ID: 2086
Presenting Author: Willemijn Smal
Session: 676 - Public Trust and Social Impact Assessment: Lessons learned from major projects
Status: pending
Applying Brandsma’s polarisation framework helped the Dutch Ecological Authority depolarise the outcomes of environmental assessments and strengthen public trust in regulatory advice on nature restora
This paper reflects on the application of Bart Brandsma’s Polarisation Framework (from Polarisation: Understanding the Dynamics of Us Versus Them, 2017) in the practice of environmental assessment in the Netherlands. The Ecological Authority (EA)—an independent body established by law in 2022 and hosted by the Netherlands Commission for Environmental Assessment (NCEA)—reviews whether decisions on protected nature areas are based on complete and accurate ecological information. Between 2022 and 2024, the EA evaluated ecological restoration analyses for 133 Natura 2000 sites, resulting in the synthesis report Doing what must and can be done.
In this polarised setting—where ecological urgency, legal duties and economic interests collide—the EA used Brandsma’s framework to navigate “us-versus-them” dynamics among policymakers, farmers, NGOs and scientists. By explicitly mapping diagnostic positions (bridge-builder, joiner, pusher, etc.), the EA adopted a mediative stance that focused on facts and shared responsibilities rather than blame.
This depolarising approach shaped both the structure and tone of the synthesis report and strengthened trust in ecological assessments. The Dutch case illustrates that confidence in regulatory institutions grows not by avoiding polarisation but by acknowledging and steering it consciously—offering transferable lessons for other countries managing contested socio-ecological transitions.
Willemijn Smal is Head of the Dutch Ecological Authority, leading national Natura 2000 assessments. With 17 years at the NCEA, she has built deep expertise in bridging science, law and governance.