scholarly journals Application of the watershed sustainability index in the Piranhas-Açu watershed

Water Policy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 622-640
Author(s):  
D. D. Costa e Silva ◽  
H. M. L. Chaves ◽  
W. F. Curi ◽  
J. G. V. Baracuhy ◽  
T. P. S. Cunha
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Public Participation ◽  
Analysis Method ◽  
Resources Management ◽  
The Public ◽  
Sustainability Index ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
Semi Arid Region ◽  
Brazilian Northeast

Abstract The current worldwide water resources issue is one of the crucial matters to overcome obstacles to sustainable development. This problem, formerly tackled in a sectored manner, is now pointing towards an analysis directed to treating the watershed as a management unit, with regards to all dimensions of knowledge and, especially, to the public participation in the decision-making processes. As an alternative to measure its performance, it has been sought out to develop indexes aimed to measure its sustainability, but there is still a lack of the use of composed efficient methodologies that also enable public participation in decision-making. This research presents a methodology comprising 15 indexes for the calculation of the Watershed Sustainability Index (WSI), followed by the application of the PROMETHEE multi-criteria analysis method and the COPELAND multi-decision-maker method. The methodology was applied to evaluate the performance of subwatersheds of the Piranhas-Açu watershed, located in the Brazilian northeast semi-arid region. The performance ordering, obtained through the application of the methods, emphasizes that subwatersheds' performances are uneven. It can be noticed that the subwatersheds' performances are still far from ideal in relation to water resources management, even in the ones that displayed satisfactory index levels.

scholarly journals The Role of Public Participation in Governance towards Achieving Sustainable Development. Part 1

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 395-404
Author(s):  
Maurice S. Nyarangaa ◽  
Chen Hao ◽  
Duncan O. Hongo
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Public Participation ◽  
Good Governance ◽  
Policy Formulation ◽  
Government Officials ◽  
Political Class ◽  
The Public ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
The Government

Public participation aimed at improving the effectiveness of governance by involving citizens in governance policy formulation and decision-making processes. It was designed to promote transparency, accountability and effectiveness of any modern government. Although Kenya has legally adopted public participation in day-to-day government activities, challenges still cripple its effectiveness as documented by several scholars. Instead of reducing conflicts between the government and the public, it has heightened witnessing so many petitions of government missing on priorities in terms of development and government policies. Results show that participation weakly relates with governance hence frictions sustainable development. Theoretically, public participation influences governance efficiency and development, directly and indirectly, thus sustainable development policy and implementation depends on Public participation and good governance. However, an effective public participation in governance is has been fractioned by the government. Instead of being a promoter/sponsor of public participation, the government of Kenya has failed to put structures that would spur participation of citizens in policy making and other days to activities. This has brought about wrong priority setting and misappropriation of public resources; The government officials and political class interference ultimately limit public opinion and input effects on decision-making and policy formulation, which might be an inner factor determining the failure of public participation in Kenya. The study suggests the need for strengthening public participation by establishing an independent institution to preside over public participation processes.

scholarly journals Assessment of public participation in local planning & decision-making. A case study from Albania

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 84-94
Author(s):  
Mirjam Dibra ◽  
Dea Strica
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Public Participation ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Local Planning ◽  
The Public ◽  
Local Decision ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
Planning Decision ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Local Decision Making

The public participation (PP) is widely legitimised as a vital prerequisite to achieve sustainable development and as a basic principle of democracy. Under the conditions of the new territorial administrative-territorial division of local government units in the Republic of Albania, the Malesia e Madhe (MM) Municipality is a new one. The purpose of this study was the assessment of attitudes of the local community of areas under the administration of MM Municipality on PP in local planning and decision-making in order to influence future behaviours of the local community to take active part in local decision-making processes. The questionnaire was used as a research instrument for the local community of this Municipality. The research results showed that the local community of this area was generally aware of the need for their involvement in local decision-making, but they considered the municipality as the main responsibility for their involvement in this process. Keywords: Albania, local planning & decision-making, Malesia e Madhe Municipality, public participation.

Building Capacity for Better Water Decision Making through Internet-Based Decision Support Systems

2010 ◽  
pp. 54-80
Author(s):  
Kazimierz A. Salewicz ◽  
Mikiyasu Nakayama ◽  
Carl Bruch
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Public Participation ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Water Resources Systems ◽  
Comprehensive Information ◽  
Operational Policies ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
Types Of Information ◽  
Access To Knowledge

Decision making processes for developing water resources systems infrastructure and operational policies have ceased to be the exclusive domain of just a few, privileged persons making decisions. Now, more and more groups of the society at both the international and national levels are demanding opportunities to participate in decision making, as well as information about potential consequences of policy decisions. In some countries, public participation in the decision making process has been already sanctioned by law, for example through Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), public permitting processes, and notice and comment rulemaking procedures. However, in many developing countries, public participation remains unfulfilled despite growing awareness and pressure exercised by various interest groups. To be effective, public participation – either active or passive (through access to knowledge and information concerning the decisions and their impact) – needs appropriate political and legal regulations, in addition to technical means to disseminate objective, complete, and comprehensive information about nature of the decisions to be made, potential alternatives, feasibility of solutions, impact of the potential decisions, etc. Among plethora of the available methods and means for providing the information to the broad circles of the society, the Internet already plays a special and powerful role. This chapter presents the concepts and notions underlying formal approaches to decision making processes, as well as providing a review of the possibilities offered by the Internet to enable access to various sources and types of information that can directly or indirectly support the decision making processes in complex water resources systems.

The Principle of Participation

2019 ◽  
pp. 129-140
Author(s):  
Henk Addink
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Public Participation ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
The Public ◽  
Active Involvement ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
Collective Process ◽  
Participation Process ◽  
Degree Of Participation ◽  
Number Of Individuals

Participation is the active involvement of a group of individuals in a collective process on actual or intended actions of administrative authorities. Participation can refer to taking part in preliminary arrangements, influencing decision-makers, or taking part in actual decision-making processes. But participation can also be justified from the point of view of a sensible government finding out potential flaws and realizing ownership. The term ‘public participation’ presumes that the initiative and procedures are in the hands of citizens, the participation process is generally managed by public entities. The participation principle can be also about participation as a right, and the question of what consequences are there for the direct and guiding function of the administration. Participation is important under the democratic rule of law as well. Public participation can be motivated by democratic, constitutional, corporatist, or administrative motives. While the distinction between these motives for participation is not always unequivocal, these do offer an indication of the various perspectives—and consequently motives—of the parties involved in public participation. With regards to participation, a distinction can be made between the type and the level of participation achieved, ie form and degree of participation. Forms of participation are popular initiatives, the citizen’s panel, the referendum, and the community level forms. The degree of participation is quantified by using indicators, including the number of individuals, the time invested in and the frequency of participation, the involvement of individuals, the extent of influence on the process with respect to the issues addressed by the public authority and the level of participation that citizens are entitled to. Citizens could play different roles, for example one of co-decision-making, co-producing, counselling, consultation, or of distributing information.

Evaluating the success of public participation in water resources management: five key constituents

Water Policy ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 639-655 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gül Özerol ◽  
Jens Newig
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Public Participation ◽  
Water Resources Management ◽  
Water Policy ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Resources Management ◽  
The Public ◽  
Management Of Resources ◽  
Multi Level

Public participation (PP) is increasingly expected to enhance the effectiveness of water resources management. This is recognized in recent legislation such as the European Union Water Framework Directive. We identify five key constituents that affect the success of PP processes and which can be used as indicators thereof. These comprise: 1) the scope of the participants; 2) communication with the public; 3) capacity building; 4) timing; and 5) financing of participation. They are based on the management of resources—namely time, human and financial resources—and on further aspects that emerge from the utilization of these resources throughout the PP process. Drawing on existing case studies from the European Union and Canada, we demonstrate the applicability of our evaluative scheme. We find severe deficits in the PP cases that can all be attributed to the five key constituents. Although not representative, our analysis points to important challenges for water policy, particularly in the European multi-level context.

Building Capacity for Better Water Decision Making through Internet-Based Decision Support Systems

2011 ◽  
pp. 466-492
Author(s):  
Kazimierz A. Salewicz ◽  
Mikiyasu Nakayama ◽  
Carl Bruch
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Public Participation ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Water Resources Systems ◽  
Comprehensive Information ◽  
Operational Policies ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
Types Of Information ◽  
Access To Knowledge

Decision making processes for developing water resources systems infrastructure and operational policies have ceased to be the exclusive domain of just a few, privileged persons making decisions. Now, more and more groups of the society at both the international and national levels are demanding opportunities to participate in decision making, as well as information about potential consequences of policy decisions. In some countries, public participation in the decision making process has been already sanctioned by law, for example through Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), public permitting processes, and notice and comment rulemaking procedures. However, in many developing countries, public participation remains unfulfilled despite growing awareness and pressure exercised by various interest groups. To be effective, public participation – either active or passive (through access to knowledge and information concerning the decisions and their impact) – needs appropriate political and legal regulations, in addition to technical means to disseminate objective, complete, and comprehensive information about nature of the decisions to be made, potential alternatives, feasibility of solutions, impact of the potential decisions, etc. Among plethora of the available methods and means for providing the information to the broad circles of the society, the Internet already plays a special and powerful role. This chapter presents the concepts and notions underlying formal approaches to decision making processes, as well as providing a review of the possibilities offered by the Internet to enable access to various sources and types of information that can directly or indirectly support the decision making processes in complex water resources systems.

scholarly journals Public Participation in South Africa’s Policy Decision-Making Process: The Mass and the Elite Choices

2016 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-73
Author(s):  
Mokoko Piet Sebola
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Public Participation ◽  
Capital Punishment ◽  
Policy Making ◽  
Policy Decision ◽  
The Public ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
Policy Decision Making ◽  
The Masses ◽  
Academic Discourses

Public participation in policy-making dominates most Development, Political Science and Public Administration academic discourses. The issue of concern is the extent to which governments are able to create structures that allow for public participation of citizens in matters affecting their political and developmental concerns. The success of any government administration is, therefore, measured on the basis of how the citizens participate and contribute to the process of deciding their own political and developmental direction. It is argued that the public participation approach that considers the interests, contributions and needs of citizens in policy decision-making processes is difficult in practice. This article investigates the processes of public participation in public policy-making in South Africa with respect to the Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act 92 of 1996, the Abolition of Capital Punishment policy and the Civil Union Act 17 of 2006. This is done with a view to determine if public participation in policy decision-making is a reflection of the choices of the elite or the masses.

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