%T The role of NGOs in Environmental Impact Assessment processes in the North Sea - The case of the gas extraction project N05-A.
%A Anne Seidler
%L theses_frw3789
%D 2022
%X As a precautionary policy tool to evaluate the consequences of a proposed project on the environment, the European Union introduced the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive. As a 
fixed component Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) includes the involvement of stakeholders in defined participation phases. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are seen as important actors in the participation process. Environmental NGOs in particular are strongly committed to environmental issues, and they often serve as important representatives for the interests of the 
population and therefore secure democratic values. Increasingly academics are concerned about procedural justice in EIAs.The aim of this thesis is to study the perception of different stakeholders in the N05-A gas extraction process.On the one hand, this research aims to identify whether public stakeholders have the just ability to successfully participate in EIA activities in marine contexts. On the other hand, it should be analyzed whether NGOs can play a key role in marine environments by acting as representatives of the public and therefore secure procedural justice. Therefore, the main research question is ‘How do the stakeholders of the N05-A project perceive the role of NGOs with regard to securing procedural justice in the EIA process?’. To answer the research question a mixed-methods approach was used, including a quantitative survey and semi-structured interviews with relevant stakeholders.The results show that the respondents of the survey do not fulfill all the factors for successful participation in the N05-A gas extraction project in the North Sea. Environmental NGOs in turn have the ability to act as representatives of the public, especially in marine environments. Based on the results of this case study, further comparative studies of EIA participation on the sea could be useful to better understand the particularities of participation behavior in projects with marine contexts.