Institutional change for sustainable development

'Does the road to sustainable development run through institutional reform or, better yet, institutional learning? In this well-argued book, Robin Connor and Stephen Dovers draw on a range of case studies to demonstrate the critical role that institutions play in determining the course of human-environment relations.' - Oran R. Young, University of California, Santa Barbara, US. 'Connor and Dovers correctly argue that achieving sustainability is a long-term process. In this context, they analyze broad institutional innovations toward sustainability to date - from Europe to New Zealand, from sustainability councils to property rights - to suggest how the historical process might be improved and accelerated. This is among the most constructive efforts I have read.' - Richard B. Norgaard, University of California, Berkeley, US. It is clear that the transition to ecologically sustainable patterns of development requires significant institutional change, yet we face a paradox. Although institutions are the primary means of driving reform, they are themselves a root cause of unsustainable development and a barrier to positive change. This volume moves beyond the current debate by advancing our understanding of the nature of institutional change, the features of more appropriate institutional settings, and the manner in which change can be enabled.