Politics & Government
Technocratic Expertise vs. Accountability in Environmental Policy
Quick fact
Research on environmental policy shows that technically optimal decisions are often the least likely to be accepted when they bypass public deliberation—because accountability mechanisms favor transparency and reversibility over pure efficiency.
Why this is interesting
When experts say a proposed dam is safe and beneficial, why do citizens and courts still push back? The answer lies in a fundamental tension between what scientists know and what democracy requires.