1. Application of Tools
Stakeholder and Public Participation
Dana Thalmeinerova,
based upon GWP ToolBox

2. IWRM Principle: PARTICIPATORY APPROACH
• Water development and management should be based on a participatory
approach, involving users, planners and policymakers at all levels.

3. Gradations in involvement
Ignored
Controlled or manipulated
Informed
Self-management
Consulted
Dialogue

7. Reason to participate Participation strategy
Can the public contribute to
decision – making?
Participation to improve the
quality of plans and projects
Is the public needed for
implementation?
Participation to improve
implementation of plans
Can the public block decision –
making or implementation?
Participation to prevent litigation
and delays
Is participation legally required? Participation to meet legal
requirements

8. Four steps in participation
• Identify key stakeholders
• Assess stakeholders interests
and potential impact of the
IWRM plan on these interests
• Assess the influence and
importance of the identified
stakeholders
• Outline a stakeholder
participation strategy (part of
Work plan)
Stakeholder analysis

9. Typology of possible stakeholders
• Professionals – public and private sector organisations, professional voluntary
groups and professional NGOs (social, economic and environmental). This also
includes statutory agencies, conservation groups, business, industry, insurance
groups and academia.
• Authorities, elected people - government departments, statutory agencies,
municipalities, local authorities
• Local Groups- non-professional organised entities operating at a local level.
It usefully
• breaks down into:
– Communities centred on place – attachment centred on place, which
includes groups like residents associations and local councils.
– Communities centred on interest – e.g. farmers’ groups, fishermen,
birdwatchers.
• Individual citizens, farmers and companies representing themselves. Key
individual landowners for example or local individual residents

10. Always remember:
What do you want to achieve with public
participation?
• ownership of problem by third parties;
• commitment of other parties;
• innovative solutions;
• acceptance of measures to be taken;
• raising awareness.
Consensus building

11. Benefits of participation
• Key issues at all levels are identified and agreed
• Knowledge, experience, concerns of local communities are built into
plans and measures
• Measures are likely to be acceptable
• Conflicts are minimized once agreed on steps
• Future implementers are aware of costs
• Regulations are enforceable

12. Active involvementConsultations
Basic forms of participation
Information
supply
Shall be ensured Shall be encouraged
Dialogue for better decisions

13. • Workshops, brainstorming, roundtables,….
• Representation in management team, steering committee, councils,…
• Consultations, written statements, …
• Surveys, questionnaires, public opinion pools…
Methods of participation

14. Level of participation Methods
Information (the pubic
has an access to
information)
Brochures, flyers, press conference, info-centers,
exhibitions, „open-house“ events, internet
distribution, cultural events, special (education)
events for target groups, infotainment in mass
media, talk shows in mass media
Consultation (the public
has an opportunity to
express views,
statements)
Call for written comments, interviews, public
debates, hearing, organization of surveys, public
pool, internet discussion (e-forum),
questionnaires
Discussions (direct
interaction between
the public and
government bodies)
Workshops, seminars, round tables, specialized
conferences
Shared decision (the
public contributes to
decision making
process)
Negotiations resulting in voluntary agreements,
stakeholders are members of advisory boards,
organization of public vote (referendum)

15. Prepare participants
CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT
• Capacity building at individual level:
– Are participants inform on objectives (of a plan)?
– Are participants aware of importance of reform (changes)?
– Do participants understand principles of IWRM?
– Do participants have enough information?
– Do participants care?
– Are participants ready to bear responsibilities?
– Are participants ready to speak to each other?
Participatory capacity

16. When to involve stakeholders
TIMING!
• One may say that the stakeholders should be involved as early as
possible, before decisions are taken. Only then the authorities are
able to benefit optimally from their insight, experience and
knowledge and allow maximum involvement, influence and ultimate
acceptance of eventual decisions.
• It is never too early. When involving stakeholders at a very early
stage in the process it should be made perfectly clear to the
stakeholder what his role is and how his contribution will be handled.
Otherwise do not involve them.

17. What you want to communicate
SCALE!!
• Determine which issues should be addressed at which level.
• Determine what types of publics can make what types of
contribution
• Communicate the (first) results as soon as possible across different
scales and between relevant units at the same scale.
• Report on follow-up not only in the river basin management plan, but
also at the level where public participation was organized.

18. Badly organized participation
• Limited and un-representative response
• Misleading of public opinion by specific interest groups
• Mistrust in future decisions
• Unwillingness to implement measures adopted
• Unaccomplished promises and expectations
• Passive position for new plans

19. Case from EU Water Framework Directive
Risks of participations
• the WFD does not specify who decide on the scope and
extend of public participation
• the WFD does not specify who will ensure public participation
at local, regional, national and European level
• the WFD is very complex to be understood by general public
• there is a risk, that involvement of the public will be “formal”
• public participation requires financial capacities
• the public does not have an interest to be involved or does not
have sufficient information on water management issues
• the public is not well informed on rights to participate.