PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AS IMPORTANT TOOL TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

This paper will present basic concepts of Public Participation as an important instrument for sustainable development. Modern democratic life requires an active role from the population and needs participation from members of the community. Participation transforms the democratic system, creating a permanent connection between the governed and those who govern. Public participation in decisions about development is an important tool to achieve possible solutions which promotes sustainable development. The challenge of a development pattern striving to harmonize economics with social and environmental needs requires active citizen participation in public issues. The concept of democracy is connected to the idea of public participation because it allows government actions to become transparent and effective by avoiding corrupt behaviors. In order to build a participatory democracy, it is necessary to provide citizens with an institutional framework that will allow for effective participation in public issues. Numerous international documents have expressed the importance of public participation and the need to institutionalize it to move towards sustainable development. Facilitating the acces to information by spreading using most important instruments of communication encourage public awareness and participation to the decision making process. States shall provide an effective access to judicial and administrative proceedings, including redress and remedy. The main arguments in this paper, stress the fact that for an effective way of public participation it’s important to ensure the access to the decision making process, to the public information and to the justice.