scholarly journals How Do Environmental Concerns and Governance Performance Affect Public Environmental Participation: A Case Study of Waste Sorting in Urban China

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (19) ◽  
pp. 9947
Author(s):  
Hang Yin ◽  
Yixiong Huang ◽  
Kuiming Wang
Keyword(s):  
Public Participation ◽  
Environmental Protection ◽  
Public Engagement ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Urban China ◽  
Environmental Concerns ◽  
Willingness To Participate ◽  
The Government ◽  
Environmental Participation

Environmental pollution threatens public health and has become a social concern in recent years. Despite the conditions for public participation in environmental governance have improved considerably, the level of public engagement in government projects still falls short of expectations. Therefore, this article introduced two key variables, hoping to answer the following research question that how environmental concerns and governance performance affect public environmental participation. Through principal component analysis of the data from the “Survey of Chinese Urban Residents’ Attitudes toward Environmental Protection”, the findings of this article are as follows: First, public environmental concerns have no significant impact on their environmental engagement; second, the improvement of residents’ confidence in the government performance of environmental management reduces their willingness to participate in official projects. The higher the confidence in the government’s performance, the lower the level of public engagement is. Moreover, due to the consideration of self-interest or lack of environmental awareness, those who oppose waste incineration in waste terminal disposal tend to take a non-participatory role in waste sorting programs. Therefore, we suggest that the government have more diverse shareholders in environmental protection, so it should expand public participation through education, publicity, mobilization, and incentives.

Contracts, Choice, and Customer Service: Marketization and Public Engagement in Education

2011 ◽  
Vol 113 (11) ◽  
pp. 2460-2502 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maia Cucchiara ◽  
Eva Gold ◽  
Elaine Simon
Keyword(s):  
School District ◽  
Education Reform ◽  
Public Participation ◽  
Customer Service ◽  
Public Engagement ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Governance Structure ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
New Governance ◽  
Market Models

Background/Context Market models of school reform are having a major impact on school districts across the country. While scholars have examined many aspects of this process, we know far less about the general effects of marketization on public participation in education and local education politics. Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study This article uses an examination of marketization in Philadelphia over a six-year period (2001-7) to explore its implications for public engagement—or the ability of individuals and groups to work with and influence the school district and hold officials accountable. Setting The research was conducted in Philadelphia, the sixth largest city in the country. In 2001, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania took over the School District of Philadelphia, citing on-going fiscal crises and poor student achievement. The resulting reforms included new leadership, new governance structures, and significant privatization. Research Design This is a qualitative case study of school district change in Philadelphia, focusing on the implications for public engagement. Data Collection and Analysis Data included over 50 interviews with education administrators, civic and political elites, and representatives of grassroots and community groups. Data also included six years of participant observation at public meetings and in reform coalitions. Analysis followed a grounded theory approach designed to identify district policies and practices related to public participation and to document how these practices shaped the ability of individuals and groups to engage productively with the district. Findings/Results We find that the marketization of education in Philadelphia had a major impact on the district's institutional structure and practices for interacting with local stakeholders. Our data point to several changes that were particularly consequential in shaping the opportunities for engagement and the direction such engagement took. These are: a corporate governance structure, an emphasis on communication, widespread contracting out for services, an increase in school choice, and a focus on customer service. Conclusions/Recommendations These changes have resulted in channeling of public participation along individual lines at the expense of collective forms of action and, more broadly, undercutting of the understanding of education as a public good. Given the continued influence of market models of education reform at the local and national levels, it will be important for policymakers to pay close attention to the ways by which marketization can limit engagement and to develop strategies, such as increased transparency and new vehicles for public input, to address this tendency.

scholarly journals Research on Public Participation in Recording Intangible Cultural Heritage in Rural Area

2020 ◽  
Vol 86 ◽  
pp. 01014
Author(s):  
Yanling Guo ◽  
Yonghui Wang
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
Public Participation ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Social Economy ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Intangible Cultural Heritage ◽  
Willingness To Participate ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Government

Being an important part of cultural heritage, intangible cultural heritage (hereinafter referred to as “ICH”) needs to be passed down from generation to generation. Seemed as the gene of national cultures, ICH is very important for the development and prosperity of human culture, for the development of social economy and civilization, and for the identity of individuals and ethnic groups. Since the publication of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2003, ICH safeguarding activities have been fully implemented throughout the world. Recording ICH is a basic and important way to safeguard ICH, this way plays an important role and has been widely approved throughout China and other countries. It has been applied in many ICH item safeguarding, such as Nanjing Yunjin, Qinhuai Lantern Festival. As we all know, ICH resources are very rich in China. There are 39 ICH items have been listed in “ the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity”, 1,372 ICH items have been listed in “the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in China”. There are a large number of famous and not famous ICH items scattered in urban areas. To record so many ICH resources, it is not enough to rely on the power of the government. As the creator and inheritor of ICH, the public should play an important role in the safeguarding activities. Attracting the public to participate is a prerequisite of ICH safeguarding. Through questionnaires, interviews and other research methods, this paper introduces the public’s awareness and attitude about recording ICH, and their ability and willingness to participate in ICH safeguarding activities. Based on the current status, It analyzes the advantages of public participation in the protection of ICH , and the disadvantages, opportunities and threats are also analyzed. Based on the international principle of “government-led, public participation”, this paper proposes to construct a “folk-government” model to optimize the quality of recording ICH. To ensure the quality of public participation, it further points out that some measures should be taken, such as strengthen the government leadership to provide necessary support, identifying their advantages and responsibilities of different participants to joint, expanding the participation content and diversifying the participation method. These measures are all aimed at promotion the safeguarding and inheriting the ICH.

scholarly journals Influencing Factors of Public Participation in Meteorological Disaster Prevention and Mitigation

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 3108
Author(s):  
Rongrong Duan ◽  
Jun Liu ◽  
Changkai Wang ◽  
Guo Wei
Keyword(s):  
Public Participation ◽  
Influencing Factors ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Disaster Prevention ◽  
Willingness To Participate ◽  
Meteorological Disaster ◽  
The Government ◽  
Significant Positive Influence

Meteorological disasters have become a global challenge due to the increased prevalence and severity, and China is among the most affected countries. In this paper, based on a randomized survey in China, the authors employed a structural equation model to study the influencing factors of public participation in meteorological disaster prevention and mitigation (MDPM). It is found that the behavior of the government has a significant positive influence, with an influencing coefficient of 0.494 on the public’s willingness to participate in MDPM. The degree of community involvement also has a significant positive influence on the public’s willingness, with an influencing coefficient of 0.636. The public’s attention to meteorological events and ability to participate have less impact on their participation in MDPM, with coefficients of 0.057 and 0.075, respectively. The information acquisition has a significant negative impact, with an influencing coefficient of −0.084. There is a strong positive covariation between community participation and governmental behavior, with a covariance coefficient of 0.27, indicating that the two factors promote each other and together boost the public’s willingness to participate in MDPM.

scholarly journals Corporate Social Responsibility in Cameroon: Practices and Environmental Impact

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1(V)) ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Peter Fofuh ◽  
Olawumi Dele Awolusi
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Environmental Protection ◽  
Social Issues ◽  
Sustainable Growth ◽  
Environmental Concerns ◽  
The Government ◽  
Community Issues ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
Laws And Regulations

The purpose of this study is to examine how CSR is practiced by local businesses and their influence on environmental protection and sustainable growth in Cameroon. Grounded on the stakeholder theory, a multi-method data collection tool was used to collect data for qualitative analysis. A thematic content analysis was approached was used in this study to examine the CSR practices of 20 local businesses in Cameroon. Findings from the study revealed that the concept of corporate social responsibility is relatively new and local corporations are not fully equipped to address the needs of their stakeholders. Also, environmental concerns and community issues were not areas of concern to companies when adopting CSR strategies. Additionally, government intervention to enforce existing laws and regulations on environmental and social issues was lacking. The study implies that by neglecting environmental concerns local businesses are endangering the environment and failing to plan for sustainable growth. Besides expanding knowledge about the level of CSR awareness and practice in Cameroon by exposing the limitations of local companies in adopting CSR and the laxity of the government in enforcing the relevant laws and legislation. It is recommended, that to plan for sustainable development and environmental protection, the government should be more proactive in upholding laws and regulations related to environmental protection and businesses, being more ethical in their daily practices. CSR policies should also be codified to encourage and compel businesses on the need for environmental protection by requesting businesses produce mandatory CSR disclosures.

The Analysis for Public Participation Impacting on Environment Protection

2013 ◽  
Vol 869-870 ◽  
pp. 796-800
Author(s):  
Chen Chen Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Public Participation ◽  
Environmental Protection ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
Environmental Problems ◽  
Social Benefits ◽  
Environment Protection ◽  
Environmental Deterioration ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Government

With the rapid development of economy in our country in recent years, China is facing the grim environmental problems. Only rely on the government and enterprises, which can not reverse the trend of environmental deterioration. This paper expounds the subject, mechanism, level and method of public participation and environment protection, and then realizes the maximization of economic and social benefits of environmental protection.

Community Residents’ Eco-Environment Protection Awareness in the Jiajin Mountains Giant Panda Sanctuary

2012 ◽  
Vol 610-613 ◽  
pp. 3257-3262
Author(s):  
Yue Wei Ma ◽  
Yong Tao Zhao ◽  
He De Gong
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Protection ◽  
Giant Panda ◽  
Scientific Basis ◽  
Environmental Concerns ◽  
Environment Protection ◽  
The Public ◽  
Community Residents ◽  
Community Residence ◽  
The Government ◽  
Community Residences

The public eco-environmental protection awareness is a reflection of social morals standard and an important symbol of modern civilization. It is an important strategic measure to enhance the entire national eco-environmental protection awareness for eco-environmental protection in China. Understand the level of community residences’ eco-environmental awareness can provide the scientific basis and background to carry out good eco-environmental education.This paper utilized the method of questionnaire to investigate community residences’ eco-environmental protection awareness in the Jiajin Mountains Giant Panda Sanctuary. It analyzed the problems existed in the eco-environmental protection awareness of community residence in the Jiajin Mountains Giant Panda Sanctuary and found out the cause of the problem. The results showed that the knowledge awareness for environmental protection, the level of awareness of the eco-environmental concerns, the awareness of participating in eco-environmental protection and the eco-environmental behavior is high. The majority of community residences are lack of the ecology environmental protection laws knowledge. And the government and community are lack of propaganda about the eco-environment protection knowledge and policies. Finally, several measurements for improving community residences’ eco-environmental protection awareness level were proposed to protect the eco-environment.

Open Budgetary Meetings Amid a Pandemic: Assessing Connecticut’s Various Pathways to Public Engagement During COVID-19

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 55-76
Author(s):  
Jodie Gil ◽  
Jonathan L Wharton
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Analysis ◽  
Public Participation ◽  
Public Engagement ◽  
Multiple Perspectives ◽  
Public Meetings ◽  
Open Meeting

This qualitative analysis of public participation in Connecticut open meetings highlights how Connecticut communities adjusted when the state’s open meeting law was temporarily revised under emergency order during COVID-19. A survey of officials in 95 municipalities found a majority had the same or more participation in budget deliberations during that time. Only about a quarter saw decreased public participation. A closer look at four communities highlights specific challenges and successes during the sudden shift in public meetings. Connecticut’s varied forms of government give multiple perspectives, which can provide insight for other communities looking to expand virtual access to open meetings.

A Call for Public Participation in the Treaty-making Process in South Africa: What can South Africa Learn from the Kingdom of Thailand?

2020 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Retselisitsoe Phooko
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Human Rights ◽  
Public Participation ◽  
International Treaty ◽  
Legal Implications ◽  
Future Situation ◽  
Rules Of Procedure ◽  
The Republic ◽  
The Government ◽  
Personal Jurisdiction

On 2 August 2002 South Africa signed the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Protocol on Tribunal and the Rules of Procedure Thereof, thus effectively recognising and accepting the jurisdiction of the SADC Tribunal. Among the cases received by the SADC Tribunal was a complaint involving allegations of human rights violations by the government of Zimbabwe. It ruled that the government of Zimbabwe had violated human rights. Consequently, Zimbabwe mounted a politico-legal challenge against the existence of the Tribunal. This resulted in the review of the role and functions of the Tribunal in 2011 which resulted in the Tribunal being barred from receiving new cases or proceeding with the cases that were already before it. Furthermore, on 18 August 2014, the SADC Summit adopted and signed the 2014 Protocol on the Tribunal in the SADC which disturbingly limits personal jurisdiction by denying individual access to the envisaged Tribunal, thus reducing it to an inter-state judicial forum. This article critically looks at the decision of 18 August 2014, specifically the legal implications of the Republic of South Africa’s signing of the 2014 Protocol outside the permissible procedure contained in article 37 of the SADC Protocol on the Tribunal. It proposes that South Africa should correct this democratic deficit by introducing public participation in treaty-making processes in order to prevent a future situation where the executive unilaterally withdraws from an international treaty that is meant to protect human rights at a regional level. To achieve this, this article makes a comparative study between South Africa and the Kingdom of Thailand to learn of any best practices from the latter.

Flood alleviation in a heavily urbanized area – Kai Tak Nullah, Hong Kong

2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan K. L. Chan ◽  
Colin K. C. Wong ◽  
Robin H. N. Lee ◽  
Mike W. H. Cho
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Public Engagement ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Hydraulic Modelling ◽  
The Public ◽  
Design Considerations ◽  
Urbanized Area ◽  
Development Area ◽  
The Government ◽  
Exercise Design

The existing Kai Tak Nullah flows from Po Kong Village Road along Choi Hung Road and Tung Tau Estate into Kai Tak Development Area before discharging into the Victoria Harbour. Historically its upstream has been subject to flooding under storm conditions and this has had serious repercussions for the adjacent urban areas. A study has been commissioned by the Drainage Services Department of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), China to investigate the flood mechanisms and to provide flood alleviation measures by improving the capacity of the Kai Tak Nullah. In addition to flood alleviation, there is a strong public aspiration to rehabilitate the Kai Tak Nullah by a comparatively natural river design. Since the Kai Tak Nullah is located within a heavily urbanized area, traffic and environmental impacts are also highly concerned. The final flood alleviation scheme has thus had to strike a balance among the aforesaid factors with assistance from the hydraulic modelling utilizing InfoWorks Collection Systems (CS) software. This paper presents the public engagement exercise, design considerations, methodologies, and recommendations regarding the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the Kai Tak Nullah.

Pollution Control – Regulation and Legal Provisions in India

1988 ◽  
Vol 20 (10) ◽  
pp. 57-62
Author(s):  
A. N. Aggarwal ◽  
V. K. Karia
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Protection ◽  
State Government ◽  
Pollution Control ◽  
Regulatory Agencies ◽  
Legal Provisions ◽  
Fiscal Incentives ◽  
Control Regulation ◽  
Regulatory Approach ◽  
Tax Benefits ◽  
The Government

Immediately after independence in 1946, the Government of India resorted to rapid industrialization to minimize outside dependence and to improve the standard of living. This, while helping the country to grow, also created problems of environmental management. Rapid deterioration of natural resources forced the Government to enact a number of legislative measures and create regulatory agencies both at central and state government levels. These agencies were given powers to effectively implement various Acts. Severe penalties, including fines and imprisonment, were envisaged for offenders of environmental Acts. Responsibilities were defined, to avoid a scapegoat approach. On the other hand, to reward industries showing a positive approach to environmental protection, a number of fiscal incentives and tax benefits were also offered. Recently, to provide more comprehensive legislation for the protection of all the components of the environment under a single agency, a new bill entitled the ‘Environmental Protection Bill, 1986' has been introduced in Parliament. This regulatory approach has started to show results, and more and more industries have started to provide pollution control facilities.

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