The concept of sustainable development is a source of inspiration for
many, who see it as a call to cooperative action. In practice, however,
policies intended to further this goal often generate conflicts of
interest. The ensuing disputes occur among governmental organizations,
but disputes also arise between public authorities, private interest
groups, and the environmental movement. In the opinion of the authors,
the fact that environmental policy can provoke such conflict may be
attributed largely to decision making procedures in our society.
Accordingly, the authors are convinced that a new approach to managing
environmental disputes is needed in order to deal effectively with
environmental problems. Indeed, this book presents a viable alternative,
which is called network management.