The power of collaborative deliberation in stakeholder dialogue seminars

Abstract

This paper quantifies the added value of using collaborative deliberation as an engagement element in a stakeholder dialogue seminar arranged over 3 days in Norway in 2015 with a wide range of national, regional and local stakeholders. The topic addressed was the possible impacts in western Norway from a hypothetical nuclear accident in the UK. The first day included information provision while the following 2 days were devoted to collaborative deliberation on the issue. Two questionnaire surveys were used to measure the degree of learning, networking, involvement and problem solving reported by the participants after the first day and the third day. The results from the surveys clearly suggest that collaborative deliberation gave an added value compared to information provision alone in our stakeholder dialogue seminar.

Keywords:

• Stakeholder dialogue seminars
• collaborative deliberation
• stakeholder involvement
• nuclear accidents
• emergency preparedness

Notes

1. Sustainable Restoration and Long-term Management of Contaminated Rural, Urban and Industrial Ecosystems.

2. European Approach to Nuclear and Radiological Emergency Management and Rehabilitation Strategies.

3. Towards a self-sustaining European Technology Platform on Preparedness for Nuclear and Radiological Emergency Response and Recovery.

4. Centre of Excellence for Environmental Radioactivity, based at Norwegian University of Life Sciences—http://www.umb.no/cerad/article/centre-for-environmental-radioactivity.

5. Innovative Integrated Tools and Platforms for Radiological Emergency Preparedness And Post-Accident Response In Europe—http://www.eu-neris.net/index.php/projects/prepare.html.

6. The historic and, to a lesser degree, actual discharges from Sellafield to the marine environment have contaminated the Norwegian coastline for many years (Heldal et al. 2015). This has been of concern to Norwegian authorities and NGOs and it is well known by the public. In addition, recent media reports and NRPA reports (Ytre-Eide et al. 2009; Thørring, Ytre-Eide, and Liland 2010) have focused on the risk of accidents at the site with possible consequences in Norway. Sellafield Ltd as a risk site is thus well known in western Norway.

7. When a meeting, or part thereof, is held under the Chatham House Rule, participants are free to use the information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speaker(s), nor that of any other participant, may be revealed http://www.chathamhouse.org/about/chatham-house-rule.

8. Food and Agriculture Restoration Management Involving Networked Groups.