Justice analysis of Solar Farms for Net Zero
Procedural justice is the concept that the communities that are most affected by the outcome of a decision must be involved in the decision-making and consultation process (Walker and Day, 2012). The first step towards procedural justice is ensuring that affected communities have access to information regarding the issue (Walker and Day, 2012). In relation to the sustainability problem, the residents of the rural villages must be given sufficient information regarding the importance of the solar farms which can help them to understand why the development is needed. In addition, they should also be informed about how they can get involved in the process to voice their concerns. Following this, the communities must be allowed “meaningful participation” throughout the decision-making process, in which they are given the proper representation either through governmental bodies or local community forum’s (Walker and Day, 2012, p.72). The final stage of procedural justice is to provide communities with the relevant legal support should they need to challenge the decision, such as laws and regulations which aim to protect the interests of those most affected (Walker and Day, 2012).
Representation justice feeds into the second stage of procedural justice, in which marginalised groups should be given someone to speak on their behalf and allow their voice and concerns to be represented during decision-making (Haeffner et al., 2021). This theory of justice ensures that unrepresented groups in society are not overlooked when organisations or governmental bodies are making decisions, and therefore are able to participate in conversations that will have a direct impact on them (Young, 2002; Haeffner et al., 2021).
In order for a just and sustainable outcome to be achieved, those who have the least power to speak up and address their concerns must be represented fairly within the decision-making process, to ensure they are able to participate to achieve an outcome that benefits everyone ((Haeffner et al., 2021). In order to achieve a net zero future, decisions must be made using a co-production technique in which the stakeholders most affected can participate in decision-making which can reduce power imbalances between different groups (Gerlak et al., 2023).
In relation to the sustainability problem, the development of the solar farms in the Lincolnshire countryside has caused a significant amount of controversy amongst local communities, with concerns over loss of habitats, agricultural land, visual aesthetics, natural environments and impacts on traffic (7000 Acres, n.d.). Despite the need for solar energy to transition towards net zero, the worries raised by local residents highlight the social impact of these developments and suggest that the businesses in charge are not considering and valuing the voices of those most affected. Many of the proposed developments undertook a consultation stage with the communities, however since many were approved by the government, it poses the question of whether or not their concerns were addressed or taken into consideration (Cottam Solar Project, n.d.). This problem highlights the importance of involving those who are most impacted by the development in the decision-making process, in which they may feel empowered by becoming a part of the solution and may lead to an outcome which benefits everyone (CPRE, n.d.). Ensuring that a just outcome is achieved within the net zero target, procedural and representational justice must be implemented into the decision-making process and solar development projects. These processes can encourage the involvement of all stakeholders in the process, from local communities to governmental bodies, which can result in decisions that everyone is satisfied with and can benefit all parties involved.
Reference List
Cottam Solar Project, n.d. Welcome to Cottam Solar Project. [Online]. [Accessed 5 November 2024]. Available from: https://www.cottamsolar.co.uk
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Haeffner, M., Hellman, D., Cantor, A., Ajibade, I., Oyanedel-Craver, V., Kelly, M., Schifman, L. and Weasel, L. 2021. Representation justice as a research agenda for socio-hydrology and water governance. Hydrological Sciences Journal. [Online]. 66(11), pp.1611–1624. [Accessed 1 November 2024]. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1080/02626667.2021.1945609
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Young, I.M. 2002. Inclusion and Democracy [Online]. Oxford University Press. [Accessed 1 November 2024]. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1093/0198297556.001.0001.
United Nations, n.d. What is renewable energy? [Online]. [Accessed 1 November 2024]. Available from: https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/what-is-renewable-energy?gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD9kiAd5eqkBkAx3JQ0QHLMhcvFe6&gclid=CjwKCAjwg-24BhB_EiwA1ZOx8kZD8qd-mw7okG4ThWd33wbN9QHSG-b6hmx6F3gBFlTBLNs-aMfmiBoC28kQAvD_BwE
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