Depending on the form of participation envisaged, public participation uses a variety of tools and techniques to inform the public, engage the public and, in some cases, reach consensus and agreement. Citizen participation is a concept that describes activities that integrate people`s concerns, needs and values into public decisions and actions. Various researchers and organizations also use other similar terms such as public engagement, citizen engagement, and public participation. Based on the idea of democracy, government agencies or social organizations work with the public to find meaningful solutions to public problems. Public engagement is crucial to democratic governance, and its ultimate goal is to make better public decisions. As environmental issues have become more complex, public participation has become at the forefront of academic analysis of contemporary environmental policy debates. Public participation refers to the participation of those who may be affected or interested in a decision, through formal or informal channels. The purpose of public participation is to enable participants to act and be heard in decision-making processes, thereby influencing the final outcome. The basis of public participation is the distribution of power and is therefore seen as an expression of the democratic spirit. A policy that involves as many concerned citizens as possible in its decision-making process is considered more legitimate than those arbitrarily decided by political decision-makers alone. Wouters M, Hardie-Boys N, Wilson C (2011) Assessing Public Participation in National Park Management Plan Reviews: Facilitators and Barriers to Meaningful Participation in Statutory Processes. Editing Team Department of Conservation, Wellington King CS, Feltey KM, Susel BO`N (1998) The question of participation: towards authentic public participation in public administration.
Public Adm Rev 58(4):317–326 At the heart of any public participation process is a promise to the public. This promise represents what the public can expect from the sponsoring agency in terms of access and possible influence on the decision. The promise also defines the level of information and communication that can be expected. Sponsoring organizations that make clear and explicit promises set clear expectations for their stakeholders and are held appropriately accountable. Without clear promises, the audience will interpret a wide range of expectations, most of which are unforeseen and cannot be met. When making promises, it`s important to track and consider these three factors: The scale of citizen participation consists of eight levels, each representing the degree of citizen power in decision-making. According to Arnstein, citizen participation is synonymous with citizen power. Citizen participation is a redistribution of power that allows citizens excluded from decision-making to be considered and included. Scale is a simplified typology to illustrate how much real power is in the hands of the public. From non-participation to full-fledged citizen leadership, this framework has a major impact on social development. This framework still applies to all hierarchical societies around the world.
Public participation is part of the „people-centered” or „human-centered” principles that have emerged in Western culture over the past thirty years and have had some impact on education, business, public policy, and international assistance and development programs. Public participation is encouraged by humanist movements. Public participation can be encouraged as part of a „people first” paradigm shift. In this regard, public participation can challenge the concept of „big is better” and the logic of centralized hierarchies, promote alternative concepts that „more minds are better than one”, and argue that public participation can support productive and sustainable change. [3] There are a number of arguments in favour of a more participatory approach, stressing that public participation is a crucial element of environmental policy contributing to better decision-making. It is recognized that environmental problems cannot be solved by government alone. [32] Participation in environmental decision-making provides an effective link between the public and environmental policy. By involving the public, which underpins both the causes and solutions to environmental problems, transparency and accountability are more likely to be achieved, thus ensuring the democratic legitimacy of the decision-making on which good environmental governance depends.
[33] [34] Strong public participation in environmental policy could arguably increase shareholder engagement, thereby strengthening compliance and enforcement of environmental laws. GIS can be a valuable tool for this type of work (see GIS and environmental governance). In addition, some opponents argue that the right to participate in environmental decision-making is a procedural right that „may be considered part of the fundamental right to environmental protection”. [35] From this ethical perspective, environmental policy is expected to be framed within a framework consistent with the „constitutional principle of fairness (including equality),” which inevitably requires respect for „environmental rights” and, ultimately, public participation. [35] Moreover, in the context of significant scientific uncertainties on environmental issues, public participation helps to address these uncertainties and bridge the gap between scientifically defined environmental problems and the experiences and values of stakeholders. [33] [36] Through the joint efforts of government and scientists, in cooperation with the public, better environmental policy must be achieved by making the most appropriate choice. Transparency represents the willingness of organizations to fully share information, criteria and reasoning for decision-making with the public. Without transparency, public input will not be based on the same considerations that decision-makers actually use to make decisions. Therefore, the public is unlikely to understand why decisions are made or how those decisions affect them. Much of the public outrage stems from the failure to provide complete and timely information or to be excluded from the process. As a result, decisions influenced by public participation processes are seen as more legitimate and less contested.
Decision makers who fully understand stakeholders` interests also become better communicators, able to explain decisions and reasons for decisions in a way that stakeholders understand, in a way that relates to stakeholders` values and concerns. In some jurisdictions, the right to public participation is enshrined in law. The right to public participation can also be understood as a human right or as an expression of the right to freedom of association and assembly. For example, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and Sweden had provisions on public participation and freedom of information in their legal systems even before the Middle Ages. [46] Democracy and citizen participation are closely linked Democratic societies have included citizen participation rights in their laws for centuries. For example, in the United States, the right to petition is part of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution since 1791. [46] More recently, since the 1970s in New Zealand, many statutes (e.g., health, local government, environmental management) require government officials to „consult” with those affected by an issue and consider their views when making decisions. Some legal and other frameworks have developed a human rights-based approach to public participation.
For example, the right to public participation in economic and human development was enshrined in the 1990 African Charter for People`s Participation in Development and Change. [4] Similarly, key environmental and sustainability mechanisms have enshrined a right to public participation, such as the Rio Declaration. [5] Citizen participation; Public engagement; Public Participation Master in Nature Management at the University of Copenhagen with a focus on citizen participation and citizen participation in nature conservation and sustainable development. Public participation is the engagement of individuals in the various structures and institutions of democracy, including voting, communicating with a political representative, campaigning and lobbying, and participating in consultations and demonstrations.