Public participation, good environmental governance and fulfilment of environmental rights

Abstract

This article succinctly, albeit critically, assesses with reference to some international developments the role that public participation is expected to play in state governments’ fulfilment of citizens’ environmental rights. Based on a survey of literature and jurisprudence, the article considers substantive environmental rights as human rights and the notion of public participation generally. It also puts forward some ideas on the relation between public participation and the fulfilment of environmental rights and how this may feed into good environmental governance. The article does not aim to contribute to the discourse on good governance or good environmental governance per se. Instead, it introduces the presumed role of public participation processes in an environmental rights context what may be but a facet of good governance and/or good environmental governance. Where applicable, the South African context is employed to illustrate and reinforce the observations and/or viewpoints maintained.