Public Participation Mechanisms Research Articles

Forms of public participation in local self-government: Argentina’s experience in the context of reforming the Russian legislation

In the context of the ongoing municipal reform in Russia, improving the mechanisms of public participation in municipal governance should become one of the priority areas. This circumstance raises the issue of a comprehensive study of relevant foreign experience. This article examines the regional legislation of Argentina in terms of regulating the forms of participation of the population in the implementation of local self-government. The author provides a comprehensive systematic study of the legal framework for ensuring public participation in the implementation of local self-government in Argentina. The article puts emphasis on such forms of participation forms, as elections, referendums, recall of elected officials, participation of the population in the discussion of various issues through the use of various mechanisms, and the creation of decentralized territorial entities. Based on a combination of comparative legal and comprehensive research methods, the author concludes that certain mechanisms for involving the population in decision-making at the local level can be considered within the framework of the Russian legal order. Attention is drawn to improving the procedure for recalling elected officials, increasing the degree of population participation in reforming the territorial foundations of the organization of municipal government, ensuring the participation of residents of individual localities in the implementation of local self-government during the consolidation of municipalities, and the institutionalization of local communities. An analysis of the Argentine experience in this part can serve as an aid for improving Russian legislation.

Achieving energy justice: The role of supervisory and compliance mechanisms in global frameworks and the international community

Energy justice as a concept refers to the fair distribution of the benefits and burdens of energy production and consumption among different communities and individuals. The international community is currently attempting to achieve it through various means such as international law, the Sustainable Development Goals and the potential establishment of a human right to energy. However, the authors argue that these tools have either failed or will fail in practice to achieve this objective. This is why they suggest the use of supervisory and compliance mechanisms established within global frameworks related to energy, international human rights law and Agenda 2030, to achieve energy justice. This is of absolute importance given the inability to do so in practice despite the growing literature on the topic. These supervisory and compliance mechanisms are used to monitor and enforce compliance with energy justice principles, and include independent regulatory bodies, mechanisms for public participation and oversight, and incentives for compliance. They provide flexibility for governments to consider their own financial, technical, and human capacities when tackling a highly complicated issue such as energy justice.

Research on the impact of public environmental participation on foreign direct investment: evidence from China

Since the reform and opening up, the scale of foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows into China has been continuously expanding, but the imperfect environmental governance mechanism has led to increasingly severe environmental problems in China. This paper studies the impact and mechanism of public environmental participation (PEP) on FDI. The results show that PEP has a significant negative impact on the FDI inflow of enterprises. Hindrance effect of PEP on enterprise FDI is more obvious in economically developed eastern regions, coastal cities and first-tier cities. PEP has a greater impact on FDI in high-tech industries. The economic growth target has a restraining effect on China’s environmental protection, weakening public supervision of FDI. The constraint of economic growth targets increases the pressure to develop the economy, and weakens the inhibitory effect of PEP on corporate FDI. This study provides important empirical evidence for improving China’s environmental governance system and high-quality utilization of foreign investment.

Catalysing Change: Unveiling Tailored Strategies for Localising Sustainable Development Goals in Southeast Asia

This article is a systematic literature review (SLR) analysing the literature concerning SDG localisation strategies in Southeast Asia adhering to the ROSES framework as its primary guiding principle. This study screened five hundred quantitative method articles from the SCOPUS and WoS databases from 2016 to 2022. Through rigorous inclusion criteria, ten quantitative journal articles were eligible for assessment. Thematic analysis of the selected articles revealed four predominant themes within the SDGs’ localisation initiatives. These encompass policy measures, green initiatives, stakeholder partnerships, and mechanisms for public participation, showcasing how countries in the region are working to embed the SDGs into their specific local contexts. Given the scarcity of literature concerning SDG localisation in Southeast Asian countries, these findings offer substantial practical and knowledge-based contributions. Qualitative and mixed-method studies and systematic reviews on these two methods are recommended to contribute significantly to idealising and refining the SDGs’ localisation process.

The United States National Park System: Overview, Challenges and Policy Recommendations for China

This article conducts a comparative analysis of national park legislation, focusing on insights from the US National Park System to inform the development of China's emerging national park framework. Against the backdrop of a global conservation movement, the US system serves as a valuable model for China, which initiated its own national park system in 2017. On October 12, 2021, China has formally established its inaugural set of national parks, comprising the Three-River-Source National Park, the Giant Panda National Park, the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park, the Hainan Tropical Forests National Park, and the Wuyishan National Park. Encompassing approximately 230,000 square kilometres, these five national parks safeguard nearly 30% of China's crucial terrestrial wildlife species. As China endeavours to enact comprehensive legislation for its national parks, this research aims to contribute to the ongoing efforts by addressing key questions such as the efficacy of the US's "One National Park, One Law" model, the governance dynamics between federal, state, and local entities, and strategies for balancing conservation with diverse land uses. The analysis spans five sections, exploring the historical evolution of the US National Park System, its legal framework, challenges faced by US national parks, and policy recommendations for China. The US experience highlights the importance of establishing clear legal authorities, fostering robust public participation mechanisms, and harmonizing relationships with Indigenous communities. The findings presented in this study aspire to facilitate a nuanced understanding of national park legislation, promoting international collaboration between the US and China for the sustainable management of natural lands and the protection of global biodiversity.

Mechanisms of Citizen Participation іn Public Administration: Experience of Foreign Countries

Considering Ukraine's aspiration to become a full member of the European Union and participate on equal terms with other European states in defining global policies and goals for the future, the effective functioning of public participation mechanisms in governance is not only a goal for Ukraine, but also a requirement of the EU. In this sense, it is appropriate to investigate the peculiarities of the functioning of the mechanisms of citizen participation in public administration in different states, evaluating their experience and taking into account the principles and ideas that can be useful in reforming the Ukrainian legal system in this direction. The purpose of the article. Analysis of foreign experience of regulatory and practical support for the functioning of mechanisms of citizen participation in public administration, determination of advantages and disadvantages of various models of setting up government-public communications, as well as an outline of prospects for the development of mechanisms of public participation in state administration in Ukraine. Methods of analysis. The research uses general scientific and special methods of scientific knowledge. The purpose and tasks of the research include analysis and synthesis of information, comparison of foreign approaches to understanding public participation and its mechanisms, as well as formulation of the author's conclusions on specific issues, recommendations for theoretical and practical use. The results. The theoretical and practical aspects of ensuring the effectiveness of citizens' participation in public administration are analyzed. The standards in this area, the best foreign approaches and practices, and promising directions for the development of participatory democracy in Ukraine are outlined. Prospects for further research. The findings contained in this study can be applied during the improvement of national legislation and the implementation of regulatory provisions on effective public influence on public administration. In the future, it would be appropriate to pay attention to the peculiarities of ensuring the functioning of the mechanisms of citizen participation in the management of state affairs in other countries, in particular in Asian countries, Canada, the USA, etc.

Designing a platform-based model of civic participation within the smart-city concept for post-war Ukrainian cities

The object of research is the concept of a smart city. The study considered the problem of interaction between local authorities and citizens in a smart city based on a platform approach. It was determined that the human-centric concept of a smart city involves representing the functions of the city government in the form of specific public services, the purpose of which is to satisfy the needs of citizens. Public participation and active citizenship are recognized as a key component of smart city development. The mechanisms of public participation in the smart city include information, consultations, discussions, public control of finances and joint funds. Multiple digital communication channels, including social networks, instant messengers, websites, e-mail, and various platforms for citizen appeals, could be used simultaneously to communicate through these mechanisms. This leads to a decrease in the effectiveness of interaction. As a result, information related to active public participation on official city websites is fragmented and often out of date. The scalable digital platform serves as a single environment for the exchange of information and resources between citizens and authorities and helps reduce the time and resources spent on organizing such communications. An example of the development of a digital service on the blockchain is given, implemented in the Bitbon decentralized information platform of Ukrainian origin. The practical application consists in ensuring broad citizen participation in filling funds and monitoring their financial transparency. The results of the implementation of platforms for the development of smart cities are organizing open data, encouraging stakeholders to participate in city management, developing innovative creativity and open dialog

Engaging stakeholders in collaborative control of air pollution: A tripartite evolutionary game of enterprises, public and government

In the current context of air pollution control, inconsistent interest demands from various stakeholders hinder efficient cooperative governance. This study developed a tripartite evolutionary game model to examine the decision-making mechanism of enterprises, the public, and the governments involved in China’s air pollution control process. Using theoretical and simulation analysis, the study identifies critical factors of stakeholders' strategies and propose possible evolution paths for achieving collaborative air pollution control. The results showed that collaborative governance among the three stakeholders is the optimal path for air pollution control in China, which evolves through four stages: government regulation, enterprises' pollution control, public participation, and government withdrawal. Currently, China is currently in a transitional period from public participation to government withdrawal and should focus on introducing subsidy policies to encourage green technology innovation among enterprises, strengthen environmental information disclosure, and establish and improve public participation mechanisms. In the future, China should prioritize the construction of public participation channels, incentivize green technology innovation, and focus on synergistic effect of carbon emission reduction among enterprises. This will help achieve the possible government withdrawal stage where joint governance of the public and enterprises can effectively control air pollution, allowing the government to shift focus to other important environmental issues such as carbon emission reduction.

Тhe role of civil society in preventing and combating corruption

ANNOTATION. Introduction. Corruption is one of the main problems that hinders the development of a democratic, legal and social state. A high level of corruption in the country makes citizens lose faith in the fairness of the law, experience restrictions on the exercise of their rights and feel helpless in confronting such a legal phenomenon as corruption. Statement of the problem. Over the past 9 years, a lot of decisive actions have been taken to prevent and combat corruption, anti-corruption legislation has been adopted, a number of anti-corruption measures have been improved and implemented, and specialized anti-corruption bodies have been established, but, unfortunately, Ukraine lacks the desire of the state to fully involve the public in anti-corruption activities. Relevance. Today, there are a large number of anti-corruption NGOs in Ukraine, but the effectiveness of their activities and the ability to influence public authorities are limited. Objective. To assess the role of civil society in preventing and combating corruption, to find out the reasons that hinder public participation in anti-corruption activities and the conditions under which such participation is possible. Methods. To achieve the stated research objective, the article uses general scientific (deduction, induction, synthesis, analysis) and special scientific research methods (formal legal and comparative legal). The main results of the study. In order to achieve positive results from public participation in preventing and combating corruption, the state should provide regulatory mechanisms for public participation in anti-corruption activities, as well as introduce measures that encourage citizens to participate and protect their rights as entities implementing corruption prevention measures. Conclusions. Public participation in the formulation and implementation of anti-corruption policy and corruption prevention measures should be recognized as a priority.

An investigation into the effectiveness of public participation mechanisms on service delivery within the Newcastle local municipality

A little over two years ago, from the 9th to the 18th of July 2021, South Africa experienced one of the worst incidents of civil unrest since the beginning of its democratic dispensation. Although the main catalyst for this unrest was not directly issues of service delivery or public participation, many observers, experts or not could not help but see the connection to issues of poverty, unemployment and overall lack of service delivery. Public participation has long been established as a vital tool in the hands of the government for efficient service delivery & development. The Newcastle Local Municipality (NLM) as an institution in South Africa, is governed by numerous public participation legislation which essentially states it must always consult & involve all its citizens on all issues that affect the community at large. Despite its adherence to these stipulations, this brief study, through a qualitative inquiry making use of an interview schedule, finds that NLM practices a type of participation strategy known as “Degrees of tokenism” where the result is the appeasement and placation of the masses as opposed to true participation that gives the masses real power. The results indicated that the officials entrusted with ensuring the implementation of the public participation mandate faced numerous challenges that rendered their stellar efforts inefficient. Issues such as a lack of understanding of the fundamental importance of good governance and public participation led to a shortage of resources and increased apathy toward municipal affairs. In investigating the nature of the public participation framework in NLM the researcher aimed at providing more insight into the complex issues at play responsible for the largely concerning state of local government in South Africa, thus possibly providing solutions in the process.

Good Governance within Public Participation and National Audit for Reducing Corruption

The globalization process and acceptance of a new paradigm for world development aimed at attaining sustainable development require extending the concept of good governance, which allows the improvement of institutional quality. At the same time, governance performance depends on corruption and public participation in national audits. The paper aimed to analyze the impact of public participation in national audits on corruption governance. The object of investigation was 30 Chinese provinces for 2008–2017. The study applied a regression model with the preventive, exposed, and defensive functions of audits. The findings showed that the “governance view” of the audit is the root cause of the audit. In addition, the “immune system” function of national audits has an inhibitory effect on corruption, among which the deterrent effect of the defense function is the most-influential. The influence of public participation in national audits on corruption governance is mainly reflected in the deterrence and resistance function of national audits. The paper contributes to audit theory by incorporating the public participation mechanism, improving the governance path of “national audit—public participation—corruption governance”. It allows improving the national audit “immune system” function by considering the democratic connotation of decision-making and developing a good governance environment.

Economic resilience assessment and policy interaction of coal resource oriented cities for the low carbon economy based on AI

This study aims to evaluate the economic growth of coal-resource-oriented cities under Low-Carbon (LC) economic growth. The public participation mechanisms are promoted, and the vitality of the economic market of resource-oriented cities is enhanced by increasing the intervention of government policies. Firstly, the context of the coal-resource-oriented cities and LC economy are analysed. Secondly, an economic resilience assessment system for coal-resource-oriented cities is established, characterized by traditional and high-tech industries through the analysis of the condition of resource-oriented cities. Finally, in the process of optimizing and managing the economic structure, the assessment of the LC evolution path of resource-oriented cities is strengthened through the extensive participation of the general public. The results show that the economic resilience level of coal-resource-oriented and traditional cities fluctuates and increases from 2011 to 2021. In 2011, the economic resilience index of traditional cities and coal-resource-oriented cities was 0.11and 0.22. By 2021, traditional cities’ and coal-resource-oriented cities’ economic resilience assessment stability was 0.527 and 0.562. This study has pivotal reference value for promoting urban resource management and economic efficiency.

Discussion on Mechanism of Public Participation in Community Governance

With the development of innovative social governance models, the grassroots social governance model led by the government is transforming into a new governance model with the participation of multiple subjects. In practice, it is necessary to bring into play the importance of multi-subject participation in community governance (CG), including community party organizations, street offices, social organizations, and residents. The pluralistic subjects have the problems of imperfect development of community party organizations, unclear legal status of street offices, inadequate development of social organizations, and low enthusiasm of resident participation. Therefore, in the process of participating in the CG mechanism, there are problems such as lack of effective communication horizontally and lack of smooth channels vertically. Multiple subjects should communicate closely to effectively break through the horizontal barriers and actively participate in the governance system to smoothly run through the vertical channel. These play crucial roles in the participation of multiple subjects in CG.

РОЛЬ УЧАСТИЯ НАСЕЛЕНИЯ В УПРАВЛЕНИИ ДЕЛАМИ ГОСУДАРСТВА НА СОВРЕМЕННОМ ЭТАПЕ: АНАЛИЗ ОСНОВНЫХ КОНЦЕПТУАЛЬНЫХ ПОДХОДОВ

The article analyzes modern conceptual approaches that justify the need to expand the participation of the population in the management of state affairs. The author systematizes the reasons for the appearance of these concepts: the strengthening of the information type of society, changes in the nature of power, challenges to the state as a political institution, the crisis of representative democracy institutions. The modern models of public administration and the approaches proposed in them to the practical application of the mechanisms of public participation in the management of state affairs are generalized. The author notes the validity of the need for further development of these mechanisms and its risks associated, including, with the very conceptual approaches to the participation of the population in the management of state affairs, as well as the unresolved individual issues that they have.

Land Consolidation in Rural China: Historical Stages, Typical Modes, and Improvement Paths

Land consolidation is an important means to optimize land-use structure and improve the level of intensive and economical use of land, and it is also a critical measure to coordinate economic and social development and promote cultivated-land protection. Therefore, the scientific advancement of land consolidation is of great significance to comprehensively promote rural revitalization and build a modern agricultural power. In this study, we explore the history of rural China’s land consolidation since 1949 and divide it into five stages: start-up stage (1949–1977), exploration stage (1978–1997), rapid development stage (1998–2007), quality improvement stage (2008–2018) and comprehensive consolidation stage (2019 to present). In different stages, there are obvious differences in national policy orientation on land consolidation. The differences in organization and implementation entities determine that government-led land consolidation, enterprise-driven land consolidation and villager-initiated land consolidation are the three main modes of rural land consolidation in China. To overcome the problems existing in current rural development and boost rural and agricultural modernization, it is urgent to adhere to planning-led and ecological priorities, build a diversified input pattern, innovate the public participation mechanism and strengthen full-process supervision, scientifically promoting the whole-region comprehensive land consolidation in rural China.

Study on Factors Influencing Public Participation in River and Lake Governance in the Context of the River Chief System—Based on the Integrated Model of TPB-NAM

Public participation in the context of the river chief system is not only beneficial for long-term river and lake governance (RLG), but it also is an important supplement to the existing governance mode led by the government. On the basis of the integrated model of TPB-NAM, this paper discusses the influencing factors and driving mechanisms of public participation in river and lake governance in the context of the river chief system from aspects of self-interest and altruism. Through the investigation of residents, 508 sample data points were obtained and analyzed by the structural equation model (SEM). The results were as follows: (1) the explanatory power of the TPB-NAM model (R2 = 60.7%) was superior to that of the extended TPB model (R2 = 60.0%) and NAM model (R2 = 50.0%). (2) From the perspective of individual rationality, the intention for public participation in RLG had a significant positive influence on behavior, and behavior attitudes and subjective norms could predict their intentions. However, the roles were different; from the perspective of social rationality, awareness of negative consequences could actively affect positive personal norms through the ascription of responsibility, and positive personal norms could promote public participation in RLG. (3) Government norms were another important factor driving public participating in RLG. The results are of great theoretical significance for further exploring the public intention and behavior related to participation in RLG.

Who will benefit from extended budget participation? An empirical analysis of South Korean participatory budgeting practices

IMPACT Local governments around the world have implemented various budget participation mechanisms to overcome the drawbacks of representative-directed budget allocation by allowing the public to participate directly in the budget process. How far these budget participation mechanisms influence budget allocation decisions and produce the desired financial outcomes is still under debate. This article explains South Korean local government budget participation practices and reveals that adopting public budget participation mechanisms with greater citizen empowerment and inclusiveness increases expenditures that benefit the majority at the expense of special interest groups. The authors’ findings will be helpful for local government managers and policy-makers who are considering adopting budget participation mechanisms.

Collaborative Governance and Project Community Stakeholding in Developing Countries’ Infrastructural Governance: Lessons from Nigeria’s Experiential Knowledge

This study exhibits a departure from the existing “traditional” collaborative research agenda which emphasises rationalisation and efficiency by looking at the dynamics of collaborative governance hinged on shared governance, public accountability and stakeholders’ interests. Participants were drawn from different groups and sub-groups in communities where PPP infrastructural projects are located using both probabilistic and non-probabilistic techniques. Data were gathered and analysed through a blend of qualitative and quantitative methods. Based on the analysis, there were theoretical propositions that emerged from this study: (1) Community engagement is sacrosanct to the survival of any project located within the territorial space of the local community (2.) There was no evidence to suggest that the conventional public participation mechanisms had any positive impact on community groups’ suspicions and lack of trust in the handlers of a project. Hence, the study found a parasitic relationship between the host communities, project owners and project handlers. The study, therefore, recommends that policymakers in developing countries should entrench an endearing stakeholders’ policy that recognises and empowers the host communities for effective engagement in government’s collaborative arrangements with the private sector for infrastructural development in line with what is obtainable in the developed nations. Keywords: Collaborative Governance, Community Stake-holding, Community Exclusion, Public-private Partnership (PPP)

Collaborative Governance and Project Community Stakeholding in Developing Countries’ Infrastructural Governance

This study exhibits a departure from the existing “traditional” collaborative research agenda which emphasises rationalisation and efficiency by looking at the dynamics of collaborative governance hinged on shared governance, public accountability and stakeholders’ interests. Participants were drawn from different groups and sub-groups in communities where PPP infrastructural projects are located using both probabilistic and non-probabilistic techniques. Data were gathered and analysed through a blend of qualitative and quantitative methods. Based on the analysis, there were theoretical propositions that emerged from this study: (1) Community engagement is sacrosanct to the survival of any project located within the territorial space of the local community (2.) There was no evidence to suggest that the conventional public participation mechanisms had any positive impact on community groups’ suspicions and lack of trust in the handlers of a project. Hence, the study found a parasitic relationship between the host communities, project owners and project handlers. The study, therefore, recommends that policymakers in developing countries should entrench an endearing stakeholders’ policy that recognises and empowers the host communities for effective engagement in government’s collaborative arrangements with the private sector for infrastructural development in line with what is obtainable in the developed nations. Keywords: Collaborative Governance, Community Stake-holding, Community Exclusion, Public-private Partnership (PPP)

Optimization of Public Participation Space in the State Budget Preparation Cycle

One of the arts in budgeting is finding a balance between ideal conditions and government decisions. Public participation is expected to be able to provide a solution to this dilemma. Public involvement in the preparation of the APBN in Indonesia is still relatively stagnant..  The constrain is that there is no mechanism for the public to channel feedback in the formulation of the Budget process. Therefore, this research is to identify a weak Indonesian OBI score and recommendation. By using qualitative methods, especially considering the institutions and business processes, the author formulates a mechanism in the framework of the Budget preparation cycle. The result of the study is that there are two mechanisms for public participation. The first mechanism is public participation in conjunction with the process of formulation of the APBN.  It will fulfill the requirements of the OBI formalities, although it has limited time to accommodate follow-up actions. The second mechanism is public participation as a part of the performance budget and the policy evaluation process.  It will start from the stipulation of the budget bill in the previous year until the beginning of the formulation of the Budget process.  The benefit is the government easily accommodated the follow-up action in budget priorities. Both alternatives require regulatory improvements both in terms of business processes and institutions.