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The poverty of sustainability: rescuing economics from platitudes

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  • Daniel W. Bromley

Abstract

The idea of sustainability has become confused and incoherent. If sustainability is to regain a plausible pertinence to economic policy it must be understood to encompass two realms: (1) human interaction with nature; and (2) human interaction with others with respect to their interaction with nature. The on‐going redefinition of the purposes of nature requires that institutions—norms, rules‐property regimes—undergo constant evolution so that human action conduces to nondestructive action. Caution in the social realm is the greatest risk to environmental sustainability.

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  • Daniel W. Bromley, 2005. "The poverty of sustainability: rescuing economics from platitudes," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 32(s1), pages 201-210, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:agecon:v:32:y:2005:i:s1:p:201-210
    DOI: 10.1111/j.0169-5150.2004.00024.x
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    1. World Commission on Environment and Development,, 1987. "Our Common Future," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780192820808.
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    Cited by:

    1. James, Harvey S., Jr., 2005. "For a Sustainable Agriculture, We Need More Adam Smith, Not Less," Working Papers 26047, University of Missouri Columbia, Department of Agricultural Economics.
    2. Terrence S. Veeman, 2008. "Development, Productivity, and Sustaining Natural Capital," Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics/Revue canadienne d'agroeconomie, Canadian Agricultural Economics Society/Societe canadienne d'agroeconomie, vol. 56(1), pages 13-25, March.
    3. Harvey James, 2006. "Sustainable agriculture and free market economics: Finding common ground in Adam Smith," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 23(4), pages 427-438, December.
    4. Kitessa, R.J., 2018. "On the design and implementation of environmental conservation mechanisms : Evidence from field experiments," Other publications TiSEM cda8497d-6dcf-4092-b815-1, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    5. Hagedorn, Konrad, 2004. "Institutionen der Nachhaltigkeit," Proceedings “Schriften der Gesellschaft für Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaften des Landbaues e.V.”, German Association of Agricultural Economists (GEWISOLA), vol. 39.
    6. Miguel Arato & Stijn Speelman & Guido Van Huylenbroeck, 2014. "The contribution of non‐timber forest products towards sustainable rural development: The case of Candelilla wax from the Chihuahuan Desert in Mexico," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 38(2), pages 141-153, May.

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