A Mutual Gains Approach - Consensus Building Institute

Effective Stakeholder
Engagement and Negotiation,
A Better Approach:
A Mutual Gains Approach
1
A Short History of Wind Siting
• Wind siting is a policy problem
– “If we can just get RPS or other policies in place…”
• Wind siting is a technology problem
– “If we can just get the right site, with the right equipment, with the
right inter-connections…”
• Wind siting is an impacts problem
– “If we can just assemble the right facts and data about wind
impacts…”
• Wind siting is a negotiation problem
– Wind, like any other siting problem, requires direct stakeholder
involvement to realize the benefits and overcome the obstacles
created by perceived local impacts
2

Mutual Gains vs.
Conventional Approach"
Conventional
Approach"
Consensus Building
Approach"
Goal" Technically viable plan" Technically and politically
viable plan"
Primary Client" Decision-makers" Decision-makers and
stakeholder representatives"
Tasks" Data-driven" Interest-driven with
attention to data developed
jointly"
Skills" Technical" Problem-solving"
Role of public
participation"
Provide input and advice"
Build understanding and
generate a proposed
agreement"
3
4

Interests are the Fundamental Building Blocks
of Agreement
Interests:
Our most important needs and concerns
Positions: Specific ways to achieve our interests
Key Question: ‘Why is that important to you?’
! Of all the things we’ve discussed, which is most
important to you?
5
Wind Siting Disputes: Underlying Theory
• Siting conflicts often arise when interests
are in conflict
• No effort is made to listen to and/or respond
to the interests of all the relevant
stakeholders
• Siting is not a zero-sum problem
6

Keys to Success in Practice
• Move from positions to interests
• Help parties ground their interests and
arguments in jointly developed facts
• Seek to meet multiple interests
simultaneously through trades or creative
packaging
7
2. From Positions to Interests
The Developer
says:
We’ve developed
a proposal that
makes the most
sense for the
Mt. March site
We won’t
make enough
money
We need to
use the
technology
that we think
is best
Existing
regulations
shouldn’t
apply in our
situation
We need to
achieve a
reasonable
rate of return
We want to
reduce the
risks
associated
with untried
technologies
We need our
unique situation
to be
acknowledged
and dealt with
8

2. From Positions to Interests
The Town says:
No, we will not
approve the
wind
development
proposal on
Mount March
It doesn’t
work for us
This sets a
bad
precedent
We don’t
trust the
developer
There is not
enough local
benefit
Each project
needs to be
considered on
its merits
The proposal
is not fully
explained
9
3. From Interests to Mutually Advantageous
Options
Developer and Town Jointly
Acknowledge Community Cost
Concerns
Serious
consideration
of alternative
sites
A negotiated
Community
Benefit
Agreement
(CBA)
Close
monitoring and
commitment to
continuous
improvement
Operating
agreements
10

What kinds of interests are worth talking about?
• Money
• Jobs/economic impact
• Time of completion
• Opinions valued
• Relationships
• Development impacts
• Private property
rights
• Long term stability
(e.g. price of
electricity)
• Cultural sensitivity
• Environmental and
social impacts
• Risk
• Sustainability
• Ownership/Control
• Transaction costs
• Others….
11