PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE: A CASE STUDY ON THE INTEGRATION OF ONLINE PARTICIPATION IN WORLD WIDE VIEWS
Translated title
BORGERINDDRAGELSE I GLOBAL MILJØSTYRING: ET CASE STUDIE AF INTEGRATIONEN AF ONLINE INDDRAGELSE I WORLD WIDE VIEWS
Author
Carreira da Silva, Marco Alexandre
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2015
Submitted on
2015-06-09
Pages
60
Abstract
Borgerinddragelse fylder stadig mere i udformningen af politik, især når verden skal løse miljøproblemer på tværs af lande. Samtidig giver internet og digitale teknologier nye måder at inddrage mennesker på. Meget forskning ser på online borgerinddragelse i enkelte lande, men kun få studier undersøger, hvilken rolle online løsninger kan spille globalt. Dette speciale spørger: Hvordan kan integrationen af online løsninger i deltagende praksisser påvirke borgerinddragelse i global miljøstyring? Som case anvendes World Wide Views, et globalt initiativ for borgerinddragelse i international politisk beslutningstagning. Vi gennemførte ansigt‑til‑ansigt‑interviews med eksperter, der har designet og leder initiativet, samt online‑interviews med eksperter verden over, der har gennemført det nationalt. En flerpersoners interview med initiativets ledere, struktureret som et fremtidsværksted, gav rum til at udvikle ideer til online løsninger, der kan afhjælpe svagheder. Data blev først analyseret med SWOT (styrker, svagheder, muligheder og trusler). Derefter blev integrationen af en bestemt online løsning i World Wide Views vurderet ved hjælp af en teoretisk ramme af Gene Rowe og Lynn J. Frewer til at evaluere offentlige deltagelsesprocesser. Analyserne viser, at svagheder, som især hænger sammen med initiativets standardiserede metode, kan afhjælpes med en specifik online løsning. Samtidig bør globale deltagelsesprocesser, der inddrager online værktøjer, tage højde for ulig adgang til ressourcer og internetinfrastruktur på tværs af verden samt behovet for mere struktureret beslutningstagning, fordi online facilitering kan være vanskelig. Studiet peger desuden på potentialet ved at kombinere flere digitale løsninger, at online værktøjer kan ændre, hvordan deltagelsespraksisser tilrettelægges, og at online barrierer kan forstærke Nord–Syd‑kløften i deltagelse i international politik.
Public participation is becoming more important in policymaking, especially for tackling environmental issues that cross borders. At the same time, the Internet and digital technologies offer new ways to involve people. Many studies examine online participation within single countries, but few explore how online solutions work on a global scale. This thesis asks: How might integrating online solutions into participatory practices influence public participation in global environmental governance? The case study is World Wide Views, a global initiative for public participation in international policymaking. We conducted face‑to‑face interviews with experts who designed and manage the initiative, as well as online interviews with experts around the world who implemented it nationally. A multi‑person interview with the initiative’s managers, structured as a “future workshop,” created space to develop ideas for online solutions to address weaknesses. The data were first examined using a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats). Then, the integration of a specific online solution into World Wide Views was assessed using a theoretical framework by Gene Rowe and Lynn J. Frewer for evaluating public participation processes. The analyses show that weaknesses linked to the initiative’s standardized method can be reduced with a specific online tool. However, global participatory processes that include online tools must consider unequal access to resources and Internet infrastructure worldwide, and the need for more structured decision‑making due to challenges in online facilitation. The study also highlights the potential of combining multiple digital tools, the possible transformation of participatory practices through online solutions, and the risk that online barriers could widen the North–South divide in participation in international policymaking.
[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]
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