Public Participation In Environmental Protection Research Articles

Wybrane aspekty indywidualnego udziału społeczeństwa w postępowaniach wymagających udziału społeczeństwa

The Polish legislator pays a lot of attention to both the legal aspects of running a business and environmental protection. Against this background, there have been numerous disputes between entrepreneurs and the community. In order to ensure the possibility of public participation in environmental protection, the legislator adopted the Act of 3 October 2008 on the provision of information about the environment and its protection, public participation in environmental protection and environmental impact assessments. It provides for two possibilities for public participation in environmental protection. A well-known form is the participation of citizens’ associations in the form of environmental organizations. From the citizen’s point of view, individual participation is more important, because everyone has the opportunity to take part in administrative proceedings or in the preparation of a document. However, not all provisions have been clearly formulated, which may cause problems in the application of the act.

Punishment or deterrence? Environmental justice construction and corporate equity financing––Evidence from environmental courts

In this study, we explore the impact of the establishment of environmental courts, an environmental justice system, on the cost of equity capital. Based on a quasi-natural experiment of establishing environmental courts in China, we find that they have a deterrent effect and reduce the cost of equity capital for heavily polluting firms in localities. We also find that a low proportion of managerial ownership, a low level of analyst attention, and high environmental uncertainty induce this deterrent effect. Furthermore, mechanism tests indicate that environmental courts enhance corporate environmental engagement and corporate ESG ratings, increase long-term institutional investor ownership, and reduce urban environmental violations to achieve a deterrent effect. The findings are more pronounced for the trial court sample, firms in cities with lower public participation in environmental protection, and firms with lower environmental information transparency. We also suggest the impacts and underlying mechanisms of the environmental justice system on the equity capital market, which is conducive to long-term planning by firm managers.

State and prospects of legal regulation of digitalization of public participation in environmental protection

Current issues of legal support for digitization of public participation in the process of making environmentally significant decisions in Ukraine are explored in the article. The significant potential of digital technologies to ensure environmental security and sustainable social development is emphasized. Digitization of relations in the field of ecology in Ukraine affects the determination of the main directions of the national environmental policy. Post-war recovery and development of the economy will require integration into the plans, programs and other documents of the state planning of the ecological block. This is connected with the restoration of the state. This actualizes scientific research on the legal basis of public participation in strategic environmental assessment and environmental impact assessment procedures.
 Systematic analysis of legal norms, which are the basis of digitalization of strategic environmental assessment and environmental impact assessment, is carried out in the article. The problems of legislative regulation of relations in the specified sphere are defined.
 The author notes the importance of broad public involvement in the process of making ecologically significant decisions, which is a guarantee of balance, and the effectiveness of decision-making and their further coordinated implementation in practice. Positive innovations are indicated. It is necessary to continue work on improving the procedure of strategic environmental assessment and environmental impact assessment, the conclusion is drawn.
 Digitization, as one of the defining trends in the development of human civilization, forms an inclusive society and creates conditions for better management mechanisms, expands public access to the environmental sphere, increases the quality of the environment and the range of public services, expands the ways of cooperation of civil society with subjects of power and business, and also creates opportunities in the implementation of environmental rights and satisfaction of the environmental needs of citizens.

Effect of Environmental Courts on Pollution Abatement: A Spatial Difference-in-Differences Analysis

This paper investigates the impact of environmental courts on pollution abatement at the city level, utilizing the establishment of environmental courts in China as a quasi-experiment. A spatial difference-in-differences model is employed to control for the influence of environmental courts on neighbouring non-pilot cities. The results underscore the effectiveness of environmental courts in reducing industrial pollutant emissions, evident in both the pilot areas and adjacent non-pilot areas. The influence of environmental courts on pollution abatement is more pronounced in cities characterized by stronger environmental regulations, higher level of economic agglomeration, and higher level of openness. Mechanism analysis shows that environmental courts promote environmental supervision by governments, public participation in environmental protection, and expenditure on environmental governance by firms. In summary, this paper unveils the tangible effects of environmental courts on pollution abatement and elucidates the mechanisms underpinning this relationship. These findings provide timely implications for regulators concerned with environmental protection.

Predicament and Breakthroughs: Analysis on the Chinese Public Participation in Environmental Protection in the Era of Free Trade Zones

Predicament and Breakthroughs: Analysis on the Chinese Public Participation in Environmental Protection in the Era of Free Trade Zones

Citizen environmental complaint reporting and air quality improvement: A panel regression analysis in China

Citizen environmental complaint reporting provides a vital mode of public participation in environmental protection, particularly in addressing atmospheric pollution and improving air quality. This study explores the impact of environmental complaint reporting on the improvement of atmospheric environmental quality by employing panel regression and simultaneous equation models. Analyzing panel data from 295 Chinese cities between 2018 and 2020, The results indicate that environmental complaint reporting significantly contributes to the enhancement of atmospheric environmental quality, even after considering endogenous effects. The heterogeneity analysis results suggest that the effectiveness of environmental complaint reporting in improving atmospheric environmental quality is more pronounced in cities with higher levels of air pollution and greater economic development. In addition, the results show a differential impact of environmental complaint reporting in industrial-dominated cities compared to non-industrial cities, emphasizing their effectiveness in improving air quality among areas with more pronounced emission sources. The results of this study provide valuable insights into air pollution control efforts in China and offer important lessons for other countries facing similar challenges.

Актуальные правовые проблемы общественного контроля в сфере охраны окружающей среды

Public participation in environmental protection is a prerequisite for effective environmental policy. Environmental legislation provides for public environmental control. The analysis of federal environmental legislation shows that there are a number of legal problems in the field of public environmental control that need to be eliminated. The main problem is the lack of a unified approach and the need to unify the models of legal regulation of public environmental control in various acts of environmental legislation, which generates legal uncertainties.

Research on Motivational Mechanisms and Pathways for Promoting Public Participation in Environmental Protection Behavior.

Public participation in environmental protection is an essential component of evaluating the effectiveness of ecological and environmental protection. General awareness, social dynamics, and cognitive preferences frequently impact the protection's impact. The aim of this study is to investigate the correlation research on the confluence of mainstream awareness, social factors, and cognitive preferences by building a theoretical model. First, this work employs partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Second, using the mediation model, the research describes and examines the factors that motivate public involvement in ecological and environmental conservation. Third, the research summarizes the suggested path countermeasures to offer practical advice and helpful ecological and environmental protection solutions. The findings demonstrate that mainstream policy leadership substantially impacts environmental conservation. Leadership in policy matters restricts the group's natural awareness of social factors. The subjective quality and competence basis in cognitive preferences are significantly influenced by policy leadership. Policy leadership significantly influences the effectiveness of environmental protection through the mediating factor of cognitive preferences. The ability base has a considerable mediating effect on cognitive preferences.

Integrating the Knowledge and Experiences of Legal Practitioners in the Discourse on Public Participation in Environmental Protection in Nigeria

Integrating the Knowledge and Experiences of Legal Practitioners in the Discourse on Public Participation in Environmental Protection in Nigeria

Can Third-Party Environmental Information Disclosure Promote Firm’s Environmental Innovation?

The Pollution Information Transparency Index (PITI) was developed jointly in 2008 by the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs (IPE) and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Using PITI as a quasi-natural experiment and a sample of China's listed industrial firms from 2005 to 2011, this study explores the impact of third-party environmental information disclosure on firm’s environmental innovation. The results show that the PITI has a positive effect on firms’ environmental innovation and that the positive impact of third-party environmental information disclosure is higher for state-owned than non-state-owned enterprises’ environmental innovation. Slack resources can strengthen the positive relationship between the PITI and firm environmental innovation. However, the moderating effect of industrial pollution levels on this positive relationship is not significant. We find also that cities with higher quality third-party environmental information disclosure have higher levels of environmental innovation. The findings provide implications for policy related to public participation in environmental protection and firms’ sustainable development.

Public Participation in Environmental Protection: Citizen Law Suits in the Indonesian Civil Justice System

This article discusses public participation in the Indonesian civil justice system which aims to protect the interests of the environment. Citizen Law Suit (CLS) as the right to a good and healthy environment as a constitutional right guaranteed by the state. As a right of lawsuit, CLS is filed in a civil court which has the principle of legitimacy standi in yudisio (everyone can be a legitimate party in the trial), as long as they have sufficient legal interest (point d’interet, point d’action (have sufficient legal interest) to file a claim) by proving the argument or posita with evidence. This is different from CLS which does not base its claim on personal interests, but based on interests as citizens who have the right to a good and healthy environment with the claim in the petition that is improvement of government performance on a good and healthy environment The approach method used is a conceptual approach, departing from the idea that social ecological justice (eco-social) is inherent as the right to a good and healthy environment is a citizen’s human right. In the results and discussion shows that a civil justice system that does not recognize al CLS, starting to accept CLS based on the judge’s legal discovery (rechtsvinding) and overriding the point d’interet, point d’action principle.

How does green finance affect green total factor productivity? Evidence from China

While the literature has studied various factors affecting green productivity growth, there is a relative dearth of empirical studies quantitatively analyzing the linkage between green finance development and green productivity. Based on a comprehensive index of green finance development, this research thus employs panel data of 30 China's provinces for the period 2006–2018 to explore the influence of green finance on green total factor productivity, revealing estimation results that green finance development significantly improves the level of green productivity. This beneficial effect tends to be stronger in provinces with higher levels of economic and social conditions, less public participation in environmental protection, and high pollution levels. We also find that implementing a green finance policy can further enhance the impact of green finance development. The empirical results herein offer policy implications to China's green finance planning and environmental policy.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN THE U.S.S.R. DURING THE LATTER 20TH CENTURY

This article considers the evolution of public participation in environmental protection and the “green movement” in the USSR and subsequent legal developments in the later part of 20th century. The article deals with legal history, using the diachronic methods to examine the evolution of public participation in environmental protection under the pressure of the totalitarian regime. The public participation in the USSR is divided into three main historical stages. An overview of the main challenges and achievements of the "green movement” in the USSR during 1950s-1990s is included; as well as causes and consequences of environmental activities in the USSR are highlighted. The three stages of the evolution of public participation in the mid-20th century are as follows: The first stage (up to 1980s) is characterized by the non-politicized activity, usually initiated by students or created by tourist clubs; the second stage (1980s – 1990s) has a special feature that is, liberalization of the political movement; and the third stage (beginning of 1990s) is described by the significant decline of interest in the Nature protection activities, which can be attributed to the unstable political environment at that time.

RECONCILIATION ON THE DECISION ON ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

The subject of this article is the analysis and detailed interpretation of the provisions of the Act of 3 October 2008 on the provision of information about the environment and its protection, public participation in environmental protection and environmental impact assessments (Journal of Laws of 2020, item 283) concerning reconcilation decisions on environmental conditions. The issues discussed in the article are important both from the theoretical and practical point of view. It refers to the continuous development of a specific administrative procedure, which is the “procedure in environmental matters”. The practice of applying the above-mentioned provisions is also important. Environmental impact assessments play a key role in the investment proces.

Współdziałanie z organami administracji publicznej a nadużycie prawa przez organizacje ekologiczne w postępowaniach w sprawie wydania decyzji o środowiskowych uwarunkowaniach

The subject of this article is an attempt to define the planes allowing for cooperation between environmental organizations and public administration bodies in the proceedings aimed at issuing an environmental decision, also from the perspective of the latest amendment to the act of Providing information on the environment and its protection, public participation in environmental protection and environmental impact assessment, granting these organizations a number of rights allowing them to suspend the enforceability of the decision and thus block the entire process investment – so there may be an abuse of the use of the granted procedural rights. An attempt was made to formulate de lege ferenda conclusions, the implementation of which could broaden the area of cooperation of environmental organizations in the proceedings aimed at issuing environmental decisions, while limiting their actions blocking investments.

Discussion on upgrading construction of environmental protection hotline driven by AI technology

Enhancing the public’s awareness of environmental protection is an important measure to achieve the goal of carbon peak and carbon neutrality. This article takes the improvement of public participation in environmental protection as the starting point, discusses the enthusiasm of the public in environmental protection and its legal channels for reporting and complaining of environmental pollution, summarizes the achievements and existing problems of the construction of complaint channels, and proposes to improve environmental protection reports. Channel countermeasures and suggestions, build a reporting channel of environmental protection with temperature through artificial intelligence technology, increase public awareness and willingness to participate, and promote the development of environmental protection.

Barriers to implementing the strictest environmental protection institution: a multi-stakeholder perspective from China.

Increasingly severe environmental issues, especially those in developing countries such as China, drive the evolution of the environmental protection institution (EPI) to its strictest levels. However, the implementation of the strictest EPI still confronts various challenges and barriers, and the multi-stakeholder features of EPI determine these barriers are not independent of one another but rather present complex interactive relationships. This paper identifies the barriers to implementing China's EPI from four aspects of environmental legal, economic, regulatory, and public participation institutions. A variable precision rough DEMATEL approach is proposed to visualize the causal relationships and intensities among barriers from the similarities and differences in perspectives of stakeholders from the government, company, and public levels. The obtained causal interactive mechanism among barriers highlights the need to prioritize the improvement of environmental policy assessment, and the concrete measures in policies or plans should be integrated into legislation to ensure they are mutually supportive early. The non-substantive contributions achieved by China's public participation in environmental protection reveal prejudices that the public is often regarded as a supporter or spectator by both government and company groups, which makes the transparent environmental information disclosure, transfer and feedback into an effective mediation among stakeholders. Comprehensive coordination and feedback mechanisms including source prevention, process control, and severe punishment for consequences while enhancing linkages among stakeholders are put forward to overcome barriers and help implement the strictest EPI.

How Does New Environmental Law Affect Public Environmental Protection Activities in China? Evidence From Structural Equation Model Analysis on Legal Cognition

To investigate the validity of Chinese law enforcement from the public's perspective, this research applies the theory of planned behavior, and introduces law as a moderator variable to explore the determinants of public's environmental behaviors. Results from an empirical study of China indicate that perceived behavioral control, subjective norms, inward attitude, and outward attitude all have positive impacts on environmental intentions and indirectly affect the citizens' environmental behavior and activists' environmental behavior. Meanwhile, legal cognition positively moderates the relationship between environmental intentions and behaviors. As the level of the public's legal awareness increases, the direct effect of these two types of environmental intentions on environmental behaviors respectively continues to increase. Based on the findings, some constructive implications are provided to the governments and legislators to strengthen public participation in environmental protection.

How does new environmental law affect public environmental protection activities in China? Evidence from structural equation model analysis on legal cognition

To investigate the validity of Chinese law enforcement from the public's perspective, this research applies the theory of planned behavior, and introduces law as a moderator variable to explore the determinants of public's environmental behaviors. Results from an empirical study of China indicate that perceived behavioral control, subjective norms, inward attitude, and outward attitude all have positive impacts on environmental intentions and indirectly affect the citizens' environmental behavior and activists' environmental behavior. Meanwhile, legal cognition positively moderates the relationship between environmental intentions and behaviors. As the level of the public's legal awareness increases, the direct effect of these two types of environmental intentions on environmental behaviors respectively continues to increase. Based on the findings, some constructive implications are provided to the governments and legislators to strengthen public participation in environmental protection.

The Construction of a Coal Mine in the Vicinity of a National Park. Selected Environment Protection Aspects

The environment protection legislation form a broadly coherent system of national park protection. An important problem is the need to protect the special natural values of the Polesie National Park in connection with the planned business activities involving the hard coal mining outside the protected area. The most crucial element designed to protect the national park is the need to carry out an environmental impact assessment of the planned project as provided for in the Act on providing information about the environment and its protection, public participation in environmental protection and environmental impact assessments. The analysis of the procedure for issuing decisions on the environmental conditions of the planned project leads to the conclusion that the possibility of obtaining a real effect on its content and the right to appeal against it to the administrative court is conditional on obtaining the right of a party to this proceeding. The National Park Director will be capable to be a party to the proceedings if he demonstrates that the area of the park is within the range of significant impact of the project, which may impose restrictions in the development of the real estate in accordance with its current intended purpose. These conditions are difficult to fulfil under the currently applicable legislation. Two solutions may be proposed for the law as it should stand. First one is granting the director of the national park the right to consult on environmental conditions in the event of possible negative impacts of the planned project on the nature of the national park. The second solution involves the widening of the catalogue of participants to the proceedings on the issuance of a decision on the environmental conditions by adding the director of the national park in case of possible adverse impacts of the planned project on the park’s natural assets.