The role of public consultations in decision-making on future agricultural pesticide use: insights from European Union’s Farm to Fork Strategy public consultation

Frelih-Larsen, Ana, Chivers, Charlotte-Anne ORCID: 0000-0003-3267-5558, Herb, Irina, Mills, Jane ORCID: 0000-0003-3835-3058 and Reed, Matt ORCID: 0000-0003-1105-9625 (2023) The role of public consultations in decision-making on future agricultural pesticide use: insights from European Union’s Farm to Fork Strategy public consultation. Journal of Environmental Policy and Planning. doi:10.1080/1523908X.2023.2212369

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Text 12808 Frelih-Larsen, Chivers, Herb, Mills, Reed (2023) The role of public consultations in decision-making on future agricultural pesticide use - insights from European Union's Farm to Fork Strategy public consultation.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives 4.0. Download (2MB) | Preview

Abstract

This paper considers the role of public consultations in complex agri-environmental policy-making. Through a critical discourse analysis of submissions to the public consultation concerning the European Union’s Farm to Fork Strategy, we examine the role of public consultations as a democratic process and the extent to which their non-deliberative nature advances solutions to contentious and complex challenges. We explore different perspectives around the future of agricultural pesticide use and find evidence of polarised submissions. Those in favour of reducing pesticides tend to argue on the grounds of planetary and human health, emphasizing that alternatives already exist and resistance to change results from a lack of political will. Those arguing against setting further restrictions on pesticide use, focus on food security and the lack of viable alternatives. Taking inspiration from Arnstein’s (1969) [A ladder of citizen participation. Journal of the American Institute of Planners, 35(4), 216–224] ladder of participation and Fishkin’s (2011) [Making deliberative democracy practical. Chapter 4. In When the people speak: Deliberative democracy and public consultation (pp. 95–105] questions around what makes deliberative democracy practical, we argue that consultations are not merely ‘tokenistic’, but do appear to be inadequate where discourses are strongly polarised, as they are not sufficiently inclusive or thoughtful, using scientific findings only where these support pre-existing views. As such, we explore how other deliberative approaches may be more adequate for seeking legitimate solutions to complex challenges.

Item Type:	Article
Article Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Pesticides; Agriculture; Environment; Critical discourse; Participatory democracy; Public consultation
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General) S Agriculture > S Agriculture (General) > S589.75 Agriculture and the environment
Divisions:	Schools and Research Institutes > Countryside and Community Research Institute
Research Priority Areas:	Place, Environment and Community
Depositing User:	Bee Ray-Smallcalder
Date Deposited:	19 Jun 2023 09:59
Last Modified:	27 Jun 2023 12:15
URI:	https://eprints.glos.ac.uk/id/eprint/12808

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