STRATEGIES FOR SUSTAINABLE SOCIOECONOMIC-DEVELOPMENT IN ENVIRONMENTAL-PLANNING

Sustainable development is emphasized in the Dutch national environmental policy plan (NEPP). This plan is based upon a long term environmental survey carried out by the National Institute of Public Health and Environmental Protection (RIVM). In this respect the institute functions as a national environmental planning agency. The nature of environmental problems is described, resulting in a division of problems on five scales: global, continental, fluvial, regional and local. Attempts are made to define sustainable development and to select indicators related to the dynamics of the processes involved. Some examples are given to aid the construction of strategies for sustainable development on each of the scales mentioned. It is illustrated that dynamic models are needed for policy exercises within a scale-related hierarchy.