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ensure that environmental considerations are given equal weight to, and
sometimes greater weight than, other matters and that proposed devel-
opment should be refused or modi
ed where, in a decision-maker
'
s
would be jeopardised.
106
The generality of this objective, potentially embracing as it does ecolog-
ical impacts, con
judgment,
'
the quality of the environment
'
saesthetic
qualities, social considerations and the quality of built as well as natural
environments necessitates that
icts with values held in the environment
'
exibility in decision-making be pre-
served. In contrast, the system of ecological governance is founded on
a much clearer understanding of what it is that should be protected, of
why ecological protection is necessary, and of the best means available of
going about this in view of the signi
cant uncertainties surrounding
ecosystem behaviour. It provides support for a legal framework that
gives strong statutory direction as to how activities are to be regulated
in the interests of reducing ecological stresses.
As with the policy-making process,
107
governmental observance of the
statutory obligation should be promoted by legal requirements for the
independent review of plans before their adoption under the national
planning process. These should establish an equivalent process to that
which policies are subjected to, with the independent advisory body
giving guidance on the consistency of plans with the statutory objective,
the government accepting its guidance or giving reasons for not follow-
ing it, and the provision of standing for parties (including the independ-
ent advisory body itself) to challenge the legality of adopted plans.
5.3.4 Ecological land use planning
Ecological planning seeks to advance the system of governance
s objec-
tive of reducing anthropogenic environmental pressures in two respects.
The
'
rst, as we have considered in the preceding sections, is by formu-
lating strategies for the transformation of socioeconomic systems at
local, regional and national levels. The second, as I explain in this and
the
following section
, is by minimising the cumulative environmental
effects of land use. As with the assessment of alternatives in policy-
making, planners should aim to further the planning system
'
s statutory
objective
108
by seeking to identify combinations of land and resource
uses that are assessed to present
the least
threat
to ecosystem
106
107
Ibid
., p. 108, paras 8.33 and 8.34.
See Chapter 3,
Section 3.4.2.2
.
108
Chapter 5,
Section 5.3.3
.
