Tools for Environmental Analysis, Evaluation and Management 213
is violated. The Convention provides the right for an appeal against refusal to
supply environmmental information by the relevant parties, against an insufficient participative procedure or against acts that violate environmental laws.
The participation right pertains to decisions about major works, such
as big roads, power stations, dams and industrial facilities, as well as
plans, projects, policies and legislation that affect the environment. The
Convention defines the minimum level of participation opportunities necessary, and the procedures that have to be maintained.
The public’s involvement is necessary for the promotion of sustainable
development policies. When involvement takes place in an early enough
stage, it contributes to consensus building because the opportunity is given
for opposite views to be heard and taken into consideration. Utilization of
the public’s knowledge, skills and enthusiasm is useful for better decision
making, that is, decisions that meet the citizens’ needs and are more reliable
and applicable for a longer time. It is well known that in some countries, the
most important cause for the delay or cancelling of developmental projects
is social reaction. The most effective way of dealing with this is through
participative procedures.
Public is defined as one or more concerned natural persons as well as
legal entities such as groups, unions or NGOs (non-governmental organizations) in general. When the participative procedure is conducted in many
phases, the participation through representative legal entities that have the
necessary infrastructure can be more effective.
Relationships of trust with the public are difficult to create, especially in
areas where participation in decision making is a relatively new procedure.
The strategy for development of the participative procedure may need a
phase of trust building with the public, NGOs and the business community.
The effort for development of participative procedures should be sincere
in relation to the actual possibility for influencing decisions; otherwise, the
public’s trust is shaken and interest for participation in future procedures
is lost. The public needs to be informed about the procedure and the role it
will be called to play in decision making. The public does not have a uniform view; there may be important differentiations among the views of the
citizens as well as between the public and the decision makers that should
be heard. The participative procedure should be open so that anyone who
can be influenced by the decision, or just interested in general, can participate. By definition, it is accepted that NGOs have such an interest.
The procedures for public participation presuppose that:
• There are alternative solutions (consequently, participation can influence the direction of adopting one of them)
• What is asked from the public is clear
• There is willingness for the public’s views to be heard and taken into
consideration in the decision-making process
is violated. The Convention provides the right for an appeal against refusal to
supply environmmental information by the relevant parties, against an insufficient participative procedure or against acts that violate environmental laws.
The participation right pertains to decisions about major works, such
as big roads, power stations, dams and industrial facilities, as well as
plans, projects, policies and legislation that affect the environment. The
Convention defines the minimum level of participation opportunities necessary, and the procedures that have to be maintained.
The public’s involvement is necessary for the promotion of sustainable
development policies. When involvement takes place in an early enough
stage, it contributes to consensus building because the opportunity is given
for opposite views to be heard and taken into consideration. Utilization of
the public’s knowledge, skills and enthusiasm is useful for better decision
making, that is, decisions that meet the citizens’ needs and are more reliable
and applicable for a longer time. It is well known that in some countries, the
most important cause for the delay or cancelling of developmental projects
is social reaction. The most effective way of dealing with this is through
participative procedures.
Public is defined as one or more concerned natural persons as well as
legal entities such as groups, unions or NGOs (non-governmental organizations) in general. When the participative procedure is conducted in many
phases, the participation through representative legal entities that have the
necessary infrastructure can be more effective.
Relationships of trust with the public are difficult to create, especially in
areas where participation in decision making is a relatively new procedure.
The strategy for development of the participative procedure may need a
phase of trust building with the public, NGOs and the business community.
The effort for development of participative procedures should be sincere
in relation to the actual possibility for influencing decisions; otherwise, the
public’s trust is shaken and interest for participation in future procedures
is lost. The public needs to be informed about the procedure and the role it
will be called to play in decision making. The public does not have a uniform view; there may be important differentiations among the views of the
citizens as well as between the public and the decision makers that should
be heard. The participative procedure should be open so that anyone who
can be influenced by the decision, or just interested in general, can participate. By definition, it is accepted that NGOs have such an interest.
The procedures for public participation presuppose that:
• There are alternative solutions (consequently, participation can influence the direction of adopting one of them)
• What is asked from the public is clear
• There is willingness for the public’s views to be heard and taken into
consideration in the decision-making process