The growing democratization around the world clearly shows the desire of people to participate in decisions that affect them.
Public participation changes policy.
It also makes policy more likely to be effective. The need for public participation is a basic tenet of GreenCOM's strategies. And communication and education techniques can enhance the effectiveness of people or groups seeking to participate. The complexity and specificity of environmental issues also makes participatory techniques important tools. Today it is unlikely that outside experts will have the answer.