Can we build public acceptance of socio-ecological transitions through citizens’ deliberation ?

Télécharger l’article In this article for Confrontations Europe, Chiara Armeni, Professor of Environmental Law at the Université Libre de Bruxelles and the Centre de Droit Européen (CDE), explains how better citizen participation in deliberative processes can indirectly support public acceptance of crucial decisions concerning the socio-ecological transition. 1. INTRODUCTION The socio-ecological transition constitutes more than a technological or infrastructural transformation. It implies « radical and non-linear societal change » (Holscher et al. 2018). This change requires that people’s response to and participation in decisions about the transition take centre stage. There is often confusion between the role of public participation in decision-making and the idea of public acceptance of related decisions. While good participation can lead to a positive response, or acceptance to decisions and change, the two are different notions. Here I suggest that citizens’ deliberation– such as representative deliberative processes – can indirectly support public acceptance of societal change, via