Governance, democracy and sustainable development : moving beyond the impasse / James Meadowcroft, Oluf Langhelle and Audun Ruud -- A changing energy resource base and the re-invention of the region / Michael Narodoslawsky -- Trends, drivers and dilemmas in the transition towards sustainable water management / Frans H.J.M. Coenen and Hans T.A. Bressers -- Local participation and learning in nature protection : a Swedish success story / Katarina Eckerberg -- Early experiences of local climate change adaptation in Norwegian society / Carlo Aall -- 'Think globally, act locally!' : but what on earth can local governments do about global climate change? / Lennart J. Lundqvist -- Moving beyond the impasse : climate change activism in the US and the EU / Elizabeth Bomberg -- Governance and participation for sustainable development in Ireland : 'not so different after all?' / Gerard Mullally -- Measuring what? : national interpretations of sustainable development--the case of Norway / Oluf Langhelle and Audun Ruud -- Breaking the impasse on global environmental protection / Miranda A. Schreurs -- Governance by diffusion : exploring a new mechanism of international policy coordination / Per-Olof Busch and Helge Jörgens -- Climate change, the common good and the promotion of sustainable development / Susan Baker -- Pushing the boundaries : governance for sustainable development and a politics of limits / James Meadowcroft -- Governance for sustainable development : the impasse of dysfunctional democracy / William M. Lafferty.

"This very timely and important collection draws together some of the world's leading thinkers on environment and development to debate one of the most important issues of our time: sustainable development. They very usefully remind us all that in order to be politically sustainable, the sustainability transition will have to find a way to maximize policy synergies in a democratically legitimate manner."--Provided by publisher.