eMPOWER - Empowering citizens to influence the decision making and policy formulation on environmental issues
The main objective of the eMPOWER project will be to motivate and strengthen the involvement of NGOs and citizens in the decision-making process on environmental issues at a National and European level by providing method and tools for supporting citizens’ participation to promote relevant public initiatives and demands of civil society.
The project will integrate and test state-of-the-art Web 2.0 social networking, ICT based tools and solutions in a socially purposeful way in concrete legislative and decision-making processes and more specifically will look to engage Citizens in the formation of EU environmental legislation at a National and European level. In this context, the eMPOWER project will enable transparent, interactive and democratic communication processes, the results of which will be joint proposals, initiatives and viewpoints of Citizens regarding environmental issues relating to global climate change, national parks and forests, oceans and biodiversity, water pollution and management, green taxation, and more (in line with relevant policies such as EU-climate change policy, maritime policy, Water Framework Dir 2000/60, EU Habitats Directive-92/43/EC etc).
The main project objectives are the following:
- Establishing the relevant eMPOWER network
- Establishing a cross-border online communication area
- Strengthening and enhancing transparency and accessibility of petitioning
- Enhancing cooperation and promoting actions for the establishment of a commonly accepted Environmental policy
- Increasing Awareness