This paper addresses the public participation in environmental decision-making as environmental human rights, devoting most the discussion to the Aarhus Convention, which was concluded in 1998 by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. Public participation in decision-making is the second pillar of the Convention, which is found in articles 6, 7 and 8 of the Convention.
Article 6 concerns public participation in decision-making by public authorites on whether to permit or license specific activities.
Article 7 covers public participation with respect to plans, programmes and policies.
Articel 8 sets out the public participation during the preparation of executive regulations and/or generally applicable legally binding normative instruments.
The following categories of public participation are especially in this paper pointed out;
-The public must be informed, early in the environmental decision-making procedure
- The procedural time-frames must allow for genuine public participation.
- The final decision to authorise the activity must take due account of the outcome of the public participation.
- The public must take part in the procedures concerning plans, programmes and policies relating to the Environment.
- Public participation must be ensured also in the preparation of environmental policies as well as standards and legislation that may have a significant effect on the environment.
Finally, the paper compare current Korean Administratve Procedure Act with emerging international trends such as the Arhus Convention.