Účast veřejnosti na rozhodovacích procesech v rámci ochrany životního prostředí – obecný rozbor institutu

Public participation in decision-making processes is an important tool for environmental protection, whether we look at it from the point of view of everyone’s right to a favourable environment or as a separate value that needs to be protected for itself. Despite its recognition at the international level, obligations arising for the Czech Republic from the Aarhus Convention and EU law and a number of benefits that come with it, the possibilities of the members of the public in the Czech Republic to participate in environmental decision-making has been significantly reduced in recent years. The reason seems to be, among other things, insufficient awareness or underestimation of the benefits of this institute. The article therefore focuses on summarizing the benefits associated with public participation in decision-making, the risks to be avoided and the typology of forms of public participation and that in order to contribute to a deeper understanding of this institute.