Teadusseminar "To build or not to build? Mobilization of uncertainty arguments in public decision-making on private megaprojects"

To build or not to build? Mobilization of uncertainty arguments in public decision-making on private megaprojects

Kolmapäeval, 4. septembril 2024 kell 14.00-15.00 Narva 18 - 1024 ja Zoom

PEETER PEDA (Tartu Ülikool)

Uncertainty, a state of unknowing linked to threats and opportunities, is a key characteristic of megaprojects, making it challenging for government officials and politicians to decide on their initiation. For them, implementation by the private sector adds an extra layer of complexity and uncertainty to megaproject planning. In this context, only a few studies have focussed on governing and the mobilization of uncertainty arguments in communication between government actors and private developers either in favour of or against megaprojects. The purpose of this article is to shed light on how private megaproject proposals progress towards political acceptance or rejection in public decision-making. The authors’ findings suggest that while public decision-making on megaprojects is a conflictual and dynamic process, some types of uncertainty are relatively more important in affecting the perceived feasibility of the projects in the eyes of public sector decision-makers. This study contributes to the debate on uncertainty management in megaprojects, proposing a new type of uncertainty – uncertainty about privateness – which has not been explicitly visible thus far.