Public participation in environmental decision making

Since the 1992 Rio Declaration, several environmental agreements emphasise participatory rights and the need to include communities in the environmental decision-making processes.

Time and again, a lack of community engagement along with weak information and consultation procedure that disregard the voice of the affected communities have resulted in unsustainable resource management.

This project examines examples from developed and developing countries and shows the need for increased participation of non-state actors, joint management of shared natural resources and stronger obligations of government agencies to involve communities in natural resource decisions.

Related publications include:

• J Razzaque, Information, public participation and access to justice in environmental matters in S Alam et al (eds) Routledge Handbook on International Environmental Law (2012, Routledge) 137-153.
• J Razzaque, Public Participation in Water Governance in J Dellapenna and J Gupta (eds) The Evolution of the Law and Politics of Water (2009, Springer) 353-372.
• J Razzaque, Participatory rights in natural resource management: role of communities in South Asia in J Ebbesson and P Okowa (eds) Environmental Law and Justice in Context (2009, CUP) 117-138.