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Chapter 4. PUBLIC AWARENESS AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

Introduction

The importance of public participation in the decision-making process for lake and reservoir management cannot be emphasized enough. Public participation means involving, informing and consulting the public in planning, management and other decision-making activities that are part of the political process. It is that part of the process that provides opportunities and encouragement for the public to express their views.

To achieve active public participation in the protection of lakes and reservoirs, a public environmental culture should be promoted through measures, such as the following:

• Raising public awareness of the environment using all forms of education and mass communication.
• Promoting acceptance by the general public of a system of values that recognises the intrinsic value of the environment by environmental education employing both formal and non-formal methods.
• Increasing the sensitivity and involvement of community members in resolving the problems occurring in their environment.

Raising environmental public awareness is the strongest way to build public support for the implementation of environmental action plans. Public awareness and concerns about the quality of the environment have triggered several forms of public participation to protect the environment. Perhaps the most important and common form of participation is through environmental groups.

Free and open public access to information about the environment, in general, and eutrophication, in particular, is a basic step to achieve effective public participation in the decision-making processes.

Everyone wants to drink clean water, breathe clean air, and enjoy the beauty of the landscape. Therefore, they must assume responsibility for the quality of their environment. Because women and young people are too often left out from public policy-making in some societies, it is especially important to engage them in a public environmental culture.

Decisions concerning the protection of lakes and water reservoirs should result from consultation with all parties, and upon approval of the public. Even sophisticated and technical plans cannot succeed if they are not understood and accepted by the community and implemented by joint effort.

Table of Contents

• Brochure
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• International Year of Forests
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• World Environment Day
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• UNEP Campaign
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