The important thing is that recommendations be realistic and based on evidence, scientific or other. In my experience, it is also important to have an engagement with the stakeholders—the public and businesses—that will implement environmental protection measures.
When we say that independence is protected, that does not mean not talking to anyone. On the contrary, it means listening to all the stakeholders and, by then drawing on clear evidence, making recommendations that separate constraints from choices. At that point, it is up to the political decision maker to decide, but while taking into account the constraints that protect the environment and the objectives.