ABSTRACT

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book presents a summary of the key theoretical and practical issues raised in each contribution, indicating where the lines of agreement and disagreement lie. It traces how the concept has been expressed historically through the disciplines of economics, sociology, politics and environmental social sciences. The book also presents thirty propositions on sustainable development. It explains thirty propositions on sustainable development. The book reviews some of the earlier findings of British and Scottish survey research and draws on the results of a Scottish opinion survey commissioned for the Environment Scotland project. It focuses on the local arena to examine the nature of grassroots activity in urban Scotland. The book provides a clear account of the historical tensions surrounding ownership and maps out a series of options for reform.