Community Participation in Environmental Decision-Making
DEAR JAKARTA, 2050GUIDES FOR CHANGE
Jocelyn Annabel Cahyadi
10/19/20253 min read
In a world full of environmental issues, such as loss of biodiversity, food waste, and global warming, discussions cannot remain behind closed doors – they require not only expert input but also international and community collaboration, more than ever. Community participation, also known as public participation, refers to any process that includes the public’s input in decision-making. When it comes to decisions in sustainability and conservation, it’s unfeasible to merely involve the voice of politicians or experts; it is crucial to take the general population’s opinion into consideration, because, frankly, it’s their future as well. When talking about community participation, we refer to two ways: formal and informal.
Formal Participation
Formal participation takes on a conventional approach, including public meetings, citizen assemblies, and other consultation processes led by authorities. The government sectors typically invite people to share concerns and engage in environmental decision-making through a “participatory democracy” approach – this ensures a wide range of voices are heard. For example, engaging the public and relevant stakeholders and hearing their viewpoints in environmental impact assessment, urban land use planning, etc. are mandatory.
A more advanced form, known as “deliberative democracy,” goes beyond broad consultation and emphasizes deeper and reasoned discussions. Instead of simply collecting opinions, this approach involves authorities or social organizations taking a smaller group of citizens or stakeholders together to deliberate on environmental issues and make rational decisions. While this fosters mutual understanding, participants must be open-minded to ensure the success, and marginalized groups are still often disadvantaged if not done inclusively.
Informal Participation
Unlike formal participation which may show a bias towards privileged groups, informal participation, which occurs outside of institutionalized authorities (like through forums, workshops, and community events) expands the opportunities for regular citizens to engage in decision-making. Although generally, participants don’t directly affect final decisions, this approach raises awareness, better-informed knowledge, and confidence prior to the formal participation. Bringing communities to discussions also empowers citizens in decision-making.
The significance of involving the community stems from inclusivity. Oftentimes, the ones making the decisions are governmental bodies who lack the understanding those from less privileged backgrounds have. By including communities, governments ensure that policies are fairer, and reflect real needs – as an example, fishermen and farmers often possess deeper knowledge about their local ecosystem, making them vital for environmental decisions. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, community participation goes far beyond just “being nice” – when done meaningfully, it can result in two key benefits:
Sponsor agencies can create policies that are both easy to implement and reflect public interests, and;
Communities develop longevity in their capability to solve and address complex social issues, often overcoming longstanding divides and misunderstandings.
To put it simply, public participation contributes to better decisions because the information obtained is much more complete – in the form of additional facts and perspectives gained through public input.
For instance, the Jakartan Giant Sea Wall, a developmental project that encapsulates the construction of a seawall along the coast to protect Jakarta from tidal flooding and sea level rise, will include a collaboration between the government and private investors to work on the national strategic project. “It will not only be funded by the state budget, but it is also hoped that the private sector will become strategic partners for the development of the Giant Sea Wall in Greater Jakarta,” the Deputy Minister of Public Works, Diana Kusumastuti explained.
Challenges in Community Participation
Although implementing public participation is necessary to combat environmental issues, the approach is not exempt from hurdles. Recognizing the factors that hinder its effectiveness is pivotal for creating more impactful results:
Cost: A major challenge in public participation is both financial and human resources. Arranging forums, workshops, and all forms of consultation is costly in terms of time, money, and energy.
Lack of Interest: Frankly, people have other things to do. When choosing between a public meeting or daily tasks like work, household, and other obligations, most would prioritize the latter.
Language Barrier: Including a variety of nationalities has its advantages, as different countries experience different lives, but a problem that comes with it is language barrier. People who aren’t proficient in the local language are often omitted from meetings due to this issue.
Despite the obstacles, community participation isn’t just optional – it’s necessary, especially in a world where environmental problems cannot be overlooked.
SOURCES
https://wesolve.app/5-principle-challenges-of-public-participation/
https://wesolve.app/public-participation-in-environmental-decision-making/