Preparing Participatory Foresight Methods

Abstract

AbstractThis chapter is about the process of preparing participatory foresight methods (see Fig. 2.1). In Sect. 2.1 (Why citizen participation?), we discuss different goals of citizen participation in foresight activities: (I) policy development; (II) community building; and (III) knowledge and capacity building. In Sect. 2.2 (Who to involve?), we focus on participants and provide practical tools to encourage their involvement in the foresight activity. Finally, in Sect. 2.3 (Which foresight methods to use?), we introduce different foresight methods and discuss their relevance for the three goals of citizen participation. We distinguish between three types of foresight methods: (1) exploratory scenarios, to explore a range of plausible futures; (2) visioning, to imagine a desired climate-resilient future; and (3) pathways, to explore routes to that desired climate-resilient future.KeywordsToolboxCitizen participationFuturesForesight methodsScenariosVisioningPathwaysResilienceClimate adaptationUrbanRuralSustainability