Public Participation In Environmental Impact Assessment: Problems And Solutions

In recent years, environmental group events happened frequently, and showed a growing trend. From PX event in Xiamen to Shifang event in Sichuan, and then to Zhenhai PX event in Ningbo, Qidong event in Jiangsu and PX event in Kunming. Environmental risks hidden social risks, and the improper processing of environmental group events hidden social crisis. How to reduce the adverse environmental impact, prevention and control of social risk has become an important issue to be solved in front of people.With the awakening of civic consciousness and the social development, the public as stakeholders in environmental protection, their opinions and attitudes in the process of environmental impact assessment are increasing attention, public participation has become an important part in environmental impact assessment. The effectiveness of public participation determines the quality and effectiveness of environmental impact assessment. Therefore, in practice, it is necessary to protect the rights of public participation in environmental impact assessment.This paper reviews the related theories and background of environmental impact and public participation, and clarifies the relevant concepts, and combined with the case of PX event in Kunming. Then summary the characteristics of public participation in environmental impact assessment according to the case of PX event in Kunming, and analysis the status quo and existing problems of China’s environmental impact assessment, then analysis the reasons for the lack of effectiveness of public participation. Finally, explore the path selection of promoting the public participation in environmental impact assessment based on the reality of our country, and use the experience of other countries for reference, then put forward counter measures and suggestions to improve public participation in environmental impact assessment system from the aspects of government, the public and social organizations.