Local Economic Development and the Environment

About this book

Concerns about the impact of economic development upon the global environment have increased in recent years. Sustainable development has been proposed as a means of reconciling the pressures between the two, allowing the integration of economic, environmental and social concerns. While policy makers at international, national and local levels have rapidly adopted sustainable development as a key aim, there is a great deal of uncertainty as to what it means in practice. This book focuses upon the potential to integrate economic and environmental policies at the local and regional scale. Local initiatives are investigated within their wider economic and environmental policy contexts in order to illustrate both the constraints and opportunities for local policy makers. Attention is given to global economic trends, as well as to the specific policy contexts of the European Union and the national contexts of the UK, USA, Australia, Japan and Sweden. The key principles for designing integrative policies and descriptions of initiatives and projects in a variety of locations are also considered. This book will be of vital interest not only to students and academics working in the field of local development, but also to policy makers and planners seeking guidelines for the role of local government in the local economy, sustainable development and the implementation of policies.

Contents

Part 1: Approaching Local Sustainability 1. Introduction 2. Sustainable Development 3. Ecological Modernization 4. Urban Regime Theory 5. Regulation Theory 6. Conclusions Part 2: The Changing Context for Local Economic Development 7. Introduction 8. Changing International and National Contexts 9. From Fordism to Post-Fordism? 10. The Impact of Information and Communication Technologies 11. Globalization and the Drive for Free Trade 12. Changing Public Policies: Neo-Liberalism and the State 13. Conclusions Part 3: The Changing Environmental Policy Context for Local Action 14. Introduction 15. The International Policy Context 16. International Agreements on the Environment 17. The European Environmental Policy Context 18. Differing National Contexts 19. The USA 20. Japan 21. Australia 22. The United Kingdom 23. Sweden 24. Conclusions Part 4: Integrating Economic Development and Environmental Strategies at the Local Level 25. Introduction 26. Principles for Sustainable Development in Local Areas and Regions 27. Ecological Principles 28. Resource Efficiency Principles 29. Governance Principles 30. Measurement of Impact Principles 31. Principles for Sustainable Local and Regional Economies 32. Community and Work-based Themes 33. Business Themes 34. Themes for Local and Regional Government 35. Implementing Sustainable Local and Regional Economic Development: Bioregionalism and Regional Environmental Management Systems 36. Conclusions Part 5: Sustainability and Economic Regeneration: Making it Happen on the Ground 37. Introduction 38. Land Use and Transport Planning 39. Advice and Support for Local Business to Improve Environmental Performance 40. Using Technology for Sustainability 41. Promoting Green Consumerism and Purchasing Policies 42. Targeted Inward Investment Strategy 43. Changing Governance Structures 44. Promoting the Environmental Business Sector 45. Linking Economic Development, Labour Markets and Social Policy 46. Partnerships Between Local Government and Industry 47. Provision of Sustainability Infrastructure 48. Industrial Ecology and Eco-Industrial Parks 49. Indicators and Output Measurement 50. Conclusions Part 6: Integrating Economic Development and the Environment: Future Prospects for Local Areas 51. Introduction 52. Reflections on Theory 53. The Strengths and Weaknesses of a Local Approach

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