Information and Transparency in Environmental Politics: Civil Society Strategies and Repertoires of Action

Environmental issues have long been considered an expression of post-materialist issues, marginalised in the political confrontation and politicised mainly in the more economically advanced democracies. In recent decades, however, in the face of the intensifying climate crisis, it has become clear how environmental politics is also increasingly intertwined with economic, social and territorial issues, often becoming an area where multiple actors with different interests, values and visions clash. Moreover, environmental politics is a sector where, in view of the complexity and technical nature of the issues, there are power asymmetries linked to the transparency of decision-making processes and the dissemination of information. Indeed, this sector is one of the first in which policies aimed at fostering greater transparency through instruments such as the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) have been introduced both internationally and nationally. Starting from these premises, the paper intends to investigate whether and how such policy tools are actually used by movements and interest groups acting in defence of the environment and in order to raise awareness among public opinion and policy-makers of the urgency of ecological transition. Focusing on the Italian case, the analysis intends to investigate good practices in terms of FOIA use by the main environmental movements and organisations at the national level; the opportunities and limits related to informed dialogue in environmental policy; and possible conflictual situations in which environmental organisations prefer to employ unconventional participation tools. The empirical analysis is carried out through semi-structured qualitative interviews with representatives of the various organisations. This study contributes to the broader discourse on transparency, democracy, and environmental justice.