Using Independent Scientific Review to Strengthen Public Participation in Environmental Decision-Making in the Pacific Rim (2001)

Scott McCreary presented at the Third Conference on Participatory Design and Planning for the Pacific Rim Ching-Be, Matzu Island, Taiwan, May 28-30, 2001. This publication in the conference proceedings discusses how the rapid pace of economic growth and urbanization in the Pacific Rim has led to a growing strain upon ecological and cultural resources. As governments and members of the public attempt to address this dynamic, they must search for new decision-making tools that serve to decrease the stress upon the resource base and reduce the conflicts among the affected stakeholders. Governments in nations such as Taiwan and Japan have recently created new processes for environmental decision-making, many of which include a public participation component. This paper argues that a public participation component should create an open forum for the introduction, clarification, discussion and accessibility of all of the most current and legitimate resource-related information. To purchase this publication, please visit our publications page.