1. The role of the Internet in public participation The road to e-democracy Paul Andor Farkas Managing Director

2. The key to e-democracy: collaboration… AgenciesNGOs Other partners Multiple partners are needed for a complete solution

3. My experiences in involving the public in environmental decision-making Project Leader - WWF Austrias 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

4. E-democracy in practice Service provided to the public Agencies pool resources & information

5. Influential factors Political environment Transparency Budgets Planning Leadership Stakeholders Technology Innovation

6. 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

7. 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 portals 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.)

8. 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 goals of the InfoLink

9. 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 Partners

10. Document and event management… The InfoLinks components

11. Weblog forum… The InfoLinks components

12. Environmental database… The InfoLinks components

13. Web mapping service… The InfoLinks components