This book explores the meaning and role of "fair and reasoned discourse" in the



context of our institutions for environmental decision processes. The book



reviews the roles of our "environmental advocacy organizations"-such as The



Sierra Club, The Audubon Society, the Environmental Defense Fund-in providing



and ensuring that our discourse and decisions are fair and reasoned according to



the criteria of being (i) inclusive of input from all affected, (ii) informed of relevant



scientific and socio-economic information, (iii) uncorrupted by direct conflicts of



interest, and (iv) logical according robust review by uncorrupted judges. These



organizations are described and examined as expressions of "collective imperfect

duty," i.e. the coordinated duties with environmental direction. The current state



of our discourse is examined in light of this fairness criteria, particularly in



consideration of the cross-border problems that threaten tragedies of the global



commons.