Decentralized environmental decision making
Decentralized environmental decision making

Summary/Abstract: This paper discusses the importance and means of incorporating environmental issues into decentralized decision making processes. Accepting the concept of sustainable development as an underlying framework, it is logical to debate and care for the environment, including the economic role of the environment in life support on local level. Main objective of this paper is to discuss key issues concerning the environment and its relevance to policy decisions on decentralized decision making processes. It argues upon the economic, ecological, and social dimensions of environmental and natural resources, and the need to balance development objectives of different uses and claimants. In the focus of this discussion are two sets of environmental issues: those relating to natural resource use and management; and problems arising from environmental pollution, depletion and degradation. This paper argues that there is need to integrate economic, social and ecological dimensions in development strategies and plans. The paper reviews various types of linkages and relationships within the environment-economy system. These include the interactions between natural resources and their use for production and consumption, and as waste assimilator; cause and effect relationships linking environmental pressures and societal responses; stakeholder interests and linkages over the micro-macro continuum; and potential conflicts and trade-offs. Implications for decentralized decision making are also discussed. A key message conveyed is that there is need to integrate economic, social and ecological dimensions in development strategies and plans and to mainstream environment in decentralized decision making within the overall context of local development, rather than treating it merely as an activity of specialized environmental protection agencies.

• Details
• Contents