For a National Environmental Action Plan (NEAP) to be considered realistic and feasible, the participation of the general public is seen as central. Public participation can take make forms from general public information campaigns to more direct involvement in environmental management programmes. Monitoring the year by year increase in public participation, the increased involvement, new methods of participation, identifying obstacles to participation, all help to promote a public awareness of environmental problems and encourage local activity and action towards addressing environmental problems.
In principle, the goal of public participation is to give each and every member of society the opportunity to participate. Local decision-making processes should generally allow for direct participation by the public, and other decision-making processes should also do so as far as this is feasible.
There is growing recognition that national environmental policies are more likely to be effectively implemented if they are supported by an informed and involved public. Environmental awareness and education programmes are expanding almost everywhere, while indigenous knowledge receives greater recognition and is increasingly used. Environmental information systems are still weak.