By combining research and innovation, researchers and CSOs, the REAL DEAL project will contribute towards the aims of the European Green Deal by boosting deliberative and participatory practices across Europe. In the first couple of months, we have paved the way with conceptual groundwork that (1) established criteria for evaluating deliberative and participatory practice, (2) assessed current approaches towards participation and deliberation in policymaking based on a comprehensive literature review and methods of co-creation, (3) established the legal basis for deliberative and participatory processes in various EU member states, and (4) proposed a heuristic framework and modular approach towards addressing some of the key challenges of deliberative and participatory practice, e.g. issues of scale in multi-level governance arrangements, balancing stakeholder and citizen engagement, as well as giving a voice to disenfranchised social groups. Going forward, we will put these conceptual insights into practice across Europe with regards to key topics relevant for implementing the European Green Deal, e.g. sustainability transformations related to mobility, agriculture and food as well as green finance. By bridging the gap between theory and practice we will provide evidence on which participative and deliberative techniques, processes and methodologies work in which context, thus offering a coherent and empirically validated framework for citizen and stakeholder engagement in Europe.
REAL DEAL creates and sustains ownership and engagement through citizen deliberation and participation across Europe (by means of ongoing dissemination and communication activities via the project's outreach hub, the CSO Forum, the future deliberative activities to be implemented at national and EU level, both online and in-person, the Citizens’ Deliberation Academy to be set up); participatory identification of solutions contributing to the EGD through the selection of tools and formats for participative and deliberative processes, the CSO Forum and its advocacy activities as well as the deliberative activities to roll out; and enhanced involvement of citizens through the examination of existing processes, their adaptations and final recommendations in the protocol which can serve as a roadmap for general rollout and application across Europe.
REAL DEAL has conducted various dissemination and communication activities, especially in WP2, which build social support, commitment and solidarity in favour of the EGD’s aspiration as well as contributing towards the sustainability transformation across Europe in general and the Sustainable Development Goals, e.g. with regards to goals No. 5 “Gender Equality” and No. 17 “Partnerships for the Goals”, in particular. REAL DEAL’s involvement of some of the largest civil society organisations demonstrates the wide-spread support of REAL DEAL and the buy-in by key civil society actors. The project’s focus on citizen participation and stakeholder participation across Europe will contribute towards raising awareness amongst participating citizens and stakeholders for issues related to the sustainability transformation as envisaged by the EGD and ill positively impact their attitudes regarding the benefits of deliberative, equal and participatory democracy in Europe, and the EGD as a unique opportunity to activate and enhance citizens’ deliberation and participation in Europe.
