It is universally recognised that Venice and its lagoon are of such
value that they constitute an international public good that must be
preserved for humanity as a whole. But such an ambitious task requires a
diversified, sustainable set of economic activities, mostly focused on
the production of services and non-material goods. This complex issue is
analyzed using different approaches, with a discussion of the case of
Venice as an example of some of the most relevant problems concerning
the relation between the environment and development in the contemporary
world: the trade-off between preserving an ecosystem and considering it
as an economic resource; the evolution of different urban growth
scenarios and the preservation of a physical habitat; the role of
immaterial production in urban economic development; the nature of
tourism as a sustainable activity, considered from both from the
environmental and cultural angles; the institutional aspect of governing
a process of sustainable urban development.
Readership: A unique resource for environmental and urban managers,
policy analysts, students of sustainable development, and anyone else
interested in the social and economic implications of preserving one of
the most loved and celebrated cities in the world.