Sharing environmental space: the role of law, economics and politics

Abstract

The concept of ‘environmental space’ has been put forward as a means for providing specific meaning to sustainability. The concept combines the idea of the existence of environmental limits with a strong principle of environmental justice. It has been used as a basis for the development of sustainable action plans for many European countries, and has attracted political interest. However, thus far, the concept has found limited application by governments. The paper identifies and discusses several issues that need to be addressed for the environmental space approach to be implemented. Three main options for the institutionalization of the approach are discussed: within the legal‐constitutional framework (as rights and obligations), within the economic system (as environmental property rights), and through green planning (as specific objectives and targets contained in national environmental plans or strategies). The paper discusses the ability of the three options to deal with the issues identified, assessing their relative advantages and disadvantages, and to what extent these options are complementary. Finally, conclusions are drawn about the viability of the concept of ‘environmental space’.