Sociologické aspekty environmentálneho rozhodovania
Sociological Aspects of Environmental. Decision-Making

Summary/Abstract: Sociological Aspects of Environmental Decision-Making. The paper deals with environmental problems and public participation in the environmental decision-making. The beginnings of the crisis of both the environment and the public life in the seventies started many reforms in the society, which were guided by the reevaluation of the knowledge about the interaction of man and nature. A recent trend has been to ignore the social risks and to concentrate on accumulating the material wealth. Resisting this trend implies changes to the underlying values of society as well as to the founding principles of economic system. Shifts in the behavior and lifestyles of citizens are required for the sake of a sustainable welfare of future generations. This, in turn may require a change in individual values in relation to communities, ownership, responsibility and individual involvement. In a democratic society the citizens are involved in the process of public participation and can influence the decision-making process by exercising their rights. However, in Slovakia, there is a little experience with efficient methods of public participation and mediation, which play an important role in the processes of environmental decision-making all over the Western Europe. Three case studies (hydro-electric power station in Žilina, motorway in Považská Bystrica and quarry Klubina) are introduced to illustrate possible achievements of active public participation in the process of environmental assessment and decision-making. Sociológia 1999 Vol. 31 (No. 2: 175-182)

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