Démocratie environnementale

Abstract

Concerning «participatory democracy » , a major development of the previous year is the publication of Decree n° 2017-626 of 27 April 2017, implementing Ordinance of 3 August 2016. The object of the latter was the promotion of proceedings related to public information and participation to the drafting process of decisions which may have an impact on environment, especially proceedings which give an opportunity to the public to participate to the drafting of projects, plans and programmes prior to public inquiry. As the ordinance was often very detailed, the freedom of the framers of the regulation was limited, either to specify the conditions of digitization of public inquiry, or to reduce the burden of the proceedings. Concerning public debate and prior consultation in environmental matters, the situation is slightly different, since the mentioned above decree not only specifies the scope of application and the forms of those two proceedings but also clarifies the implementation conditions of the right of citizen’s initiative.