Judiciary as an instrument of environmental public participation: Models and instruments of judicial and quasi-judicial participation in comparative law

The clean, safe, and sustainable environment in which we live profoundly impacts our lives, enhancing their quality and contributing to their aesthetic value. Conversely, environmental degradation and pollution undermine our ability to lead healthy lives. A clean, safe, and sustainable environment should not be viewed as a mere luxury but rather as an essential aspect of human existence. Environmental issues are intrinsically linked to fundamental human rights, freedoms, and our very survival. Consequently, ensuring public participation in environmental matters is of paramount importance. This thesis explores the role of public involvement in environmental issues, emphasizing how such participation can be facilitated through judicial and semi-judicial mechanisms, with a particular focus on the judiciary as an instrument for promoting environmental public participation. In this regard, the thesis classifies and examines judicial and semi-judicial models of environmental public participation that share certain common characteristics. Finally, the thesis evaluates the effectiveness of public participation in environmental matters, as well as the impact of the judicial and semi-judicial models explored. Based on these evaluations, recommendations are presented for countries seeking to enhance environmental public participation within their legal frameworks through the adoption of judicial and semi-judicial models of participation.