OPPapers.com

Public Participation In Environmental Decision Making

Public participation in environmental decision-making is an area that will always raise questions on the relevance and of the advantages that can be gained by allowing public participation.

Decision making by experts, which is often characterized as ‘technocracy', is an area where experts sometimes make key decisions themselves, but more commonly advise policy makers and interest groups including governments and corporations. The advantages of using experts in the field are their specialist knowledge is fully deployed.
By contrast the disadvantages are also well known, including the lack of attention to the wider social impacts of technology, their over reliance of specialist knowledge, compliance with those in power and restrictions on public participation.

Carson and Martin (2002) said "The fundamental problem with reliance on experts is that decisions about technology are not just about technical matters: they also involve social values".

In today's society it is obvious that public participation in environmental decision-making is an important aspect of the decision making process and one which we must adhere to.

In 2000 in New South Wales, the State Minister for the Environment commissioned an independent review into container deposit legislation (CDL).
The social research of this project included several components, including public submissions, stakeholder interviews a tele-vote and a citizen's jury.

Container deposit legislation is a means of recovering container materials, such as soft drink bottles, for recycling and reuse. Such legislation typically requires consumers pay a small fee, usually five cents per bottle, on purchase of a

container, with the fee redeemable when the container is returned. This is a complex issue for government with polarizing views among industry, environmental and government organizations.
CDL is not the only way of recovering recyclables, the current method used is curbside...