Skip to main content

Inclusive Governance or Incrementalism? The Choice of a Sustainable Development Governance Model for Flanders

  • Chapter
Sustainable Development and Subnational Governments

Abstract

In this chapter, we describe and analyze the sustainable development governance model of the subnational government of Flanders.1 In Belgium, the federal government was the first to take up the responsibility for the ‘new’ policy issue of sustainable development following the Rio Summit in 1992. polítical consciousness of the need for a stronger sustainable development policy has been growing slowly since then. In 2007, sustainable development was explicitly included in the Constitution. One of the reasons for the growing interest is the fact that Belgium, as a small and geographically and polítically centrally located country, is following the international polítical scene closely and sustainable development was gaining importance on the European and international level.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Bachus, Kris and Sophie Spillemaeckers. 2009. Do compromises work? The choice of a governance sustainable development strategy in Flanders. Paper read at the 15th Annual Sustainable Development Conference, July 2009, Utrecht.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bachus, Kris, Hans Bruyninckx and Mayke Poesen-Vandeputte. 2005. Vlaams struc-tureel overleg voor duurzame ontwikkeling (Eindrapport in het kader van het TWOL-onderzoeksproject’Vlaams structureel overleg voor duurzame ontwikkeling’). Leuven: HIVA-KU Leuven. Available from http://www.hiva.be/docs/rapport/R960.pdf.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bleischwitz, Raimund, Michael Latsch and K. Snorre Andersen. 2004. Sustainable Development and Collective Learning: Theory and a European case study. BEEP briefing n° 7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Connor, Robin and Stephen Dovers. 2004. Institutional Change for Sustainable Development. Cheltenham, UK & Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Council of the European Union. 2006. Review of the EU Sustainable Development Strategy (EU SDS). Renewed strategy. Brussels, 26 June.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dalal-Clayton, D. Barry and Stephen Bass. 2002. Sustainable Development Strategies: A resource book. London: IIED, OECD and UNDP, in association with Earthscan Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • DAR. 2006. Vlaamse strategie duurzame ontwikkeling. Samen grenzen verleggen [cited 23 April 2010]. Available from http://publicaties.vlaanderen.be/ebl-web/do/ publicatieSessionFacade/publicatieDownload Action/downloadVanDetail?method= downloadVanDetail&id=7243.

    Google Scholar 

  • De Smedt, . 2009. Duurzame ontwikkeling in de grondwet: codificatie van een ideaal of een nieuw juridisch wapen? Oikos 50 (3): 40–5.

    Google Scholar 

  • Happaerts, Sander and Karoline Van den Brande. 2011. Sustainable development and transnational communication: Assessing the international influence on subnational policies. Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis: Research and Practice 13 (5): 527–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Happaerts, Sander, Simon Schunz and Hans Bruyninckx. 2012. Federalism and intergovernmental relations. The multi-level politics of climate change policy in Belgium. Journal of Contemporary European Studies 20 (in press).

    Google Scholar 

  • Helsinki Process. 2007. Inclusive Governance, Bridging Global Divides. Report from the Helsinki Process Review Conference 2007. Dar es Salaam.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hooghe, Liesbet, Arjan H. Schakel and Gary Marks. 2008. Appendix A: Profiles of regional reform in 42 countries (1950–2006). Regional & Federal Studies 18 (2–3): 183–258.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Howlett, Michael and M. Ramesh. 2003. Studying Public Policy. Don Mills, Ontario: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • IEEP-SERI. PRIME-SD. 2006. Peer Review Improvement through Mutual Exchange on Sustainable Development: A guidebook for peer reviews of national sustainable development strategies. European Commission, DG Environment.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kain, Jaan-Henrik. 2000. Urban Support Systems — social and technical, socio-technical or sociotechnical. Thesis, Department of Urban Design and Planning, Gothenberg.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lafferty, William M. 2004. Governance for Sustainable Development. The challenge of adapting form to function. Cheltenham, UK & Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Lafferty, William M. and James Meadowcroft. 2003. Implementing Sustainable Development. 2nd edn. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lindblom, Charles E. 1959. The science of muddling through. Public Administration Review 19 (2): 79–88.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meadowcroft, James. 1997. Planning for sustainable development: insights from the literatures of polítical science. European Journal of polítical Research 31: 427–54.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ministerie van de Vlaamse Gemeenschap. 1999. Beleidsterminologie. Bijdrage Vlaamse administratie aan hetregeerprogramma van de aantredende Vlaamse regering [cited 23 April 2010]. Available from http://www2.vlaanderen.be/bijdrage-regeerprogramma/00/ INL_00. pdf.

    Google Scholar 

  • Niestroy, Ingeborg. 2005. Benchmark StudySustaining Sustainability’. EEAC series, Background Study n° 2. Utrecht: Lemma Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • OECD. 2002a. Governance for Sustainable Development: Five OECD case studies. Paris: OECD Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • —. 2002b. Sustainable Development Strategies: A resource book. London & Sterling, VA: Earthscan (in cooperation with OECD and UNDP).

    Google Scholar 

  • —. 2002c. Improving Policy Coherence and Integration for Sustainable Development: A checklist [cited 23 April 2010]. Available from www.oecd.org/dataoecd/61/19/ 2763153.pdf.

    Google Scholar 

  • —. 2006. Good Practices in the National Sustainable Development Strategies of OECD Countries. Paris: OECD Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • —. 2007. Institutionalising Sustainable Development. Paris: OECD Publications.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Sangita, Satyanarayana. 2007. Indian democracy at the crossroads: Role of polítical parties in inclusive governance. ISEC Public Lecture. Bangalore: Centre for polítical Institutions, Governance and Development, ISEC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spangenberg, Jochaim H. 2002. Environmental space and the prism of sustainability: Frameworks for indicators measuring sustainable development. Ecological Indicators (2): 295–309.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spillemaeckers, Sophie and Kris Bachus. 2009a. Institutional aspects of governance for sustainable development in Flanders. In Sustainable Development and Planning IV, edited by WIT Press. Southampton, UK: Wessex Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • —. 2009b. Governance voor duurzame ontwikkeling in Vlaanderen. Working Paper n° 9. Leuven: Steunpunt Duurzame Ontwikkeling.

    Google Scholar 

  • Swanson, Darren A. and László Pintér. 2007. Governance structures for NSDS. In Institutionalising Sustainable Development, edited by OECD. Paris: OECD Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Swanson, Darren A., László Pintér, François Bregha, Axel Volkery and Klaus Jacob. 2004. National Strategies for Sustainable Development: Challenges, approaches and innovations in strategic and co-ordinated action. Winnipeg/Bonn: International Institute for Sustainable Development and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH.

    Google Scholar 

  • Trends. 2008. Geen elektriciteitscentrale op palmolie in Antwerpen [cited 23 April 2010]. Available from http://www.trends.be/nl/economie/beleid/4–1408–47122/geen-elektriciteitscentrale-op-palmolie-in-antwerpen.html.

    Google Scholar 

  • UNCED. 1992. United Nations Conference on Environment and Development. Agenda 21 [cited 23 April 2010]. Available from http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/ agenda2ltext.htm.

    Google Scholar 

  • UNDESA. 2002. Guidance in Preparing a National Sustainable Development Strategy: Managing sustainable development in the new millennium. Background Paper N° 13.

    Google Scholar 

  • UNDP. 2007. Towards Inclusive Governance: Promoting the participation of disadvantaged groups in Asia-Pacific. Bangkok: UNDP.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Humbeeck, Peter. 2006. Geen duurzame ontwikkeling zonder beter bestuur. ARGUS Milieumagazine 4 (1): 32–7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vlaams Parlement. 2008. Ontwerp van decreet ter bevordering van duurzame ontwikkeling. Tekst aangenomen door de plenaire vergadering, 9 juli 2008. Stuk 1629 (2007–2008) — Nr 4.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vlaamse Regering, Minister-president. 2007. Nota aan de Vlaamse Regering betreft decreet ter bevordering van duurzame ontwikkeling. VR/2007/21.12/DOC.1550.

    Google Scholar 

  • WCED (World Commission on Environment and Development). 1987. Our Common Future, from One Earth to One World [cited 23 April 2010]. Available from http://www.un-documents.net/wced-ocf.htm.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Copyright information

© 2012 Kris Bachus and Sophie Spillemaeckers

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Bachus, K., Spillemaeckers, S. (2012). Inclusive Governance or Incrementalism? The Choice of a Sustainable Development Governance Model for Flanders. In: Bruyninckx, H., Happaerts, S., Van den Brande, K. (eds) Sustainable Development and Subnational Governments. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137005427_3

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics