Comparative Evaluation of the Impact of e- participation in Local Climate Change Policy Programs The Effectiveness of E-Participation in the Development of Public Policies. A Delphi Study Lourdes Torres, Vicente Pina, Lourdes Torres, Vicente Pina, Dpt. of Accounting and Finance, University of Zaragoza, Spain

Comparative Evaluation of the Impact of e- participation in Local Climate Change Policy Programs This paper is part of a broad research project funded by the European Science Foundation entitled “Comparative Assessment of EParticipation in the Context of Sustainable Development / Climate Change” coordinated by Prof. Herbert Kubicek, ifib, Germany. The research project team is made up of: Herbert Kubicek and Ralf Cimander (ifib-Bremen, Germany), Georg Aich, Doris Allhutter and Stephan Strauss (ITA-Viena, Austria) and Lourdes Torres and Vicente Pina (University of Zaragoza, Spain).

3 The Effectiveness of E-Participation in the Development of Public Policies. A Delphi Study 1.Is citizen participation in climate saving of relevance in public authorities? 2.What can be expected from citizen participation (applied into the area of climate saving)? 3.What are the effects on local democracy and governance style? to closing the evaluation gap This paper aimed to contribute to closing the evaluation gap of the usefulness of e-participation/citizen participation processes. Research questions: Objective: To know the opinion of experts in climate saving programs about the contribution of citizens to e- participation initiatives: experiences and expectations.

4 The Delphi method The Delphi method is a systematic means of synthesizing the judgments of experts (in this case in climate change or environmental protection). The application of the method follows these steps: 1) selection of the panel of experts, 2) development of the first round of interviews, through a questionnaire 3) analysis of the first round responses, 4) preparation of the second round and analysis of responses, 5) third round, and the synthesis of the final results. The method is designed to elicit and develop individual responses to the problems posed and to enable the experts to refine their views as the group’s work progresses in accordance with the assigned task. It is believed that the range of responses by the panellists will presumably decrease and converge toward the “best” response. The value of the Delphi method rests with the ideas it generates, both those that evoke consensus and those that do not. The Effectiveness of E-Participation in the Development of Public Policies. A Delphi Study

The Delphi method We are interviewing 15 experts from each country, who are in charge of climate saving policy / programmes on behalf of the municipality and other relevant organizations (agenda 21 office, consumer organization, climate change agency, power utility etc.) Because the number of respondents is usually small - Brockhoff (1975) suggests that, under ideal circumstances, groups as small as four can perform well- Delphi does not (and are not intended to) produce statistically significant results. The Effectiveness of E-Participation in the Development of Public Policies. A Delphi Study 5

Structure of the study: combinationexpert survey with a Delphi part Our questionnaire is a combination of an expert survey with a Delphi part. at the beginning at the end changes in the attitudes / views The combined expert survey with Delphi is being carried out at the beginning of 2011 and will be repeated at the end of the project, in order to see whether experiences made with the citizen-panel has led to changes in the attitudes / views of the experts concerning citizen participation in the climate saving topic. The composition of the combined expert survey with Delphi is as follows: A. Expert survey part Experience in citizen participation in climate saving (to be asked once at the beginning of the project) B. Delphi part Expectations on citizen participation in future in particular by use of citizen panels on climate saving The Effectiveness of E-Participation in the Development of Public Policies. A Delphi Study 6

7

The Delphi Questionnaire Delphi Questionnaire.doc Delphi Questionnaire.doc Delphi Questionnaire.doc Delphi Questionnaire.doc 8

Discussion / Conclusions: the second half of 90s concurrentlyfeedback studies about NPM reforms warnings of academics In countries studied, participation initiatives started in the second half of 90s concurrently with the publication of feedback studies about NPM reforms and the warnings of academics about the doubtful benefits of some NPM reforms and the decline of public trust in governments derived from such reforms. around 75% The general level of satisfaction with previous initiatives is high around 75% do not expect differences online and offline The experts do not find and do not expect noticeable differences between online and offline participants. 'what can be expected from citizen participation programs’ increment of citizen attention enhance of transparency of the local governmentcontribution to testing new modes of governance About one of the key research questions 'what can be expected from citizen participation programs’, for the experts, most outstanding benefits from previous participation programs have been the increment of citizen attention on climate-change effects and the enhance of transparency of the local government, together with the contribution to testing new modes of governance The Effectiveness of E-Participation in the Development of Public Policies. A Delphi Study 9

Discussion / Conclusions: more interested in implementing citizen participation initiatives than in achieving the specific objectives It seems that local governments are more interested in implementing citizen participation initiatives than in achieving the specific objectives of that participation, since almost half of them do not evaluate the results. Only report differences in education The experts do not report differences between onliners and offliners in age, gender, income and political orientation. Only report differences in education concerns about the representativeness higher or special motivation There are concerns about the representativeness of results, given that participants may have higher or special motivation or interest in the topic than the average of the population, or may be more politically active. The Effectiveness of E-Participation in the Development of Public Policies. A Delphi Study 10

Discussion / Conclusions: The evidence collected gives answer to some research questions underlying in the academic literature about e-participation, whether: 1) online tools could offer more opportunities for participation; 2) allow for a greater range of participants; and 3) facilitates ‘better’ participation. negative or at least doubtful The answer to these three questions seems to be negative or at least doubtful. technology is only an enabler The results say that the use of technology is only an enabler but it is not the solution for the engagement of citizens in participation processes positive view and a high degree of expectations The answers reveal a positive view and a high degree of expectations about the role that citizen panels can play as a tool to conduct citizen participation in environmental programs The Effectiveness of E-Participation in the Development of Public Policies. A Delphi Study 11

Thank you very much for your attention!