Executive summary: Participating in government public consultations can be an effective way for the animal advocacy movement to influence policies and improve animal welfare, but many impactful opportunities are likely being missed.
Key points:
Public consultations are commonly used by governments, especially in Western democracies, to solicit input from stakeholders on proposed policies. Usage has increased over time.
Academic literature shows that consultation submissions can influence final policies, but the effect depends on context. Demonstrating expertise is a key factor for success.
Case studies illustrate the variability in numbers of responses to consultations and how governments incorporate the feedback, with some clear wins and losses for animals.
Animal advocates may be missing opportunities to influence important policies, especially in adjacent domains like farming regulations, invasive species management, fisheries, biosecurity, and development.
A small team focused on monitoring and responding to relevant consultations globally, especially neglected ones, could be an impactful intervention. Crucial considerations are quantifying the number of missed opportunities and the frequency of governments adopting proposed changes.
This comment was auto-generated by the EA Forum Team. Feel free to point out issues with this summary by replying to the comment, andcontact us if you have feedback.
Executive summary: Participating in government public consultations can be an effective way for the animal advocacy movement to influence policies and improve animal welfare, but many impactful opportunities are likely being missed.
Key points:
Public consultations are commonly used by governments, especially in Western democracies, to solicit input from stakeholders on proposed policies. Usage has increased over time.
Academic literature shows that consultation submissions can influence final policies, but the effect depends on context. Demonstrating expertise is a key factor for success.
Case studies illustrate the variability in numbers of responses to consultations and how governments incorporate the feedback, with some clear wins and losses for animals.
Animal advocates may be missing opportunities to influence important policies, especially in adjacent domains like farming regulations, invasive species management, fisheries, biosecurity, and development.
A small team focused on monitoring and responding to relevant consultations globally, especially neglected ones, could be an impactful intervention. Crucial considerations are quantifying the number of missed opportunities and the frequency of governments adopting proposed changes.
This comment was auto-generated by the EA Forum Team. Feel free to point out issues with this summary by replying to the comment, and contact us if you have feedback.