Session 4 - Participatory Policy Instruments Flashcards
Community involvement, and environmental effectiveness
What is public participation?
There are many different forms of public participation but the common theme is that non-state actors are somehow involved in decision making
How does public participation affect policies?
it affects the:
- contents and ambition (what they want to achieve)
- Implementation and compliance
What isn’t public participation?
Voting in elections
Being active in a political party
Environmental activism
Who is involved in public participation?
Typical policy people but also other stakeholders:
- politicians, bureaucrats, regulators
- NGOs and movements
- Businesses
- Scientists
- Indigenous communities
Why won’t some people be involved in public participation?
people may not be interested or even know about an issue.
Sometimes the government unfairly restricts access to public participation like not inviting groups to the table
What are the 4 different formats of public participation? How do they work?
Electronic consultation - websites, consult portals set up by gov.
Public hearings - one way comm, authority explains what they want to public
Townhall meetings - a discussion - two way communication
Stakeholder group involvements - discussion with an organised group rather than the general public
What are the 3 different communication streams in public participation?
Information
Consultation
Involvement
Explain information as a communication stream in public participation
informing the public, but they don’t give their opinions back
a one way method of communication from the authority to the people
Explain consultation as a communication stream in public participation
Informing the people then mainly listening to their response
One way communication from the people to the authority.
Explain involvement as a communication stream in public participation
an agency/authority and general public exchanging arguments, both sides listening to the other, deep engagement with the other’s views
two way communication between the authority and the people
Explain how organisational formats relate to communication streams in public participation
some comm streams naturally work better with different formats
e.g. its easier to facilitate true involvement in a townhall meeting rather than over an online portal
How does the Arnstein 8 point scale relate to public participation in enviro policy? (power transfer)
This scale was a metaphorical ladder of citizens participation from manipulation -information - partnership - citizen control
different formats/com streams fall at different levels of the ladder e.g. only informing farmers of a decision but not listening to them is still public participation but on the lowest rung
Discuss decision making in public participation?
How the final decision is made will be different in every case
absolute (>50%) or relative (highest %) majority?
Compromise or consensus
How has the EU incorporated public participation?
Explain the Arhus convention…
90s/00s - an international treaty that European countries signed which legally binds public participation in environmental decision making.
every citizen has the right to receive info about the state of their local environment (some exceptions)
and be informed about upcoming decisions
kid of vague about how much input/involvement citizens will actually have on decisions - internet consultations rather than face to face
How is the Aarhus convention being implemented in the EU
a number of directives which are legal acts were developed to make it clear what the requirements are
How has the US incorporated public participation?
In the 1970s the US was at the forefront of developing environmental and climate policies.
There was criticism that regulators had too much control so legal acts were adapted to ensure regulators had to work with the public.
The national environmental protection act was the first instance of PP and later all other legal acts had to at least consult the wider public.
How is Australia incorporating public participation?
PP is only a key legal requirement for environmental impact assessment e.g. Roe highway expansion
Very rarely a legal requirement, voluntary otherwise
We’re very behind compared to other countries (EU highest standard and US)
Explain the Humber River Basin example of public participation
2007 - Many different stakeholder interests - swimming, boating, industry etc
Enviro agency was hesitant to make any rulings and raising conflict with conservation plans
Liaison panel was set up for people to discuss the future of the basin/desired outcomes
2 million people were involved because of the flow of the river - many meetings
How does public participation influence decisions in environmental policy?
Counters regulatory capture
Brings in new information
Fosters creativity and deliberation
How can public participation influence implementation of environmental policies
Procedural justice
informing polluters about new policies
How can public participation counter regulatory capture?
Brings more eco-friendly actors (greener people) into political decisions
How can public participation bring in new info?
Policy decisions can be more informed by local knowledge, indigenous, hobbyists etc
hear perspectives from minority communities
How can public participation foster creativity and deliberation?
Common good orientation (as opposed to own interest orientation)
Through collective decision making - improves quality
encouraging discussion, exchanging arguments, convincing each other, collaboration
What is procedural justice?
Accepting a policy decision because the process is perceived as fair
