The public participation principle: effective implementation of Aarhus participation rights by the European Union Legal Framework.

Abstract

This paper considers the principle of Public Participation as envisaged by the Aarhus Convention. It addresses the academic debate regarding the true nature of public participation as a civil and political right and the lack of consensus regarding the limits and definition of the right. An examination of the manner in which the European Union Law framework implements the right is then carried out, seeking to establish the extent to which the Public Participation Principle is fully vindicated by the European Union Legal Framework. In doing so this paper focuses on the areas of Environmental Impact Assessment and the Industrial emissions regimes