As part of the SecREEts Public engagement strategy, Prospex Institute will facilitate Citizen Labs in different locations where SecREEts industrial plants are set up. These consultations are designed to engage a dialogue between local communities and SecREEts industrial partners. This will highlight local challenges and opportunities related to SecREEts, and help incorporate local stakeholders’ feedback in future evolutions
On 14th of January 2019, Prospex Institute inaugurated the first round of Citizen Labs with a consultation in Ellesmere Port, where our partner Less Common Metals is based. Together with LCM and our project coordinator SINTEF, we introduced the project to a group of local actors for the first time.
Prospex Institute organised interactive exercises based on presentations by LCM and SINTEF to help participants understand the challenges related to Rare Earth Elements supply in Europe, and the impact of SecREEts both at European and local levels. Stakeholders were given the opportunity to ask for clarifications, express their concerns and suggest further forms of public engagement.
This first round of Citizen Lab will allow SecREEts to co-design a citizen engagement strategy based on local residents feedback. Ultimately, these consultations will help SecREEts co-develop a level of social acceptance of the project through continuous dialogue.