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The role of the Internet in public participation. The road to e-democracy Paul Andor Farkas Managing Director. The key to e-democracy: collaboration…. Multiple partners are needed for a complete solution. Agencies. NGOs. Other partners.
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The role of the Internet in public participation The road to e-democracy Paul Andor Farkas Managing Director
The key to e-democracy: collaboration… Multiple partners are needed for a complete solution Agencies NGOs Other partners
My experiences in involving the public in environmental decision-making Project Leader - WWF Austria’s Central Danubian Park Program Researcher - Florida State Conflict Resolution Consortium Senior Outreach Specialist/Environmental Planner - URS Corporation Project Manager – InfoLink Project Managing Director – Synthesis-NET LLC
E-democracy in practice Service provided to the public Agencies pool resources & information
Influential factors Political environment Innovation Transparency Technology Budgets Planning Stakeholders Leadership
Overcoming obstacles • Within the bureaucracy • Understand interests • Build coalitions, motivate players • Demonstration projects • Communicate and train • Political level • Lobbying • Explore funding opportunities • External entities • Increase awareness and involvement • Forge partnerships • Address fears
The history of the InfoLink • 1997 - Reflex Environment Protection Society and several local partners launched an environmental information service on the teletext pages of the local cable channel – the InfoLink is born. • 2000 – Supported by the Partnership Foundation, Reflex and several Slovak and Hungarian partner organizations migrated the teletext service to the Internet. • 2001 – The partners expanded the InfoLink portal’s content and functionality through support from the Phare Access 2000 Program. • 2003 – The InfoLink becomes the official environmental information repository of the West Pannon Regional Development Council. • 2004 – The North Hungarian Regional Environmental Authorities secure support from the Phare CBC Program to expand the InfoLink into Austria. • 2005 – Several firms sign collaborative agreements with the growing list of InfoLink partners (Pannon-Víz, Philips, Kommszol, stb.)
The goals of the InfoLink • Establish a comprehensive regional environmental information system. • Collect and make information on the state the environment accessable to the public in a format that they can understand. • Involve various local and regional actors in a dialogue on environmental and regional development issues.
The InfoLink Partners Local and international NGOs Environmental agencies National Park directorates Local government associations Utility service providers Companies Regional development organizations Institutions of higher learning
The InfoLink’s components Document and event management…
The InfoLink’s components Weblog forum…
The InfoLink’s components Environmental database…
The InfoLink’s components Web mapping service…