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SCENARIO:
Part I: The coastal town of Puerto Mauricio is faced with a number of important development decisions. First, a large and cultural significant parcel of land is about to be sold. The two potential purchasers are a national environmental group and a local hotel owner – who plan to use the land is very different ways. At the same time, the environmental group is lobbying to destroy a nearby dam to preserve a surrounding estuary – much to the dismay of the local farmers who depend on the dam for irrigation. Finally, a high-tech firm is seeking to develop a nearby parcel of land and their plans involve bringing in light industry to this region. Stakeholders in this matter are coming together to see if they can reach an agreement on developments plans for the area. It is important that any agreement fits within the constructs of the Provincial Land Use Plan and National Sustainability Principles.
Part II: The agreement from Part I is sent to an inter-governmental committee charged with implementing the National Sustainability Principles. The five-person committee meets with three representatives from Puerto Mauricio. The parties negotiate about how to interpret implications of the Sustainability Principles for the Puerto Mauricio Development Proposal. Ultimately, the government committee must decide whether to accept the Proposal and to write a press release to explain their decision to the public.
MAJOR LESSONS:
Mutual gains: Too often, adversarial interactions between governments, conservation organizations and business / corporate entities result for all parties in the loss of value. Focus on developing mutually advantageous solutions. It is not necessary that for one party to ‘win’, the other party must ‘lose’.
Problem solving dialogue. It is important that the stakeholders develop an appropriate consensus building forum such that they can have a meaningful problem solving dialogue.
Strategic partnerships: Parties are encouraged to explore common interests and focus on long-term relationships.
Connect policy and project-level negotiations. Parties are encouraged to link high level theoretical policy discussions to ‘on-the-ground’ practical outcomes.
MECHANICS:
Estimated Time Requirements:
Part 1
45 mins – read instructions and confer with other people playing the same role
90 mins – negotiate
45 mins (minimum) – debrief
Part II
45 mins – read instructions and confer with other people playing the same role
30 mins – each group of 3 or 5 plan their group strategy
90 mins – negotiate
45 mins (minimum) debrief
Total: 5 hours
Facility needs:
Room with table and seats for 8. flipcharts, nametags, markers. Breakout rooms for private caucus
TEACHING MATERIALS:
For all parties:
Part I:
Appendix A - The Proposals
Appendix B - Map of Puerto Mauricio
Appendix C - Summary of the Provincial Development Plan for Alienta
Appendix D - Sustainability Principles for Ventura
Appendix E - Environmental Impact study on the Lento River Dam
Appendix F - Negotiation Worksheet
Part II:
Inter-ministerial committee instructions
Puerto Mauricio representative’s instructions
Role specific:
Part I
Governor of Alientia (facilitator)
Regional Head of the Ministry of Environment
Mayor of the town of Puerto Mauricio
Executive Director of Naturtrust
Owner of the Hotel Mauritz
President of Operations, Computech Inc.
Farm Union Director
Representative from ‘Citizens for an Open Castle’
Part II:
Deputy Director of the Ministry of Environment
Assistant Director of the Ministry of Agriculture
Director of the Ministry of Social Welfare
Director General of the Ministry of Culture
Senior Manage of the Ministry of Economic Affairs
Teacher's Package (57 pages)
All of the above
Teaching notes
KEYWORDS/THEMES:
Negotiation for sustainability; environmental dispute resolution; intergovernmental negations; multi-party negotiation; infrastructure development disputes
SIMILAR SIMULATIONS:
Managing Groundwater beneath the Pablo-Burford Border
Hitana Bay Development Simulation
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