Towards a Sustainable Economy

The debate over sustainable development has tended to focus on conceptual issues within a relatively academic mode of discourse. This book differs radically from that tradition in that it builds on a unique experiment in 'dialogue research', where the ecological demands of Norwegian environmentalists are directly integrated into governmental planning models and long-term projections. The goal is to assess the long-term effects of more stringent environmental protection on Norwegian production and consumption patterns. From the perspective of several decades, and comparing alternative combinations of macroeconomic and environmental policies, the book reaches the conclusion that substantial environmental improvements are possible at relatively modest costs in terms of sectoral adjustments and reduced overall rates of economic growth. It also demonstrates that a much broader range of constructive options exists in this direction than is generally assumed. A closer analysis of these options indicates that an 'insurance premium' against further environmental damage can be paid in the form of relatively modest structural adjustments and reduced growth without seriously disturbing or retarding the overall quality of life in high-consumption societies such as Norway.