环境治理

Institutions, Policies and Actions

Arild Vatn, Professor of Environmental Sciences, Department of International Environment and Development Studies, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway

In this innovative book, Arild Vatn presents an overview of the field of environmental governance, from its theoretical foundations, to the major issues and practical applications. While having an interdisciplinary orientation, the main theoretical basis is in institutional theory. The book spans issues from the global to the local level and puts environmental governance within the wider field of economic policy and development. This book is perfect for interdisciplinary masters programs in environmental studies, environmental policy and management, as well as being of value to practitioners in the field.

‘Arild Vatn, the leading classical institutional economist, adopts a novel critical realist perspective and brings insights from a lifetime of work to bear on our social ecological economic crises. In a balanced guide through the diverse interdisciplinary literature, markets are explained as contested socially created governance structures. Mainstream economists and pragmatic environmentalists will discover why their favoured market concepts and solutions are flawed. The environmental crisis requires a fundamental restructuring of the economy and new institutions. Vatn helps us understand the dilemmas and ways forward.’
– Clive L. Spash, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business, Austria

‘The sweep, clarity, and elegance of Arild Vatn’s treatment of institutions and governance is unrivaled. His focus on profound environmental threats–in this era of unbridled self-interest and income inequality–is both a moral triumph and a robust challenge to the hegemony of economistic justificationism in our daily life. Vatn shows that facile application of individualistic models of choice will always fail to reveal what ought to be done. Here we find a comprehensive treatment of all the difficulties–and possibilities–in crafting social rules to live by.’
– Daniel W. Bromley, University of Wisconsin-Madison, US

‘With ‘Environmental Governance’ Arild Vatn succeeds in building a bridge between textbook, reference work and an original contribution to public debate. The various uses find support through the index and clear structure. The book is thus unconditionally recommended to every interested institutional and ecological economist. In addition, readers with other disciplinary backgrounds will find an easily accessible work that deals with socio-ecological and governance research.’
– Ökologisches Wirtschaften