local action plan through a cooperative, non-adversarial, constructive engagement process

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Setting up a local environmental health action Setting up a local environmental health action plan (LEHAP) around an industrial site in Beerse plan (LEHAP) around an industrial site in Beerse (Belgium - Flanders) through a cooperative, non- (Belgium - Flanders) through a cooperative, non- adversarial, constructive engagement process adversarial, constructive engagement process K. Wynants, J. Van Damme K. Wynants, J. Van Damme (MOPAN) (MOPAN)

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Page 1: Local action plan through a cooperative, non-adversarial, constructive engagement process

Setting up a local environmental health action plan (LEHAP) Setting up a local environmental health action plan (LEHAP) around an industrial site in Beerse (Belgium - Flanders) around an industrial site in Beerse (Belgium - Flanders)

through a cooperative, non-adversarial, constructive through a cooperative, non-adversarial, constructive engagement processengagement process

K. Wynants, J. Van DammeK. Wynants, J. Van Damme

(MOPAN)(MOPAN)

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Content

1. Short history of industrial site Beerse

2. Social context

3. Why a multiparty partnership?

4. The start of the partnership

5. Intensifying the partnership

6. Results

7. Legitimize the partnership

8. Lessons learned

ContentContent

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Industrial site ‘kanaalzone WestHistoryHistory

• +/- 1900: Kempen area was poor, sparsely populated, with +/- 1900: Kempen area was poor, sparsely populated, with little agricultural activity: ideal for polluting activities little agricultural activity: ideal for polluting activities

• 3 3 companies settled around the canal in Beersecompanies settled around the canal in Beerse• Two produced heavy metals (copper, lead, antimony, …)Two produced heavy metals (copper, lead, antimony, …)• One production site of bricks/ clay mining activitiesOne production site of bricks/ clay mining activities

Heavy pressure on the surrounding environmentHeavy pressure on the surrounding environment

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Industrial site ‘kanaalzone WestHistoryHistory

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Social contextSocial context

• Growing urbanization around the canal: conflicting interests Growing urbanization around the canal: conflicting interests starting to appearstarting to appear

• 70’s, 80’s, 90’s: ‘social outbreaks’ 70’s, 80’s, 90’s: ‘social outbreaks’ several ad hoc initiatives: several ad hoc initiatives: Soil investigationsSoil investigations Vegetable investigationsVegetable investigations Information on the environmental health risks of heavy Information on the environmental health risks of heavy

metals and precautionary measurements: social metals and precautionary measurements: social resistanceresistance

Perceived as an easy solution for the Perceived as an easy solution for the government/companiesgovernment/companies

Residents felt not responsable, had no kind of influence Residents felt not responsable, had no kind of influence in the decision making process: ‘victims’in the decision making process: ‘victims’

• A general atmosphere of indifference, A general atmosphere of indifference, dissatisfaction, dissatisfaction, frustration, distrustfrustration, distrust

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Social context (’05)Social context (’05)

• No collaboration, no cohesionNo collaboration, no cohesion• No No satisfying, satisfying, sustainable, effective sustainable, effective approachapproach• A great need to bring all parties together:A great need to bring all parties together:

• How?How?• Who?Who?• When?When?

• No experience nor expertise with facilitating interactive No experience nor expertise with facilitating interactive processes, group dynamics, …processes, group dynamics, …

• Change of role of local environmental health worker: from Change of role of local environmental health worker: from ‘environmental health expert’ to a ‘process facilitator’‘environmental health expert’ to a ‘process facilitator’

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• Local environmental health hot spots are complexLocal environmental health hot spots are complex• Different levels of actions, different parties need to act and Different levels of actions, different parties need to act and

collaboratecollaborate

Why a multiparty partnership?Why a multiparty partnership?

cadmium inbinnenlucht

Cadmium inbloed, urine

Omwonenden

Cadmium inbodemstof

Cadmium inde buitenlucht

Cadmium in delongen

Omwonenden

Cadmium in deondergrond

cadmium in etenOmwonenden

Cadmium ingrondwater

Cadmium inoppervlaktewater

Cadmium instof binnenhuis

Cadmiumzinkassen

Cadmiumstof inde mond

Omwonenden

Fysieke incl.neurotoxische

gezondheidstoestandm.b.t. cadmiumOmwonenden

Kenniscadmium en de

gevolgenKennis vancadmium

Omwonenden

LozingCadmiumBedrijf

Perceptie risicoOmwonenden

Productie zink,cadmium, ...Bedrijf

psychischegezondheidstoestandOmwonenden

Roken binnenOmwonenden

Saneringgrondwater

Omwonenden

Sociaalklimaat

Sociaal welzijnin relatie totcadmium

uitstoot cadmiumbinnenbronnenOmwonenden

UitstootcadmiumBedrijf

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• 2006: a biomonitoring campaign to collect more detailed data 2006: a biomonitoring campaign to collect more detailed data aabout the human exposure to toxic metals (cadmium, lead) in bout the human exposure to toxic metals (cadmium, lead) in

the neighboorhoodthe neighboorhood About About the perception of the environmental health risksthe perception of the environmental health risks About the needs in the neighborhood concerning About the needs in the neighborhood concerning

participation in a future decision making processparticipation in a future decision making process

= A concrete project that provided an opportunity to start the = A concrete project that provided an opportunity to start the collaborationcollaboration

Start of the partnershipStart of the partnership

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• A three level collaboration:A three level collaboration:

1.1. Project team: Flemish health administration, local Project team: Flemish health administration, local environmental health workerenvironmental health worker

2.2. Steering group: + school, local government, local health Steering group: + school, local government, local health advisory, GP’sadvisory, GP’s

3.3. Consultation group: + residents, other administrations, Consultation group: + residents, other administrations, factories, …factories, …

• A split of roles:A split of roles: Flemish health administration = ‘experts’Flemish health administration = ‘experts’ local environmental health worker = ‘facilitator of the local environmental health worker = ‘facilitator of the

process’process’ InformationInformation Consultation: rather simple interactive working methods Consultation: rather simple interactive working methods

Start of the partnershipStart of the partnership

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• 2007: biomonitoring campaign finished2007: biomonitoring campaign finished Results were not extremely worrying: no crisis situationResults were not extremely worrying: no crisis situation Growing mutual trust and appreciationGrowing mutual trust and appreciation

Together with all parties: decision to intensify ‘the partnership’:Together with all parties: decision to intensify ‘the partnership’: tto translate the results of the biomonitoring campaign into o translate the results of the biomonitoring campaign into

concrete policy measurements: One common local concrete policy measurements: One common local environmental health action planenvironmental health action plan

One large One large steering group instead of a ‘consulting group’: steering group instead of a ‘consulting group’: coproduction instead of consultationcoproduction instead of consultation

Robust plan for interactive processRobust plan for interactive process

Intensifying the partnershipIntensifying the partnership

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Voorjaar 2007: scharniermoment Beerse

Process designProcess design

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• Local environmental health action plan (2007-2012) Local environmental health action plan (2007-2012) Divers (other focusses)Divers (other focusses) CheapCheap ‘‘consensus’consensus’ Distribution of tasks and accountabilityDistribution of tasks and accountability Increased engagementIncreased engagement ……

• Mutual respect, understanding, trust, satisfaction…Mutual respect, understanding, trust, satisfaction…

ResultsResults

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ResultsResults

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Resultaten (inhoudelijk/procesmatig) LegitimizeLegitimize the partnership the partnership

• No legal basis, no procedures: legitimacy?No legal basis, no procedures: legitimacy?• Solutions:Solutions:

1.1. Compete in Awards:Compete in Awards:• Wyeth health&environment Award 2007Wyeth health&environment Award 2007• European public sector Awards 2007 (diploma)European public sector Awards 2007 (diploma)• Belgian Energy & environment Award 2008 (nomination)Belgian Energy & environment Award 2008 (nomination)

2.2. Academic interest in the process - Scientific researchAcademic interest in the process - Scientific research3.3. DDeclaration of eclaration of Engagement Engagement

• List of the major List of the major agreementsagreements• Signed by all the partiesSigned by all the parties• ‘‘Gentlemen’s agreement’Gentlemen’s agreement’• Explicit mutual appreciationExplicit mutual appreciation

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Resultaten (inhoudelijk/procesmatig) Lessons learnedLessons learned• Mutual trust is key, building trust takes timeMutual trust is key, building trust takes time• ContinuousContinuous input of impulses needed to keep everybody going input of impulses needed to keep everybody going

On site visitsOn site visits Application of interactive working methods (brainstorming, Application of interactive working methods (brainstorming,

metaplan, priorities grid, …)metaplan, priorities grid, …) Different hosts for every meetingDifferent hosts for every meeting Informal drinksInformal drinks ……

• Monitoring of expectations: on individual as on group levelMonitoring of expectations: on individual as on group level Anticipate evolutions, coaching, ‘shepherd’Anticipate evolutions, coaching, ‘shepherd’

• Facilitator:Facilitator: Explicit about your role, neutralExplicit about your role, neutral A great will to bring all parties closer together , accepted by all A great will to bring all parties closer together , accepted by all

partiesparties• Process design:Process design:

As simple as possible: transparent, As simple as possible: transparent, accessibleaccessible Roles/impact are more clearRoles/impact are more clear Less chewingLess chewing

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Resultaten (inhoudelijk/procesmatig) Lessons learnedLessons learned

• Consensus: Not necessary Takes too much time Creative ideas get lost

• Labour/time intensive: For both participants as facilitators Participation fatigue: sometimes too intense Repeatable in other hotspots?

Better preliminary division/analysis of the subject/policy space is desirable

• Limited interest/engagement from policy makers Delay Unclear legitimacy More freedom, space and time to experiment/learn

• Policy makers do not share common values and sometimes ignore agreements

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Resultaten (inhoudelijk/procesmatig) AanbevelingenAanbevelingen

• Tijdsintensief: kwestie van keuzes, waarden• Positie/context Vlaamse ambtenaar

• extreem moeilijk, zeker in lokale context• OVAM: strikt wettelijke/juridische

• Eigenschappen overheidsactoren• Doorzettingsvermogen, wil om te slagen• Durven experimenteren, ondernemen• Ingesteldheid: empathie, respect• Bewust van verschillende perspectieven, belangen• Durven controle loslaten; controle en vertrouwen in/via het

proces: gedeelde verantwoordelijkheid• Iedereen af en toe eens laten scoren, zeker politiek• Participatie = samenleving, overheid ‘verversen’, vernieuwen

• Niet enkel interne oefening• Interne organisatiecultuur wel heel belangrijk

• Ambtelijk niveau kan wel degelijk verschil maken• Beerse: unieke samenwerking tussen bovenlokaal en lokaal

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Koen WynantsKoen Wynants

Antwerpen aan't woord(A) Gasstraat 12, 2060 Antwerpen

(T) 0473/865503(M) [email protected]

(W) www.antwerpenaantwoord.be, www.facebook.com/Antwerpenaantwoord, @

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