Polyphonic environmental planning processes: establishing conceptual connections between procedural and recognition justice

By drawing on Mikhail Bakhtin's notion of polyphony, this paper theorises polyphonic environmental planning processes. It argues that Bakhtin's vision of polyphony reveals new insights about the nature of inclusive and transformative environmental planning processes that align and contrast with existing traditions of participatory planning. The polyphonic environmental planning processes are theorised as having two criteria: difference and relationship. The conditions needed to satisfy these criteria are explained through procedural and recognition justice accounts. The paper intervenes in the ongoing scholarly discussion about the ethical base of contemporary planning theories by suggesting that the polyphonic construction of environmental planning processes will have implications on the form and content of these processes. In terms of the form, the polyphonic environmental planning processes imply the creation of an inclusive, dialogical space. In terms of the content, recognising the intrinsic value of otherness will alter the self–other relationship.     

Procedural rationality and ethical theory

This paper is based on one given by Professor Faludi at the Conference on Planning Theory at Torino, Italy in 1986. It answers criticisms of his procedural planning theory voiced by various theorists and enjoined by the authors of the call for papers for the conference. The paper argues that the misgivings voiced by critics have their parallel in ethical theory and develops the view that procedural rationality and utilitarianism share an ethical principle. The paper concludes with a call for an end to sterile debate and an acceptance of different modes of argument.     

Environmental justice for the governance of aquatic environments

Environmental justice sheds light on the distributive and procedural aspects of planning and decision-making. We examined the challenges arising from the perspective of environmental justice on multi-level and participatory environmental governance by exploring the governance of aquatic environments in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area. We found three main challenges and potential responses to them. First, even though most of Helsinki’s shoreline is free and/or accessible by road and accordingly used actively by people for recreational purposes, many parts of the shoreline are perceived as inaccessible, reflecting a need to combine factual and perceived accessibility of aquatic environments in detail during the planning processes and to discuss reasons for possible discrepancies between these two. Second, there was a remarkable seasonal variation in the use of aquatic environments, so more attention should be paid to social-demographic factors explaining the distribution of the use of urban nature. Third, it seems to be difficult to capture the variety of perceptions of people and to integrate them into planning and decision-making processes even on a local scale, and this challenge is likely even more pronounced on higher levels of planning and governance. Thus, better integration of regional and local-scale planning procedures should be encouraged. Building on these observations, we conclude that integration of procedural and distributive environmental justice into the practices of the governance of aquatic environments could remarkably decrease unwanted trade-offs and potential conflicts in their use and management.     

Theoretical orientations in environmental planning: An inquiry into alternative approaches

In the process of devising courses of action to resolve problems arising at the society-environment interface, a variety of planning approaches are followed, whose adoption is influenced by—among other things—the characteristics of environmental problems, the nature of the decision-making context, and the intellectual traditions of the disciplines contributing to the study of these problems. This article provides a systematic analysis of six alternative environmental planning approaches—comprehensive/rational, incremental, adaptive, contingency, advocacy, and participatory/consensual. The relative influence of the abovementioned factors is examined, the occurrence of these approaches in real-world situations is noted, and their environmental soundness and political realism is evaluated. Because of the disparity between plan formulation and implementation and between theoretical form and empirical reality, a synthetic view of environmental planning approaches is taken and approachesin action are identified, which characterize the totality of the planning process from problem definition to plan implementation, as well as approachesin the becoming, which may be on the horizon of environmental planning of tomorrow. The suggested future research directions include case studies to verify and detail the presence of the approaches discussed, developing measures of success of a given approach in a given decision setting, and an intertemporal analysis of environmental planning approaches.     

Australian Local Government Attempts to Deliver Beneficial Environmental Outcomes

Abstract

This paper presents the results of a national project investigating Australian local government (LG) attempts to deliver beneficial environmental outcomes. It briefly describes the extensive environmental planning, management and protection roles played by Australian LGs. It notes that these roles are poorly documented within the academic literature, and makes a case for fundamental research to better understand LGs and their work from the inside. It describes this project's use of grounded theory methods in gathering and analysing 34 case studies of Australian LG environmental initiatives. The inside perspectives represented by the papers show that Australian LG environmental work:

• extends beyond its statutory requirements;

• is novel and creative;

• endures by balancing ecological, social and economic values;

• demonstrates different patterns depending on its planning, management or protection focus; and

• usually involves environmental strategists with long-term, passionate commitments to local environmental values.

     

环境影响评价备案管理制度的功能定位

环境影响评价备案管理制度的功能定位决定着该制度在行政审批制度改革中的发展方向。本文基于传统行政行为理论研究范式,分析其程序性事实行为的法律性质,回答了环境影响评价备案管理制度"是什么";采用行政过程论的新型研究范式,进一步指示了其目的性功能与机制性功能,回答了环境影响评价备案管理制度要"干什么"。在转型时期,该制度应实现由政府绝对主导向企业相对自由、由政府监护向社会监督、由政府管制向社会治理、由事前审批向事中事后监管的转变。     

Hyperautomobility and Governmentality in Auckland

Abstract

A number of cities around the world are associated with very high levels of private motor car usage, and Auckland provides an example of one of these ‘hyperautomobile’ cities. There are many problems with this system of transportation and dependence on the private car, including environmental, social and city design dimensions. Though there is a clear aspiration to move towards reduced levels of car usage in the city's transport and spatial planning strategies, there are major difficulties in implementation terms. We develop and consider future scenarios to 2041 to reduce these levels of motorization, and subsequent transport CO₂ emissions, with a much greater use of public transport, walking and cycling, urban planning, and low emission vehicles. The current implementability of such a ‘sustainable mobility’ future is however questioned in the current political and social context, and critically debated in terms of the available governance mechanisms and the limited attempts to shape the behaviour of the public. We conclude by calling for a reconsideration of the policy measures being considered, including the range and levels of application and investment; with a much wider framing of the transport planning remit, and carried out within a much stronger participatory framework for decision-making.     

An Empirical‐Theoretical Analysis Framework for Public Participation in Environmental Impact Assessment

Public participation has been increasingly recognized as one of the most important aspects of environmental impact assessment. However, the definition of adequate evaluative criteria for public participation, with a strong theoretical backing, the functionality of empirical best practice and the consideration of the country-specific context, has remained elusive. The evaluative framework developed here is an attempt to fill this gap. Best-practice public participation is defined as consisting of two components: (1) legal provisions; and (2) actors' attitudes and capacities (towards participation). The theoretical model, defined on the basis of Webler's adaptation of Habermas's theory of communicative action, is then translated into evaluative criteria for bestpractice public participation.     

Developing the Ethical Delphi

A number of EU institutions and government committees across Europe have expressed interest in developing methods and decision-support tools to facilitate consideration of the ethical dimensions of biotechnology assessment. As part of the work conducted in the EC supported project on ethical tools (Ethical Bio-TA Tools), a number of ethical frameworks with the potential to support the work of public policy decision-makers has been characterized and evaluated. One of these potential tools is the Delphi method. The Delphi method was originally developed to assess variables that are intangible and/or shrouded in uncertainty by drawing on the knowledge and abilities of a diverse group of experts through a form of anonymous and iterative consultation. The method has hitherto been used by a diversity of practitioners to explore issues such as technology assessment, environmental planning, and public health measures. From the original (classical) Delphi, a family of Delphi-related processes has emerged. As a result of the evaluation of the various Delphi processes, it is proposed that the classical method can be further developed and applied as a form of ethical framework to assist policy-makers. Through a series of exercises and trials, an Ethical Delphi has been developed as a potential approach for characterizing ethical issues raised by the use of novel biotechnologies. Advantages and disadvantages of the method are discussed. Further work is needed to develop the procedural aspects of the Ethical Delphi method and to test its use in different cultural contexts. However, utilizing an ethical framework of this type combines the advantages of a methodical approach to capture ethical aspects with the democratic virtues of transparency and openness to criticism. Ethical frameworks such as the Ethical Delphi should contribute to better understanding of and decision-making on issues that involve decisive ethical dimensions.     

Shared values for the marine environment – developing a culture of practice for marine spatial planning

Though still relatively new, the development of marine spatial planning has been based on the on the premise that as a rational planning process, it can be applied following universal principles and steps informed by land-based inspired theoretical underpinnings. However, within this process, differences between marine and terrestrial environments are being overlooked, potentially affecting the way in which the marine environment is understood and valued, and the development of a culture of practice for, and specific to, marine spatial planning. By framing planning as a cultural construct, this paper aims to explore the extent to which land-based rationales are affecting the development of a marine spatial planning culture of practice, with its own ethos and shared values. A culturalised planning model adapted from [Knieling, J. and Othengrafen, F. (2015). Planning culture—a concept to explain the evolution of planning policies and processes in Europe? European Planning Studies, 23(11), 2133–2147] is used as a framework. Whilst acknowledging the importance of the contributions from land-based planning and the ecological sciences, the findings suggest that those unconscious beliefs and perceptions affecting society’s understanding of the marine environment should contribute to informing shared values for marine spatial planning practice.     

Toward Cyborg PPGIS: exploring socio-technical requirements for the use of web-based PPGIS in two municipal planning cases,Stockholm region,Sweden

Web-based Public Participation Geographic Information Systems (PPGIS) are increasingly used for surveying place values and informing municipal planning in contexts of urban densification. However, research is lagging behind the rapid deployment of PPGIS applications. Some of the main opportunities and challenges for the uptake and implementation of web-based PPGIS are derived from a literature review and two case studies dealing with municipal planning for urban densification in the Stockholm region, Sweden. A simple clustering analysis identified three interconnected themes that together determine the performance of PPGIS: (i) tool design and affordances; (ii) organisational capacity; and (iii) governance. The results of the case studies augment existing literature regarding the connections between the different socio-technical dimensions for the design, implementation and evaluation of PPGIS applications in municipal planning. A cyborg approach to PPGIS is then proposed to improve the theoretical basis for addressing these dimensions together.     

A better future for the uplands — a planning critique

The Countryside Commission's report A Better Future for the Uplands puts forward a new strategy for public intervention in the uplands of England and Wales. The aim of the report is to integrate rural policies and to promote higher environmental priorities in rural areas. This paper considers the degree to which the report is successful in planning to achieve these ends. The paper is specifically concerned with the planning methodology on which the report is based. The paper argues for an approach to rural planning which permits the consideration of more radical solutions to rural problems, along with the application of a more systematic planning methodology, in order to assist in the choice of an appropriate direction for planned change.     

Social equity in urban resilience planning

ABSTRACT

A growing number of cities are incorporating resilience into their plans and policies to respond to shocks, stresses, and uncertainties. While some scholars advocate for the potential of resilience research and practice, others argue that it promotes an inherently conservative and neoliberal agenda, prevents systemic transformations, and pays insufficient attention to power, politics, and justice. Notably, critics of the urban resilience agenda argue that policies fail to adequately address social equity issues. This study seeks to inform these debates by providing a cross-sectional analysis of how issues of equity are incorporated into urban resilience planning. We develop a tripartite framework of equity that includes distributional, recognitional, and procedural dimensions and use it to analyse the goals, priorities, and strategies of formal resilience plans created by member cities of the Rockefeller Foundation’s 100 Resilient Cities programme. Our analysis reveals considerable variation in the extent to which cities focus on equity, implying that resilience may be more nuanced than some critics suggest. There are, however, clear areas for improvement. Dominant conceptions of equity are generally tied to a distributional orientation, with less focus on the recognitional and procedural dimensions. We hope our conceptual framework and lessons learned from this study can inform more just resilience planning and provide a foundation for future research on the equity implications of resilience.     

公民环境信访行为影响因素的实证分析——基于规范激活理论

环境信访是中国公民环境利益表达的重要途径,也是其参与环境治理的重要通道,引导公民有序进行环境信访对于加强生态文明建设、深化环境治理、维护社会稳定具有重要意义。本研究从环境信访的参与主体——公民入手,基于社会心理学中规范激活理论的连续模型,构建了公民环境信访影响因素的理论模型,并运用AMOS 20.0对S市9个行政区500位市民的问卷调研结果进行实证分析,探究公民环境信访行为的社会心理影响因素。研究结果表明:规范激活理论的连续模型能够较好地解释中国公民的环境信访行为,其中环境信访结果认知正向影响环境信访责任归属,公民的个体规范需要通过责任归属得以激活,从而影响公民环境信访行为意向。因此,政府可以通过环保知识的宣传教育和完善环境信访相关法律法规来提升公民环保意识和环境信访责任归属感,同时可以通过环保政策法规的宣传、畅通环境信访渠道以及对公民环境信访行为的有效处理来促进公民对环境信访行为积极意义的认知,从而推动公民有序进行环境信访。     

Justice in development? An analysis of water interventions in the rural South

This paper explores a fruitful convergence between the distributive and procedural dimensions of environmental justice theory and current debates in the field of development studies over capitals and capabilities, institutions, and discourse formation to shed new light on natural resource management projects in the developing world. Specifically, we document the planning and implementation of two types of water interventions in two contrasting regions: watershed development programmes in northeast India and small reservoirs in sub‐Saharan West Africa. We find that there is a contradiction between the inherently political nature of water interventions and the fact that such projects remain grounded in apolitical, technical and managerial narratives. In contrast to the new semantic of development, this depoliticization results in the near absence of attention paid to procedural (participation and empowerment) and distributive (equity) justice concerns and in local actors having to revert to covert ways to achieve their ends. A constructive dialogue between development studies and environmental justice scholars can offer a fresh look on the society‐environment nexus in the developing world.     

我国环境污染第三方治理机制改革路线图

第三方治理是促进环境污染治理市场化、专业化、产业化的有效模式,也是我国生态文明制度建设创新的重要内容。我国环境污染第三方治理还处于探索阶段,存在内涵不清晰、理论架构未建立、关键问题待突破、政策路径不明确等问题,系统设计我国环境污染第三方治理改革路线图是当前迫切的现实需求。本文在对第三方治理内涵的解析和界定的基础上,提出基于多中心公共经济论、市场经济利益最大化原理、规模经济及委托-代理理论的理论架构,综合分析第三方治理的理论依据及作用机制。从国家和地方两个层面梳理我国环境污染第三方治理的政策演进情况,并立足于我国环境公用设施建设和企业工业污染治理领域第三方治理的发展现状,剖析成效及问题,提出构建法律法规和标准体系、环境监管体系、经济政策支持体系、市场价格体系和企业诚信评价体系的政策机制改革框架及实施路径。     

荷兰《环境与规划法》改革方向及其政策启示

荷兰《环境与规划法》着眼于可持续发展,以保障环境质量为核心,以政策循环为理论方法,以政策工具为手段,实现荷兰环境和规划领域的法典化,对于我国当前环境管理亟须解决的法规重叠、权力交叉、程序复杂等问题具有重要借鉴意义。本文在荷兰《环境与规划法》立法背景的基础上,梳理荷兰《环境与规划法》的改革方向,以期探究其对于我国构建和完善环境管理法律体系的政策启示:构建生态环境空间管控体系;运用政策循环和政策工具整合完善生态环境空间管控体系;深化简政放权,坚持放管并重;增强公众参与环境管理的主动意识。     

环境救济法的体系——由四川藏区农村环境公害问题引出

以四川藏区农村的环境公害问题为引入对象,结合先进国家和地区的农村生态环境法制管理救济机制和应对机制,从现行相关程序法和实体法的法理角度,初步阐释适合我国农村生态环境法制实现的救济处理机制和救济途径,从而在一定程序上构建起我国的环境救济法体系。     

Pluralism,The Ethical Matrix,and Coming to Conclusions

The ethical matrix approach was developed by Prof Ben Mepham and his colleagues at the University of Nottingham in the early 1990s. Since then the approach has received increasing attention and has been used by several researchers in different projects related to assessing ethical impacts of different food production technologies and other policy options of societal concern. The ethical matrix is sometimes understood simply as a checklist of ethical concerns, but might also be seen as a guide to coming to conclusions on moral questions. The problem I discuss in this paper relates to how using the ethical matrix method as a decision guide can be combined with respecting pluralism. The aim of the paper is to suggest a framework making it possible to – at the same time – enhance public justification of judgments and respect pluralism. I argue that pluralism is fundamental to the ethical matrix approach; I distinguish between intuitionist principled pluralism and societal value pluralism; and I show how both kinds of pluralism imply restrictions on how conclusions can be made. No substantive moral decision principles can be allowed. Still, I argue, decision principles of a more epistemological or procedural character can be acceptable even within pluralism. The pragmatist principle of inquiry is defended as an account of moral problem solving compatible with both principled pluralism and value pluralism. When an ethical matrix is used within such a participatory inquiry process substantive conclusions can be drawn.     

Criteria for the Assessment of Sustainable Water Management

Pressure on the world’s water resources is increasing, restraining social and economic development in many countries, and threatening ecological values in others. In order to manage water resources in a more sustainable manner, new planning methodologies/processes for river basin management need to be developed. This study attempts to construct a set of useable normative criteria for the analysis and evaluation of such processes. The criteria were designed as a response to the lack of deductive approaches in the evaluation of methodologies and working procedures used in the context of river basin management, making it possible to highlight their potential for sustainable development. The criteria are based on the twin concepts of participation and integration. These concepts function as well-established dimensions of both sustainable development and sustainable river basin management, and they are of significant methodological relevance. A synthesis of the key aspects connected to the two concepts is undertaken, based on a broad literature review. Focus is laid on how in methodological terms, and in relation to regional water management, to achieve participation and integration in a decision-making or planning process. The criteria are concerned with how knowledge and values are integrated into the planning process and how commitment, legitimacy, or acceptance for the resulting plan is generated.