Community Engagement Presentation at SCPWG

November 2008

Research Centre for Stronger CommunitiesResearch Fellow - Dr Diane CostelloDirector – Professor Daniela Stehlik

Resolving Issues CHALLENGES:

Climate Change & Energy Security! TACKLE - global economic

crisis!. COMPLEX ISSUES - appropriate

solutions! DIFFERS – Resilience &

Vulnerability. BENCHMARK –sustainability!

RESILIENCE: leadership; social & political competence!

Why Community Engagement?  MANAGEMENT -top-down! DECISIONS

ground level needs! NRM – “scientific management or

experts for solutions”(Nelson et al 2008). KNOWLEDGE - local & informal types

(Brunner & Steelman, 2005) SYSTEM “Centralised Expert

Management”.

Centralised Expert Management- Nelson, 2008

Bottom Up ProcessesPolicies/Programs –

target communities! INFORM -decision

makers!COMMUNITY

ENGAGEMENTpartnership

 Adaptive governance: Integration of science &

local context & complementary roles

4000 Community Land Care Groups

Local Agenda 21 – Local Sustainability

Shared Governance Processes MIXED RESPONSES –

Policy – Implementation. IDEAL! POSITIVE:

Challenge decision-making! NEGATIVE

Inclusive? – powerful - interests.

WORK IN PROGRESS processes/outcomes.

Maribyrnong City Council Victoria

1.Information Gathering – local knowledge;

2.Information Provision – actively engaged – relevant information

3.Consultation – decisions – impacts!

4.Participation – empowering –participate!

GOAL: Planners/policy makers –cooperatively -future energy needs.

Community Solutions 1.Valuable Input - community’s

vision! 2.Awareness & Social Change! OUTCOME: own issues & solutions! Climate Change & Peak Oil! PUSH - energy conservation.

Policies, Programs & Technological Innovations – Efficiency & CO2!

Community Acceptance & Engagement! FACTORS: enhance and impede –

ADAPTATION! Energy Security!

FEEDBACK –Energy Issues CONSENSUS “reliable electricity supply”! RESPONSIBILITY “electricity supply &

renewable energy sources”. 1.Government Responsibility – Access!

UNFAIR - costs for connection! 2.COMMUNITY Force - energy sources!

Low Emission Renewables – sustainable! Frustration – Financial & Regulatory!

Sustainable Energy – Govt & Community. –

Reliable Energy- government! Social & Economic sustainability – Long

Term solutions! Immediate solutions!

Climate Change Attitudes UNDERSTANDING – FACTORS - enhance

& impede! Values, Attitudes & Perceptions: RISK ANALYSIS – proactively –

perceptions! Lorenzoni, Langford, & O’Riordan’s (2002)

FOUR: DENY - humans affect; not important; DOUBT - humans influence; is

important; UNINTERESTED – do affect; no overall

importance; ENGAGED - do affect climate &

important.

Values & Change ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES – green

actions -value environment. OTHER INFLUENCES - pro-environment

behaviours – legal, practical, financial, peer, religious, or cultural.

SENSE OF COMMUNITY & ATTACHMENT TO PLACE! High Levels -action community issues!. Alienated/Excluded - empowered! Welcome – Participation - volunteering!

Social Capital & Resilience

COMMUNITIES POSSESS! “links & bonds to networks -

family, community, society! Bonding; Bridging & Linking –

ACCESS “funds & resources”! RESILIENT -Climate Change &

Energy Crisis! Political Power – facilitate change

-infrastructure & development. IMPORTANT - energy security!

Transformational Leadership

• CHANGE - community engagement!! • EARLY ADOPTER –sustainability!• LEAD “discussion & debate”!

– DECISIONS “best interests”!– MEDIATE “diversity interests”!– STRUCTURE process “short & long-term

goals and objectives”. • LONG TERM SOLUTIONS – disenchanted!• COLLABORATION:

– “local government, public, private & community organizations”!

Principles & Balanced Justice

COLLABORATION - processes & outcomes JUST!

Procedural justice “rules for participation & decision-making”!

Distributive Justice “outcomes are just”. imbalances - never achieve justice.

Sustainability - inter-generational justice – “future generations”!.

 Intra-generational justice – “current generations –ignored”.

Vulnerable sectors – costs imbalanced! Balance Principles!

Societal Influence IMPEDIMENT – Cheap Electricity!

Households – same – 1997 SMEs 1991/92. 90% - cost effective –subsidized!  TWO CLASSES - severe hardship! hardship utility grant scheme!

ETS – CPRT 2010/12. 20% MRET 2020 – PRICE RISE!

IMPACTS - low incomes & SMEs! EQUITY -Planning carbon-constrained

economy!.

Policy – Incentives & Access

• FINANCIAL INCENTIVES - solar hot water & PVC panels!

• POPULAR - lower incomes?• SMEs - “energy self-reliant”- feed in tariff -

cost effective! – market impediment!• TECHNOLOGIES - sustainable living:

– Energy efficient homes, buildings, appliances, retro-fitting - reduce heating, cooling & water needs; PHEV! 

• Capital Investment - ACCESS - wealthier groups –resilient!– ETS Equity Fund – Low & Middle Incomes!

PLANNING & EQUITY• ATTENTION: Erosion Disposable

Incomes!– Global Financial Crisis;

Unemployment; Cost of Living;– Vulnerable - Access technology!

• SOCIAL POLICIES – Equity!

CONCLUSION• COMPLEMENTARY ROLE

– -managing future transition!• VALUED - local knowledge!• DECISIONS -community interests!• EQUITY – planning!• GOVERNMENTS

– social, scientific and physical Infrastructure;

– process & outcomes fair to combat power imbalances.