Perceptions of public participation in impact assessment: a study of offshore oil exploration in Greenland

Figures & data

Figure 1 License Map of The Bureau of Minerals and Petroleum. Source: BMP (2013).

Table 1 Stakeholder groups.

Stakeholder categories	Stakeholder representatives (no.)	No. of interviewees
1: Government officials and advisors	The Bureau of Minerals and Petroleum^a (1)	1
	Danish Centre for Environment and Energy^a (1)	1
2: Company representatives	Nunaoil A/S^a (2)	1
	Maersk Oil Kalaallit Nunaat A/S^a (2)	2
	Cairn Energy PLC^a (1)	4
	ConocoPhillips^a (2)	2
	Shell Greenland^a (two representatives)	0
3: NGOs and associations	KANUKOKA (The municipalities association)	1
	NUSUKA (Employers association)	1
	Inuit Circumpolar Council (Interest Organisation)	1
4: Local government officials and local public	Qaasuitsup Municipality^a	1
	Local public	166 (Questionnaire responds)

a Participants on the PC tour in NW Greenland April 2012.

Table 2 Meeting attendees and questionnaire responds.

Cities and settlements	Total inhabitants	No. of meeting attendees	Questionnaire responds
Qaanaaq	642	18 (3%)	9 (50%)
Upernavik	1155	37 (3%)	22 (78%)
Kullorsuaq	444	16 (4%)^a	9 (44%)
Innaarsuit	162	21 (13%)	15 (67%)
Tasiusaq	239	44 (71%)^b	16 (34%)
Savissivik	67	30	–
Nuussuaq	206	–	–

Source: Statistics Greenland (2013).

a The public meeting in Kullorsuaq was cancelled as most of the locals were preparing for the yearly dog sledge race with a neighbouring settlement. Instead, a spontaneous meeting with the local council and a meeting with younger people in the settlement were arranged.

b Seventeen individuals, equal to 39% of the total meeting attendees, in Tasiusaq were younger school children.

Table 3 PP levels related to perceived purposes.

Level	Broad purpose	Specific purposes and activities
1: Low	Participation as input for decision makers	1.1 Provide information to public
		1.2 Fill information gaps
		1.3 Information contestability
		1.4 Problem solving and social learning
2: Med	PP in decision making	2.1 Reflect democratic principles
		2.2 Democracy in practice
		2.3 Pluralist representation
3: High	Reframing decision making	3.1 Involve marginalised groups
		3.2 Shift the focus of decision making
		3.3 Entrench marginalisation

Note: An illustration of the analytical framework as presented by O'Faircheallaigh (2010).

Table 4 Summary of perceived experiences of PP by stakeholders.

Consulters and consulted	Perceived purposes	Perceived tasks of consulters	Desired level of PP	Perceived challenges
Companies	– Act responsible– Create awareness– Manage expectations– Achieve social licence to operate	– Provide information– Enter dialogue	Level 1 (low)	– Create mutual trust between companies and public– Understand public context
Government officials	– Show public meaning is important - we care– Diminish fears– Balance interests– Secure common understanding of planned activities	– Provide information– Enter dialogue– Listen and take public worries into consideration– Prepare for future local content in projects	Level 1 to 2 (low-medium)	– Target audience by choice of communication form (language, technical level and media)
NGOs and associations	– Exchange information– Create understanding– Ensure local training and employment– Enhance openness– Secure democratic processes– Work for public access to influence decision-making	– Provide information.– Enter dialogue– Adjust projects according to local wishes and values	Level 2 to 3 (medium-high)	– Present EIA results in an understandable way– Make people engage and speak up
Local Government and local public	– Exchange information	– Provide information	Level 1 (low)	– Gain access to information
	– Ensure transparency in decision-making– Build bridge between public and companies– Prepare for development– Create understanding of recruitment procedures and opportunities for jobs in/related to industry	– Answer questions raised by public– Present procedures regarding future recruitment of locals		– To pose critical questions– Overcome language barriers (language, technical level)– Acquire training and jobs

Figure 2 Expectations to PP related to perceptions of purposes by consulters and consulted.

[BMP] Bureau of Minerals and Petroleum [Internet]. 2013. License map, [Internet]. [cited 2013 Sep 30]. Available from: http://licence-map.bmp.gl/.

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O'FaircheallaighC. 2010. Public participation and environmental impact assessment: purposes, implications, and lessons for public policy making. EIA Rev. 30:19–27.

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