Rethinking Political Contestation over Climate Change
What discursive approaches play a part in climate policies? Amanda Machin presents an overview of different, even conflicting, perspectives, ideas and values that play a role in dealing with climate change. It is often assumed that this complex environmental issue can only be addressed by resolving or suppressing all discrepancies. But Machin argues in favour of a radical-democratic view of climate change, in which conflicting political views are not ironed out but revealed. Machin makes out a case for embracing other points of view instead of suppressing opposition, which makes controversy invaluable in environmental policymaking. If we reject conflicting points of view as being irrational, this inhibits the democratic expression of other points of view. We had better examine the conditions that would allow us to open up scope for different opinions and the debate between them.
Amanda Machin: „Rethinking Political Contestation over Climate Change“, Working Paper 10, The Netherlands Scientific Council for Government Policy (WRR), Den Haag, 37 Seiten, ISBN: 978-94-90186-15-9
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