Abstract
Stakeholder participation is considered a key principle for sustainable development in the context of natural resource and disaster risk management. Participatory modelling (PM) is an interactive and iterative process in which stakeholder involvement is supported by modelling and communication tools. Planning and decision-making for sustainable development (SD)integrate three substantive dimensions − social, ecological and economic. The procedural dimension of SD, however, is equally important, and here we see great potential for PM. In this study, we evaluate five PM research projects against criteria for the procedural dimension of SD. This provides a basis for identifying key issues and needs for further research into PM for SD. While the cases show great potential, especially for supporting knowledge integration, learning and transparent handling of values and perspectives, they indicate a particular need to develop PM in respect of organizational integration. This issue is closely connected to the possibility of effectively implementing PM in practice.
Highlights
In the last few decades, policy analysis studies have identified the importance of stakeholder participation of relevant actors to ensure sustainable natural resource and disaster risk management (Biswas, 2005; White et al, 2010; Vojinovic and Abbott, 2012; Newig et al, 2014)
A sustainable procedure can be described as a political conversation1 of desirable futures, informed by scientific knowledge from a broad range of effectively integrated disciplines (Robinson, 2003; McMichael et al, 2003; Clarke and Dickson, 2003), as well as by the knowledge and perspectives of those actors variously affected by the plan or decision in hand (Ostrom, 2009; Vaidya and Mayer, 2014)
We see great potential for Participatory Modelling (PM) − an interactive and iterative process in which participatory planning is supported by computer-aided modelling and other types of communication tools
Summary
In the last few decades, policy analysis studies have identified the importance of stakeholder participation of relevant actors to ensure sustainable natural resource and disaster risk management (Biswas, 2005; White et al, 2010; Vojinovic and Abbott, 2012; Newig et al, 2014). PM applies here to joint development and usage of computer based models representing different aspects of the physical/natural system, and to the engagement of stakeholders and other actors in a decision-making process. Such a process can include, for example, base-line analysis, goal definition, simulation, scenario analysis, designing and testing measures, and the selection of alternatives (cf Jonsson et al, 2005; Andersson et al, 2010; Alkan Olsson et al, 2011; Evers et al, 2012a, 2012b; Jonoski and Evers, 2013)
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