowds4research iResponse on twitter: @iresponse_rri