The Role of the Public in Environmental Decision-Making

Nino Gokhelashvili

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ajep.s.2015040301.11

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The Role of the Public in Environmental Decision-Making

Nino Gokhelashvili

Published in American Journal of Environmental Protection (Volume 4, Issue 3-1)

Received: 10 March 2015 Accepted: 10 March 2015 Published: 25 June 2015

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Abstract

Many cases prove that involvement of the public in decision-making process on environmental issues has a real influence on proposed or planned activities and the final decisions are acceptable for all main stakeholders: government, the public, and developer of activity. Despite the facts demonstrating the role of the public in environmental decision-making, various experts approach to the public participation process with doubt and some criticism. From their point of view, many aspects of public participation are still questionable, such as who, why, how, at what stage should participate, etc. This article does not aim to answer each existing question. But along with the criticism of various experts, highlighting some important aspects of public participation, the article aims to: demonstrate a rationale of public participation in environmental decision-making; show the trend in this direction based on the analysis of violations of public participation procedures in some countries; demonstrate the real influence of the public on final decisions with regard to the environment, focused on the concrete examples. The arguments and conclusions made on this overview creates additional inspiration for further discussions and exploration of different aspects of public participation in environmental decision-making.

Published in	American Journal of Environmental Protection (Volume 4, Issue 3-1) This article belongs to the Special Issue Applied Ecology: Problems, Innovations
DOI	10.11648/j.ajep.s.2015040301.11
Page(s)	1-7
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2015. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Public, Government, Participation, Environment, Decision-Making

References

[1]	Principle 10. Public participation. The Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, (1992), United Nations "Conference on Environment and Development" (UNCED).
[2]	Pring, G. and Noé, S.Y. (2002) “The Emerging International Law of Public Participation Affecting Global Mining, Energy, and Resource Development” in Zillman, D.M., Lucas, A. and Pring, G.(eds) Human Rights in Natural Resource Development: Public Participation in the Sustainable Development of Mining and Energy Resources, Oxford University Press, Oxford, p. 76.
[3]	Public Participation in Making Local Environmental Decisions. The Aarhus Convention Newcastle Workshop. Good Practice Handbook. United Kingdom. 2000.
[4]	Coenen, Frans H. J. M. (Ed.), Public Participation and Better Environmental Decisions, The Promise and Limits of Participatory Processes for the Quality of Environmentally Related Decision-making, (2009), VIII, p. 209.
[5]	Bulkeley, H. and Mol, A.P.J. (2003), “Participation and Environmental Governance: Consensus, Ambivalence and Debate”, Environmental Values 12 (2): pp.143–54.
[6]	Fischer, F. (2000) Citizens, Experts and the Environment, Durham, NC: Duke University Press, p. 222.
[7]	UNECE Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (Aarhus Convention. 1998). Preamble.
[8]	Directive 2003/35/EC providing for public participation in respect of the drawing up of certain plans and programmes relating to the environment and amending with regard to public participation and access to justice Directives 85/337/EEC and 96/61/EC. Preamble (3).
[9]	Ban ki-Moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations. United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. The Aarhus Convention. An Implementation Guide. Second edition, (2014). United Nations. p.3.
[10]	United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. The Aarhus Convention: Implementation Guide. Second edition, (2014). Pillar II, Public Participation in Decision-making. Purpose of the Public Participation. p. 119.
[11]	European Commission. Implementation of the Aarhus Convention. Guidelines for Public Servants for Georgia. Kiev, Ukraine (2004).p.51.
[12]	Nancy Perkins Spyke Public Participation in Environmental Decision-making at the New Millennium: Structuring New Spheres of Public Influence. Boston College Environmental Affairs Law Review. Volume 26 \| Issue 2 Article 2. 12-1-1999.
[13]	Davies, A. (2001). “What silence knows – planning, public participation and environmental values”, Environmental Values, 10: pp. 77–102.
[14]	Green Alternative. Advocating for Environmental and Social Justice. 10 Advocacy Campaigns. (2011). pp.3-5; 11-13; 18-20.

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APA Style

Nino Gokhelashvili. (2015). The Role of the Public in Environmental Decision-Making. American Journal of Environmental Protection, 4(3-1), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajep.s.2015040301.11

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ACS Style

Nino Gokhelashvili. The Role of the Public in Environmental Decision-Making. Am. J. Environ. Prot. 2015, 4(3-1), 1-7. doi: 10.11648/j.ajep.s.2015040301.11

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AMA Style

Nino Gokhelashvili. The Role of the Public in Environmental Decision-Making. Am J Environ Prot. 2015;4(3-1):1-7. doi: 10.11648/j.ajep.s.2015040301.11

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@article{10.11648/j.ajep.s.2015040301.11,
  author = {Nino Gokhelashvili},
  title = {The Role of the Public in Environmental Decision-Making},
  journal = {American Journal of Environmental Protection},
  volume = {4},
  number = {3-1},
  pages = {1-7},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ajep.s.2015040301.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajep.s.2015040301.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajep.s.2015040301.11},
  abstract = {Many cases prove that involvement of the public in decision-making process on environmental issues has a real influence on proposed or planned activities and the final decisions are acceptable for all main stakeholders: government, the public, and developer of activity. Despite the facts demonstrating the role of the public in environmental decision-making, various experts approach to the public participation process with doubt and some criticism. From their point of view, many aspects of public participation are still questionable, such as who, why, how, at what stage should participate, etc. This article does not aim to answer each existing question. But along with the criticism of various experts, highlighting some important aspects of public participation, the article aims to: demonstrate a rationale of public participation in environmental decision-making; show the trend in this direction based on the analysis of violations of public participation procedures in some countries; demonstrate the real influence of the public on final decisions with regard to the environment, focused on the concrete examples. The arguments and conclusions made on this overview creates additional inspiration for further discussions and exploration of different aspects of public participation in environmental decision-making.},
 year = {2015}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - The Role of the Public in Environmental Decision-Making
AU  - Nino Gokhelashvili
Y1  - 2015/06/25
PY  - 2015
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajep.s.2015040301.11
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JF  - American Journal of Environmental Protection
JO  - American Journal of Environmental Protection
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AB  - Many cases prove that involvement of the public in decision-making process on environmental issues has a real influence on proposed or planned activities and the final decisions are acceptable for all main stakeholders: government, the public, and developer of activity. Despite the facts demonstrating the role of the public in environmental decision-making, various experts approach to the public participation process with doubt and some criticism. From their point of view, many aspects of public participation are still questionable, such as who, why, how, at what stage should participate, etc. This article does not aim to answer each existing question. But along with the criticism of various experts, highlighting some important aspects of public participation, the article aims to: demonstrate a rationale of public participation in environmental decision-making; show the trend in this direction based on the analysis of violations of public participation procedures in some countries; demonstrate the real influence of the public on final decisions with regard to the environment, focused on the concrete examples. The arguments and conclusions made on this overview creates additional inspiration for further discussions and exploration of different aspects of public participation in environmental decision-making.
VL  - 4
IS  - 3-1
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Author Information

Nino Gokhelashvili

Department of Environmental Policy and International Relations, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection, Tbilisi, Georgia

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APA Style

Nino Gokhelashvili. (2015). The Role of the Public in Environmental Decision-Making. American Journal of Environmental Protection, 4(3-1), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajep.s.2015040301.11

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ACS Style

Nino Gokhelashvili. The Role of the Public in Environmental Decision-Making. Am. J. Environ. Prot. 2015, 4(3-1), 1-7. doi: 10.11648/j.ajep.s.2015040301.11

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Nino Gokhelashvili. The Role of the Public in Environmental Decision-Making. Am J Environ Prot. 2015;4(3-1):1-7. doi: 10.11648/j.ajep.s.2015040301.11

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ajep.s.2015040301.11,
  author = {Nino Gokhelashvili},
  title = {The Role of the Public in Environmental Decision-Making},
  journal = {American Journal of Environmental Protection},
  volume = {4},
  number = {3-1},
  pages = {1-7},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ajep.s.2015040301.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajep.s.2015040301.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajep.s.2015040301.11},
  abstract = {Many cases prove that involvement of the public in decision-making process on environmental issues has a real influence on proposed or planned activities and the final decisions are acceptable for all main stakeholders: government, the public, and developer of activity. Despite the facts demonstrating the role of the public in environmental decision-making, various experts approach to the public participation process with doubt and some criticism. From their point of view, many aspects of public participation are still questionable, such as who, why, how, at what stage should participate, etc. This article does not aim to answer each existing question. But along with the criticism of various experts, highlighting some important aspects of public participation, the article aims to: demonstrate a rationale of public participation in environmental decision-making; show the trend in this direction based on the analysis of violations of public participation procedures in some countries; demonstrate the real influence of the public on final decisions with regard to the environment, focused on the concrete examples. The arguments and conclusions made on this overview creates additional inspiration for further discussions and exploration of different aspects of public participation in environmental decision-making.},
 year = {2015}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - The Role of the Public in Environmental Decision-Making
AU  - Nino Gokhelashvili
Y1  - 2015/06/25
PY  - 2015
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajep.s.2015040301.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.ajep.s.2015040301.11
T2  - American Journal of Environmental Protection
JF  - American Journal of Environmental Protection
JO  - American Journal of Environmental Protection
SP  - 1
EP  - 7
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2328-5699
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajep.s.2015040301.11
AB  - Many cases prove that involvement of the public in decision-making process on environmental issues has a real influence on proposed or planned activities and the final decisions are acceptable for all main stakeholders: government, the public, and developer of activity. Despite the facts demonstrating the role of the public in environmental decision-making, various experts approach to the public participation process with doubt and some criticism. From their point of view, many aspects of public participation are still questionable, such as who, why, how, at what stage should participate, etc. This article does not aim to answer each existing question. But along with the criticism of various experts, highlighting some important aspects of public participation, the article aims to: demonstrate a rationale of public participation in environmental decision-making; show the trend in this direction based on the analysis of violations of public participation procedures in some countries; demonstrate the real influence of the public on final decisions with regard to the environment, focused on the concrete examples. The arguments and conclusions made on this overview creates additional inspiration for further discussions and exploration of different aspects of public participation in environmental decision-making.
VL  - 4
IS  - 3-1
ER  -

Copy | Download