Living Environment Information Services - Enhancing the Collaboration between Authorities and the Citizens

摘要

The environmental planning is shifting towards a more open and collaborative direction. Nowadays it is widely recognized that citizens ought to have not only the right but also genuine possibilities to influence the planning and the decision making concerning their living environment (e.g. Puustinen 2004; Healey 1997, Fischer 2000). In Finland, the renewed Land Use and Building Act came into force in 2000, announcing that in a planning process it is obligatory to offer opportunities for the citizens to take part in. However, despite the change in law and attitudes, there have been difficulties in integrating the citizens' knowledge and views into the planning processes (Backlund 2007, Leino 2006, Puustinen 2006). Hence, the knowledge should be incorporated into the planning more efficiently, so that the citizens' views can have a genuine impact on the decisions made. (Backlund 2007, Staffans 2004). Electronic services, such as public participation GIS applications, are suggested to help bridge the gap between authorities and the citizens. It is said that gathering citizens' knowledge attached to its geographical whereabouts enhances the integration of the knowledge into decision-making practices (Kahila & Kytta 2009). Fagerholm (2012) also stresses the importance of locating knowledge when gathering citizens' opinions. By developing new tools for planning, the Living Environment Information Services, participation will be made easier for the citizens and the authorities to utilize. But how will these three internet applications enhance openness and collaboration between authorities and citizens? Firstly, with the help of Alert service Tarkkailija (Observer), citizens will be integrated more efficiently into the decision making at the very early stage of the planning process. As the Finnish name of the service suggests, it serves as an observer, alerting the citizens on the planning concerning their environment. Secondly, with Enquiry Service Harava (Rake), citizens will be able to express their opinions and views on a map so that the planning can be directed to the geographical whereabouts. The name of the service stems from the metaphor that information can be gathered widely and efficiently as if raking leaves. What is more, this experiental knowledge gathered with Harava can be taken to Liiteri, the Information service, where it can be analyzed and examined freely. The name of Liiteri (Shed) represents its role as an information storage or a shed, where a wide range of data can be collected and stored. By opening the data used in the planning process, the decisions made will be better justified. These three services are part of SADe, the Action Programme on eServices and eDemocracy which aims at making public administration more efficient and customer friendly.