Introduction

The United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) has just recently reiterated the importance of participation in its Sendai framework for disaster risk reduction 2015–2030 (UNISDR, 2015). The document states clearly that the ‘participation of relevant stakeholders [is] needed’ to ‘[strengthen] disaster risk governance to manage disaster risk’ (UNISDR, 2015, p 17). Unfortunately, these terms leave a wide scope for the interpretation of their meaning. This chapter attempts to give an introduction into the various understandings of participation and to explain its importance for risk governance. Within this introduction, the chapter provides an overview of the different forms of participation. For each of these forms of participation, a general example concerning disaster risk reduction is given.

After this general introduction, the chapter will explain the participation processes in Japan, Indonesia, the US, Slovakia and Germany. These case-study examples of participation can be very helpful in identifying and understanding cross-case learning points, specifically in addressing: What are the advantages or residents’ participation in risk governance? What are the potential problems? And what can be done to solve these problems? The content of the cross-case synthesis presented in this chapter will attempt to answer these questions.

Background and introduction to participation

There is no common framework for public participation in the world. The UNISDR included participation into the Hyogo Framework for Action and most recently into the Sendai framework for disaster risk reduction 2015–2030, which asks for ‘strengthening disaster risk governance and coordination across relevant institutions and sectors and the full and meaningful participation of relevant stakeholders at appropriate levels’ (UNISDR, 2015, p 6). In accordance with the International Risk Governance Council (IRGC), risk governance is understood as: