Transforming toward a BioCity: Challenges and enabling factors for participation in Swiss cities

Source abstract

The challenges of rapid urbanization create a need for a transformation toward more liveable and resilient urban environments. In response, the European Forest Institute developed the BioCity concept that presents a holistic vision of a sustainable and resilient city, where the presence of urban vegetation is key for its transformation. To achieve such a transformation, stakeholders’ participation is a crucial component. To date, no study has investigated which factors might enable or challenge participation in the transformation process toward a BioCity. Therefore, this article aims to identify the challenges and enabling factors for participation in the transformation process toward a BioCity. Through expert interviews and a workshop with stakeholders involved in projects enabling a transformation toward a BioCity in Swiss cities we identify the following main challenges: 1) strict administrative boundary conditions (e.g., regulations) resulting in little room for manoeuvre, 2) biased representation of participants due to lacking resources of some stakeholder groups, and 3) uncertainty of citizens concerning democratic legitimacy of participation within the setting of direct democracy. Enabling factors include 1) clear expectation management through transparent communication throughout the project, 2) in-depth research on barriers that prevent certain stakeholders from participating, and 3) Fostering a shared understanding of democratic participation across stakeholders, while ensuring balanced and unbiased representation. These findings highlight the importance of inclusive, well-structured participation processes to facilitate the transformation toward BioCities.