The Belgrade Open School (BOS) has published a report titled “Public in Action: A Model of Broad Parallel Consultations for Effective Public Participation in Environmental Decision-Making,” presenting an innovative approach to enhancing public involvement in decisions related to environmental issues. This publication responds to the long-standing challenges faced by citizens and civil society organizations (CSOs) in participating in decision-making processes that directly affect environmental quality in Serbia.

Despite the internationally recognized right to a healthy environment as a fundamental human right, practice in Serbia still fails to provide an enabling environment for inclusive and effective public participation. The publication highlights key issues such as an inconsistent and non-transparent legal framework, low public trust in institutions, and limited capacities and opportunities for CSOs to engage in the work of decision-making bodies.

The “Broad Parallel Consultations” model was developed specifically to address these challenges. It enables CSOs, experts, and citizens to actively participate in decision-making processes—from the earliest stages of policy development, through the work of thematic working groups, and prior to official public hearings. Unlike formal mechanisms, this model runs in parallel with official procedures and is implemented by CSOs that are already part of the working groups, allowing for the inclusion of a broader range of stakeholders and expertise.

This approach to participation offers multiple benefits, primarily increased inclusiveness, transparency, and participatory quality, ultimately resulting in more representative public policy outcomes. Experience shows that formal processes in Serbia often overlook public input during the final stages of policymaking—less than 10% of public comments are accepted—while citizen participation rarely exceeds 2%.

However, implementing the model also presents certain challenges—from the need for consent from relevant institutions to the availability of CSO capacities to carry out such processes. Therefore, the publication provides recommendations to overcome these obstacles: consistent application of regulations, legal recognition of CSO participation in working groups, improved and timely public access to information, and systemic implementation of the parallel consultation model.

Through this model, the Belgrade Open School calls for broader democratization of environmental decision-making—by empowering citizens, organizations, and the expert public to participate equally in shaping policies that affect us all.

The publication was developed as part of the project “Public Finance Reform – 2030 Agenda: Sustainable Development for All Platform,” implemented by the Belgrade Open School in partnership with the Foundation BFPE for a Responsible Society. The project is funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), and is led by GIZ.

You can download the full publication HERE.

Photo credit: Belgrade Open School