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All policy initiatives should be subject to a sustainability test the results of which would be published. using a star system.

“Anything the government decides to do will be checked to see that it helps preserve the planet that we all rely on.”

2. How does it fit with Compass’ core beliefs of equality, solidarity, democracy, freedom, sustainability and well being?

It puts sustainability at the heart of all other initiatives without reducing them to it.

3. How does it build the institutions of social democracy, like social groups and collective and cooperative forms of ownership and control?

Without sustainability there can, in the end be none of these.
The sustainability test could be done by an elected social interest panel(s) of experts and lay people. Building in accountability of this sort will reduce the likelihood of policies taking off that do not represent the interests of people and planet.

4. How much will it cost or raise and where will any cost come from?

The costs of unsustainable policy decisions are high - even fatal - so this is a cost neutral initiative looked at in the longer run. I would estimate the costs as relatively low and they could be funded from a carbon tax.

5. Which groups in the electorate are likely to support or oppose this measure? Is there any polling evidence you have on this?

Difficult to say but probably those voting green and left that aren’t tied in to unsustainable futures like the car industry. Even some of them might go for it if it were well presented.

6. Is there a place or country where it’s worked? Please provide some information.

Not that I know of.

7. What are the three main arguments in favour/against it?

1) It helps ensure that policies are assessed formally before implementation, moving towards an evidence-based approach to policy and preventing expensive mistakes (in financial and ecological terms).
2) It puts sustainability at the heart of policy - just as policies are impact assessed on other dimensions (cost chiefly) already.
3) It could be used as part of a wider strategy to build a more deliberative democracy.

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This entry was posted on Thursday, January 22nd, 2009 at 11:09 pm and is filed under Sustainability. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.