Uncovering the Environment: The Use of Public Access to Environmental Information

该项目审查提供获取环境信息的政策是否成功地吸引了公众，并实现了预期的环境效益。对统计数据、问卷和访谈的分析将显示获取这些信息的权利是如何被使用的。这些调查结果将放在他们的背景下，看看获取信息是否对公众参与和环境监管的实质性结果产生影响。近几十年来，获取公共当局持有的信息的权利一直是治理变化的一个主要特征。与此相平行的是确立了一项具体的公众获取环境信息的权利。除了扩大信息自由的原因(寻求更大的公开性和透明度，加强审查和问责，鼓励公众信任和参与政府程序)之外，这还受到加强环境保护的愿望的推动，“[r]认识到，在环境领域，改善信息的获取和公众对决策的参与，提高了决策的质量和执行，有助于提高公众对环境问题的认识，使公众有机会表达其关切，并使公共当局能够适当考虑到这些关切”(《奥胡斯公约》)。在国际、欧盟和国家各级有单独的法律，确保获得环境信息的权利，这与更广泛的信息自由立法不同。此外，关于联合王国的环境信息，重点是使公众可以在可公开查阅的登记册上获得数据，而不是简单地授权公众对公共当局持有的信息提出具体要求。该项目将评估获取环境信息的影响，审查获取权在实践中是如何使用的，以及在多大程度上实现了上述目标。这将通过审查权利使用的规模和性质，研究谁在寻求信息，正在寻求什么样的信息以及正在对其进行什么用途，并收集信息持有者、信息使用者和受信息影响者的经验来实现。这将通过收集关于信息请求和主动传播的信息使用情况的数据，通过与持有和获取信息的人以及与受利用所获得的知识影响的监管机构进行研究来实现。该项目将把重点放在苏格兰，那里提供了一个广阔、多样但可管理的研究领域，研究人员与主要公共机构进行了强有力的合作，并拥有专业知识，将研究结果纳入环境辩论、冲突和政策的更广泛背景下。这项研究将使那些关注环境问题和信息自由的人受益。公众(包括政治家、媒体和非政府组织)将更好地了解信息权的实际和潜在用途，并看到有效利用信息权在政策、程序和实质性决策方面影响和审查政府的例子。掌握环境信息的公共当局将了解获取权是如何被使用的，告知其处理请求的程序和关于应主动公布哪些信息的政策。可以从减轻履行法律要求的负担以及如何使治理进程更有效率和效力方面获得洞察力。对于苏格兰信息专员和其他负责监督公众获取信息的人来说，了解谁在寻求什么信息并以何种方式使用这些信息，将使他们能够为公众和公共当局成员提供量身定制的建议和支持，从而使所有相关各方受益。

This project examines whether the policy of providing access to environmental information has successfully engaged the public and achieved the intended environmental benefits. Analysis of statistical data, questionnaires and interviews will show how the right to access this information is being used. The findings will be placed in their context to see whether access to information is making a difference to public participation and substantive outcomes in environmental regulation.The right to access information held by public authorities has been a major feature in changes to governance in recent decades. Parallel to this has been the establishment of a specific public right of access to environmental information. In addition to the reasons for wider freedom of information (seeking greater openness and transparency, increasing scrutiny and accountability, encouraging public trust and participation in governmental procedures) this has been driven by a desire to enhance environmental protection, "[r]ecognizing that, in the field of the environment, improved access to information and public participation in decision-making enhance the quality and the implementation of decisions, contribute to public awareness of environmental issues, give the public the opportunity to express its concerns and enable public authorities to take due account of such concerns" (Aarhus Convention). There are separate laws at international, EU and national levels ensuring the right of access to environmental information, distinct from wider freedom of information legislation. Moreover, for environmental information in the UK, emphasis was placed on making data available on publicly accessible registers rather than simply entitling members of the public to make specific requests for information held by public authorities. This project will evaluate the impact of access to environmental information by examining how the right of access is being used in practice and how far the objectives noted above are being satisfied. This will be achieved by examining the scale and nature of the use of the right, studying who is seeking information, what sort of information is being sought and what use is being made of it and gathering the experiences of those holding information, those using it and those affected by it. This will be achieved by gathering data on requests for information and on usage of the information which is proactively disseminated, through research with those holding and obtaining information, as well as with regulatory bodies affected by the deployment of the knowledge obtained. The project will focus on Scotland which provides a large, varied but manageable study area where the researchers have strong collaboration with the key public bodies and the expertise to put findings into the wider context of environmental debates, conflicts and policies.This research will benefit those concerned with environmental matters and freedom of information. Members of the public (including politicians, the media and NGOs) will gain a better understanding of the actual and potential use of information rights and see examples of their effective use to influence and scrutinise government, on policy, procedure and substantive decisions. Public authorities holding environmental information will gain an awareness of how the right of access is being used, informing their procedures for handling requests and their policies on what information should be published pro-actively. Insight can be gained into easing the burdens of fulfilling the legal requirements and how the governance processes can be made more efficient and effective. For the Scottish Information Commissioner and others charged with oversight of public access to information, the understanding of who is seeking what information and using it in what ways will enable them to tailor their advice and support, for members of the public and public authorities, in order to benefit all concerned.