Ecologically oriented policy-making - Ecological Governance - page 101

Finally, the viability of policies would be informed by the exploration
of how aspirations for reducing ecological stress can be realised under
the arrangements for governance and for strategic planning that is
proposed in Chapters 4 and 5 . Policies would certainly need to be revised
as the extent to which preferred options can be deployed becomes appa-
rent through local, regional and national planning processes. An iterative
approach is essential if packages of policies, once conditions on the ground
have been taken into account fully, are to provide society with an effective
normative steer in an ecological direction. Policy-making that is intended
to serve a progressive objective of stress reduction cannot be conducted as
a top-down process that produces expressions of desire and then expects
them to be advanced come what may. It must be an ongoing undertaking
that is sensitive to the challenges of implementation and allows for the
adjustment of policies where dif

culties are encountered with putting

them into practice.

3.4.2.2 The independent review of policy proposals
Growing familiarity with ecological policy-making under the rolling
review process would promote gradual change in the culture of govern-
mental decision-making. The second institutional reform that I propose
is the establishment of an independent advisory body on the protection
of ecosystems to provide support for those involved with forming policy
in a changing culture and to ensure that politicians take their responsibi-
lities under the framework seriously. This body would act in an advisory
capacity on the conduct of alternatives assessment, decision-making
on sunsetting and the formation of strategies, with governments being
required to consult the body on these matters, to take the advice given
into account, and to produce written statements advising on the extent
to which it has been accepted and reasons for departing from the body

'

s
guidance. It would be available to advise the government on the formation
of policy itself although decisions on policy contents would remain the
preserve of policy-makers. It would also take the lead role in forming and
implementing research programmes into ecosystem behaviour. 153
The body would carry out the duties referred to above as a provider
of support for the effective conduct of policy-making under the frame-
work. In addition, it would have a responsibility for reviewing the
government

' s policy proposals and advising on whether they satisfy the

153 Chapter 7, Section 7.2 .