Citizens' Council Energy: participation in policy
During this symposium on citizen consultation and energy transition, four speakers will share their experiences and insights on how citizen participation can be structured and meaningfully organized.
Citizens' Council and Energy Transition: Citizens' Voice Central
The energy transition requires not only technological solutions but also broad support. Citizens often feel excluded from decision-making regarding climate and energy policy. To develop broadly supported policies, it's essential that residents can share their ideas and contribute to shaping the future.
One way to organize this is through a citizens' council: a representative group of residents meets for several days, spread over a number of weeks, to discuss acceptable forms of energy supply.
Speakers
During this symposium, four experts from the University of Groningen will speak.
Goda Perlaviciute
Associate Professor of Environmental Psychology at the University of Groningen. Her research focuses on public evaluations and acceptance of energy sources and policies, and the factors that influence them.
Wytse Gorter
Junior researcher in Environmental Psychology at the University of Groningen. Since graduating in 2022, he has been researching how to improve public participation processes in future energy systems.
Leah Henderson
Associate Professor of Theoretical Philosophy at the University of Groningen, with expertise in the philosophy of science and epistemology. She researches how public participation can contribute to solutions for the climate problem.
Eva Rovers
Author and co-founder of the Citizens' Council Bureau. Author of "Now It's Up to Us" (De Correspondent, 2022), in which she advocates for national citizen councils on climate policy. Eva received her PhD from the University of Groningen.
Timetable
| Time | Programme |
|---|---|
| 12:30 | Walk-in with welcome drink |
| 13:00 | Welcome speech by Prof. Lorenzo Squintani, Director of the Wubbo Ockels School |
| 13:15 | Citizens' Council in Practice: Dialogue Rounds and Short Presentations by Leah Henderson, Goda Perlaviciute, Wytse Gorter, and Eva Rovers |
| 15:00 | Presentation & Discussion Round – Eva Rovers |
| 15:45 | Closing and drinks |
Practical information
- Date: May 30, 2023
- Online: House of Connections (former V&D building) Grote Markt 21, Groningen
- Main language: English
This symposium is organised by the Partcipation Centre.
About the participation center
The knowledge center connects research and practice (NGOs, policymakers, public and private organizations) in the field of participation in climate change, the energy transition, and other societal issues. The center also creates and disseminates this knowledge.
