This book can be regarded as a monograph on the debates and developments in Dutch environmental policy. It has been written with a specific perspective in mind. First and foremost, the line of approach we have taken was from a multidisciplinary social science point of view. The trend in environmental policy is looked at from the angle of sociology, policy studies and political science. Secondly, all analyses depart from the paradigm shift concept. This particular paradigm shift is based on the fact that a radical change has taken shape over the years in the way environmental issues are handled. Previously, environmental policy had always been characterised by is top-down approach in which government determined the actual objectives of policy and assumed that it could win over business, non governmental organisations and citizens to act in line with those objectives. There was also a great deal of faith in the technical solutions to environmental issues. Today's environmental policy is based on a totally different philosophy. Environmental objectives are now reached in association with business, non-governmental organisations and citizens. These actors are also involved in bringing environmental policy into practice. In other words, the implementation of policy has a more interactive nature. New relationships emerge between government, the market and civil society, and policy discourses also become integrated. The environmental interest is more often weighed against the econom1c interests, the spatial development and against social justice.

New philosophies of environmental management are being put to the test in many countries.. New ideas are needed to replace or at least flank the old command and control approach, which has lost its credibility. One of the most interesting new avenues is co-operative environmental management, whereby public and private parties work together to tackle a problem. It is interesting because it seems to be well suited to handling complex environmental problems. This kind of management makes use of the policy instrument known as the Environmental Agreement. That tool is geared to the development of sustainable procedures for working out solutions. The Environmental Agreement provides scope to deal with some essential characteristics of current environmental problems. Indeed, one of the most vexing aspects of environmental problems is uncertainty, both in the ecological sphere and with respect to the economic effects of intervention. In short, this instrument takes the unknown into account."

This book can be regarded as a monograph on the debates and developments in Dutch environmental policy. It has been written with a specific perspective in mind. First and foremost, the line of approach we have taken was from a multidisciplinary social science point of view. The trend in environmental policy is looked at from the angle of sociology, policy studies and political science. Secondly, all analyses depart from the paradigm shift concept. This particular paradigm shift is based on the fact that a radical change has taken shape over the years in the way environmental issues are handled. Previously, environmental policy had always been characterised by is top-down approach in which government determined the actual objectives of policy and assumed that it could win over business, non governmental organisations and citizens to act in line with those objectives. There was also a great deal of faith in the technical solutions to environmental issues. Today's environmental policy is based on a totally different philosophy. Environmental objectives are now reached in association with business, non-governmental organisations and citizens. These actors are also involved in bringing environmental policy into practice. In other words, the implementation of policy has a more interactive nature. New relationships emerge between government, the market and civil society, and policy discourses also become integrated. The environmental interest is more often weighed against the econom1c interests, the spatial development and against social justice.

New philosophies of environmental management are being put to the test in many countries.. New ideas are needed to replace or at least flank the old command and control approach, which has lost its credibility. One of the most interesting new avenues is co-operative environmental management, whereby public and private parties work together to tackle a problem. It is interesting because it seems to be well suited to handling complex environmental problems. This kind of management makes use of the policy instrument known as the Environmental Agreement. That tool is geared to the development of sustainable procedures for working out solutions. The Environmental Agreement provides scope to deal with some essential characteristics of current environmental problems. Indeed, one of the most vexing aspects of environmental problems is uncertainty, both in the ecological sphere and with respect to the economic effects of intervention. In short, this instrument takes the unknown into account."

The concept of sustainable development is a source of inspiration for many, who see it as a call to cooperative action. In practice, however, policies intended to further this goal often generate conflicts of interest. The ensuing disputes occur among governmental organizations, but disputes also arise between public authorities, private interest groups, and the environmental movement. In the opinion of the authors, the fact that environmental policy can provoke such conflict may be attributed largely to decision making procedures in our society. Accordingly, the authors are convinced that a new approach to managing environmental disputes is needed in order to deal effectively with environmental problems. Indeed, this book presents a viable alternative, which is called network management.