Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
those which are necessary for the reduction of ecological stresses or to
ensure that outcomes of decision-making would not result in procedural or
environmental injustice.
s range
Whilst it is the state that must take the lead in and give direction to an
ecological transition, it would not be able to effect this solely through
its own efforts. It would also need to enhance its capacities to promote
change by creating or working with existing regional and local bodies,
and by conferring on them the powers for planning and decision-making
that they would require to contribute to the achievement of ecological
goals.
66
Thesebodiesshouldnotbeciphersofthestatewithamandate
restricted to policy delivery. To the contrary, they must have the inde-
pendence to develop proposals which re
4.5 Expanding the state
'
ect the different capacities of
localities and regions to implement policies if these are to be translated
into practicable plans for action. It is also important for the perceived
legitimacy of the system of governance that these bodies should carry
suf
cient weight in strategic decision-making to ensure that regional
and local perspectives are taken into account and have an in
uence on
national strategic planning.
4.5.1 Regional government
Legal and institutional frameworks for governing development in the
UK have been reworked regularly since 1945 as part of the
'
perennial
search
for some combination of governance
structures stretching from neighbourhood to national
'
by different governments
'
which align
...
.
67
Regional government has been perceived in these
periodic reworkings, and depending on the ideological stance of the
reforming administration, either as a governmental level that can assist
the state with achieving its objectives or as an unnecessary bureaucratic
layer which is more likely to sti
with wider goals
'
e than facilitate economic growth.
68
66
Blowers,
'
The Time for Change
'
p. 8; Christoff,
'
Green Governance and the Green State
'
,
pp. 294
-
5; J. Meadowcroft,
'
Planning for Sustainable Development: Insights from the
Literatures of Political Science
'
(1997) 31 European Journal of Political Research, 441, 450.
67
Haughton et al.,
'
The New Spatial Planning
'
,p.45.
68
Haughton and Counsell,
7. This shifting attitude to
regional government and planning is not con
ned to the UK. See the account of
regionalism in the US in Wheeler,
'
Regions, Spatial Strategies
'
,pp.6
-
'
Regions, Megaregions, and Sustainability
'
,866
-
8.
