Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
theory: that discursive democracies are transformative of the real
world.
65
The only certainty is that a failure to challenge the status quo
would leave in place a system that is wholly incapable of supporting an
ecological transition.
6.3.1 Unpredictability: problem or opportunity?
An issue that is frequently raised with claims made over deliberation
s
potential to alter public attitudes towards the environment is that the
process will not necessarily result in environmentally bene
'
cial out-
comes.
66
It cannot be guaranteed that citizens will set aside their
self-interested preferences or become
'
motivated by a concern for the
.
67
It would not be fair to describe this as a
problem that is peculiar to deliberation. No political system, save per-
haps for one that employs extreme coercion, can ensure that people
subject to it will adopt desired behavioural patterns. In any event,
deliberation is to be preferred to other mechanisms for participation
because it at least creates the potential that those involved will come to
appreciate the value of a healthy environment and start acting respon-
sibly towards it in the choices they make. Deliberation, as Smith notes,
'
ecological common good
'
for environmental values to be articulated
and considered alongside other matters.
68
Ifthecaseforimproved
ecological protection is compelling, as I contend it is in this topic, the
hope is that, through debate and the internalisation of ecological con-
siderations, it will be recognised as such.
69
The nature of deliberation
also mitigates the concern, although it cannot be eradicated, that partic-
ipants will simply adhere to the same preferences and prejudices with
which they entered the process or that these, even if their proponents
convey no interest in shared concerns, will win the day. Deliberation
within political decision-making, because it is a public process, requires
opens up the political space
'
including those levelled at deliberative democracy,
'
can be met if careful attention is
given to institutional design
'
.
65
Dobson,
'
Democratising Green Theory
'
,p.141.
66
Lundqvist,
'
Ecological Governance
'
, p. 200; Barry,
'
Rethinking Green Politics
'
, p. 232;
Barton,
'
Underlying Concepts
'
, p. 107; Smith,
'
Deliberative Democracy
'
,pp.66
-
7;
Bäckstrand et al.,
'
New Modes of Environmental Governance
'
,p.17;Lövbrandand
Khan,
'
The Deliberative Turn
'
,pp.52
-
4.
67
Barry,
'
Rethinking Green Politics
'
,p.232.
68
Smith,
'
Deliberative Democracy
'
,p.72.
69
Dobson,
'
Democratising Green Theory
'
,pp.139
-
40.
