Another strength of the councils is the capacity to articulate values and goals for the future and translate them into current policies and measure of success. It is easy to say that member- ship should be multi stakeholder and representative, but harder to say who is a legitimate representative of civil society. It may be better to seek membership that accurately reflects society rather than thinking that the members should actually represent anyone. Conflict is necessary and inevitable among people who bring different values and experience to difficult issues. It can be a means to develop understanding and to find common ground, but it can also be destructive, especially if some participants bring anger or ideology to the process.
Some participants have substantial resources, some none.
If no funds are available to redress that imbalance the pro- cess is not fair and will not work. The urgency of poverty. For many nations the depth and extent of poverty define and constrain their approach to sustainable develop- ment. Councils tend to be viewed as environmental bodies and left to environmental ministries, missing the point of sustainable development, and diminishing the Council's ability to integrate national goals. Finance ministries have been notably absent from sustainable development debates.