Participative environmental management and social capital in Poland

摘要

Eastern European countries, such as Poland, are often used as exemplary insocial capital studies. Upon entering the European Union, the low socialcapital level in Poland posed problems with implementing new regulations,particularly in the environmental policy field. Environmental issues oftenpresent a high degree of complexity – and European legislation requiresmulti-stakeholder involvement in decision-making processes. Thus, thedilemma: on the one hand, there is a demand to engage and consult manyactors; on the other hand, low social capital contributes to anadministrative culture with a ubiquitous top-down approach taken byinstitutional decision-makers.The paper addresses this problem from the perspective of social capitaltheory. A study of administrative culture and decision-making processes showsthe way decisions are currently made. We also propose a way to achieve moreparticipative environmental management.