Public participation in the context of MPAs: state of the art of the analysis of MPAs' official websites

Presentation fo the state of the art of the analysis on focusing on 'official' websites on MPAs in order to analyze how states/countries in the EU and contiguous seas deal with public participation in the context of marine protected areas (MPAs), in light of the international standards provided by the Aarhus Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (UNECE, 1998). The rationale behind the study is the role that the Aarhus Convention has gained at international level, being recognized as a benchmark for environmental good governance at the global level, and the fact that the Convention provisions represent a legal minimum standard for public participation in environmental matters in the EU. Also Recommendations on a more effective use of information and communications technologies (ICTs) to provide public access to environmental information and promote public participation (e.g. ECE/MP.PP/2005/2/Add.4) makes it interesting to look at MPA websites.