Participatory input and questions of legitimacy: the role and function of advisory bodies in the construction and use of sustainability indicators

The underlying discourse in the field of the development and use of sustainability indicators is strongly suggesting that different social actors and their representational institutional equivalents have an important role to play. In this contribution the FRDO-CFDD wishes to do three things: a) Take a closer look at he theoretical and policy arguments that support this claim. b) Explain how the involvement of participatory/advisory bodies has been organized and has worked in the Belgian context. We will more precisely elaborate on the role of the Belgian Federal Council for Sustainable Development in this matter. The Council is currently working on an advise on indicators. c) Draw some lessons and conclusions from this experience in light of the theoretical arguments that can be useful for the further involvement of different social groups in the dynamics of developing and using indicators for sustainable development. This contribution should hence shed light on issues such as the use and access to knowledge; the legitimacy of the involvement and role of actors; the link between advisory bodies and policy makers; etc. These issues are of broader importance in the debate on participation and sustainable development and are hence of interest to all actors involved in the participatory dynamics of sustainable development.status: publishe