Governance, Democracy and Sustainable Development: Moving Beyond the Impasse

This insightful book deals with governance of the environment and sustainable development. The contributors explore the difficulties developed countries are experiencing in coming to terms with environmental limits and the resultant challenges to the democratic polity. They engage with different dimensions of the governance challenge including norms, public attitudes, citizen engagement, political conflict, policy design, and implementation, and with a range of environmental problems such as climate change, biodiversity/nature protection, and water management. The book concludes with an essay by William Lafferty that explores the flawed character of the contemporary democratic polity and offers his reflections on possible pathways to reform.

This book will interest researchers, academics, and graduate students in environmental politics and public policy. It is ideal for use as supplementary reading in a wide range of university courses, while NGOs and policy-makers will also find it of considerable value.

Contributors: C. Aall, S. Baker, E. Bomberg, H.T.A. Bressers, P.-O. Busch, F.H.J.M. Coenen, K. Eckerberg, H. Jörgens, W.M. Lafferty, O. Langhelle, L.J. Lundqvist, J. Meadowcroft, G. Mullally, M. Narodoslawsky, A. Ruud, M.A. Schreurs

Edited by James Meadowcroft, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada, Oluf Langhelle, University of Stavanger, Norway and Audun Ruud, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Norway