Public participation in environmental impact assessment-implementing the Aarhus Convention
- EIA Centre, School of Environment and Development, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL (United Kingdom)
This article explores the nature of public participation in the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process in the context of the potential integration of the Aarhus Convention principles into the UK EIA system. Although the Convention advocates 'early' and 'effective' participation, these terms remain undefined and questions persist about exactly how to implement the Aarhus principles. Ten practice evaluation criteria derived from the Aarhus Convention are used to analyse the public participation procedures used in four UK waste disposal EIA case studies. The paper reports the extent to which the practice evaluation criteria were fulfilled, explores the types and effectiveness of the participation methods used in the EIAs, and highlights some of the key barriers that appear to impede the execution of 'early' and 'effective' participation programmes. It concludes that the Aarhus Convention will undoubtedly lead to a strengthening of participation procedures but that the level of improvement secured will depend upon how its ideals are interpreted and incorporated into legislation and practice.
- OSTI ID:
- 20713474
- Journal Information:
- Environmental Impact Assessment Review, Vol. 25, Issue 4; Other Information: DOI: 10.1016/j.eiar.2004.12.002; PII: S0195-9255(04)00160-X; Copyright (c) 2004 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0195-9255
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Evaluating public participation in Chinese EIA. An integrated Public Participation Index and its application to the case of the New Beijing Airport
Public participation in EIA in Hungary: Analysis through three case studies