Database Marcons - Public participation in the context of MPAs: an analysis of official websites on MPAs in light of the Aarhus Convention standards

The purpose of the questionnaire was 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 questionnaire 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. The questionnaire consists of a desktop review, focusing on 'official' websites on MPAs. The final goal was to investigate how the participatory approach, promoted by the Aarhus Convention, is effectively implemented by States in the context of MPAs and the role played by different entities at various government levels, in each country. The database include all the results of the questionnaire.

Elaborazione di una banca dati contenente i dati emersi dall'analisi dei questionari che consente la lettura dei risultati secondo diverse chiavi di lettura.