Evolutionary policies for sustainable development: adaptive flexibility and risk minimising

Research output: Contribution to JournalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

An evolutionary perspective on policies to foster sustainable development is presented. It is argued that policies suggested by the traditional economic theory of environmental policy can stimulate unsustainable socio-economic structures and patterns. In addition, they are unable to remove undesired locked-in systems and technologies. Drawing on evolutionary thinking, characterised by diversity, selection, innovation, path-dependence and bounded rationality, an alternative, partly complementary theory of environmental policy is suggested. Specific attention is given to the role of strategies that are aimed at increasing diversity and adaptive flexibility, and at reducing risk. © 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)121-133
Number of pages13
JournalEcological Economics
Volume47
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2003

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Evolutionary policies for sustainable development: adaptive flexibility and risk minimising'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this