Participatory local environmental management: institutional mechanisms, communication instruments and empowering medium
Participatory local environmental management: institutional mechanisms, communication instruments and empowering medium

Summary/Abstract: During last 20 years Latvia has undergone numerous reforms in the public sector including: setting up of environmental sector, administrative territorial reforms, becoming EU member and others. Decentralization of environmental responsibilities towards local level in early 1990s was replaced by centralized planning during EU accession period, now we experience return to the controlled decentralization in environmental sector. Many municipal administrations who were facing persistent shortage of resources and knowledge had chosen minimalist approach – limited their activities to formal legal compliance and did not invested in development of local environmental capacity. However there are few forerunners bringing in various innovations to support local development through new governance solutions based on collaboration between stake-holders and community involvement. The article aims out at characterising external driving forces and finding internal (municipal) factors what influence environmentl management at local level turing it towards more participatory and collaborative way of local governance. Environmental communication, what is comprised of information, education, participation and environmentally friendly behaviour as four key components, uncontested is a policy instrument remarkably needed for developing public environmental awareness – a key precondition for sustainable development. But this is also an instrument to ensure better environmental considerations integration into decision–making in municipal administration and in its relations with local society. This is recognized by public administrations, which are extending use of communication tools beyond the scope of planning process and limitations set by the formal public participation methods defined in the laws. Building on 30 case studies explored with a set of qualitative research methods, this article reveals diversity of communication practices present in the Latvian municipalities, covering internal and external dimensions of organizational communication. Institutional mechanisms for collaborative decision making used complementary with communication instruments in the empowering local circumstances or medium are providing opportunities for wide stake– holders dialogue and prove to be significant factors for supporting participatory local environmental management.

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