New interpretations of local governance for sustainable development in the Netherlands

This chapter explores the promotion of sustainable development as an organising precept for the emergence of new forms of governance practices in the Netherlands. The Netherlands is recognised as a pioneer in the adoption of sustainable development as a key principle for public policy (OECD 2003). In particular, Dutch attempts to structure their commitment to sustainable development through national environmental policy plans has attracted international attention. In 1995, the OECD described Dutch environmental planning as an indicative, comprehensive, and implementation-oriented planning of a remarkably high standard, from which other countries had much to learn (OECD 1995b). The Dutch experience with environmental plans and strategies are very well documented in international literature (for example, Keijzers 2000, Liefferink 1999, Van Muijen 2000, Dalal-Clayton 1996, Johnson 1997, Jänicke 1996a, Jänicke et al. 1997, REC 1995, OECD 1995a, Bressers and Coenen 1996, Lampietti and Subramanian 1995). Relatively little, however, has been documented on the position of the Dutch local authorities in the pursuit of sustainable development.