From Evaluation to Deliberation

Deliberation brings MCA and SMCE one step further in participation. In this approach, we assume that the meaning of sustainability assessment is not produced primarily through an analytical process, even if this one considers multiple criteria and multiple stakeholders, but by participation in the assessment process itself. As an application of sustainability science, indicator-based deliberation is a form of SA. It can be managed through a deliberative practice articulating situations of social choice.

Deliberation underlines the fact that evaluation processes are not purely analytical. They are social processes “with strong interactive and inter-subjective dimensions, which open up the possibility of “emergent” properties” (O’Connor, 2006). That is to say, collective intelligence may emerge from such a process, in the form of collaborative learning, changes of opinions of stakeholder groups or representatives, etc.

O’Neill underlines that deliberative methods and institutions “are claimed to resolve some of the problems of inadequate representation involved in surrogate market methods”, such as willingness to pay. Deliberation is conducted in public space, which forces participants “to offer reasons that can withstand public justification and hence to appeal to general rather particular private interests.” Defenders of deliberative institutions and methods argue that, for this reason, actions or scenarios “that appeal to wider constituencies of interest – including those of future generations and non-humans – are more likely to survive in public deliberation than they are in private market based methods for expressing preferences”.

However “willingness and capacity to say and to be heard is [also] unevenly distributed across class, gender and ethnicity.” (O’Neill, op. cit.). Thus issues of power relations and decision-making deserve further investigation [see below issues to be discussed], which could arguably based on empirical evidence and experimentation protocols, similar to the method Elianor Ostrom deployed in economics. 

A review of different forms of deliberation can by found in the quoted document in French by M. O’Connor (Le modèle politique de la démocratie participative), and a simple list in J. O’Neill’s article. While O’Connor observe s that more participatory processes don't guarantee that the outcome will be satisfactory, a strong case is made for deliberative processes in sustainability assessment.