The development of a multi-level benchmark framework for evaluating public participation

More Info
expand_more

Abstract

The growing call for public participation in the context of the energy transition has been accompanied by an upswing in the number of studies evaluating participatory practices. While this is essentially a positive, and even necessary, development in our understanding of what makes good public participation, the practical usability of the existing frameworks for evaluating public participation is insufficient to meet demand. This thesis aims to fill this gap by developing a multi-level benchmark framework for evaluating public participation in line with policy-makers’ demands for participatory approaches. On the basis of a conceptual and an empirical investigation, five categories of successful public participation were identified: intended outcomes, resource minimisation, democracy, citizen satisfaction, and ease of participation. These five comprise the highest-level elements of the developed framework. The research concludes with some avenues for further research on public participation.