Challenges and enabling factors of participation in the transition process towards a Biocity: learnings from Switzerland

Urban areas are confronted with simultaneous challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, public health emergencies, and exponential urbanization. In order to create livable, healthy and resilient urban environments a paradigm change in urban planning and design is needed. In response to it, the European Forest Institute developed the concept of Biocities which presents a holistic vision of a sustainable city. Citizens are regarded as key players in the transition to Biocities and thus, participation is a key component. This study aims to identify challenges and enabling factors of participation in the transition process towards a Biocity. To do so, we conducted desk-research, a workshop and seven expert interviews in 2024, with practitioners involved in Biocity related projects. The projects are set in the Swiss cities Zurich, Winterthur, and St. Gallen which experience continued population growth. The results reveal that it is important to develop a common understanding of participation within a democratic system among public and private actors to enable a transition to a Biocity. The enabling factors derived include transparent communication concerning competences of participating stakeholders, the need of adequate resources that allow participation, creating visions that people can relate to, as well as to ensure skillful and experienced facilitation of the participation process. The main challenges identified are the existing boundary conditions to comply with the legal system, the complex structures of city administrations, the administration's reluctance to support projects initiated by citizens, and hindering political debates sparked by participation processes. Interviewees and workshop participants emphasized the importance of citizen participation in the implementation of Biocity related projects. These insights underline the necessity of fostering inclusive and well-structured participation processes to facilitate the transition to Biocities.