Abstract
Public participation in the environmental decision-making process is a critical component of the legal mechanism for environmental protection. This book offers an overview of international principles, legal instruments and mechanisms promoting public participation with a specific focus on the environmental impact assessment (EIA) procedure. It analyses the EU and Chinese legal frameworks and practices, by highlighting the strengths and weaknesses. This book focuses on the practical issues and lessons learned and sets out practices in public participation exercises at the national (for the EU, Italy and Sweden) and the local level (for China, Shandong and Yunnan) to complement the broader legal framework.