Governing Technology for Sustainability

In a world of growing complexity and dwindling resources, how we control and regulate technology and its impacts is an increasingly pressing issue of concern at the highest levels. This book examines the relationship between sustainability, technology and governance and is the first to link innovation and technology studies research with governance research, applying them to the problem of sustainability. Included are contributions from internationally known environmental social scientists, with each chapter a report on new research.Drawing on examples such as wave and tidal power, community waste recycling and eco-housing, the book provides new and important insights into the governance of technology for sustainability. The editor provides a detailed introduction and conclusion in which he discusses existing research directions and identifies the contribution that the book makes to furthering the study of the technology-society interface and the governance of the technology itself.

In a world of growing complexity and dwindling resources, the relationship between technology and sustainability is a pressing issue of concern at the highest levels. This book improves our understanding by examining the ways that people, technology and governance shape each other with implications for sustainability. It is the first book to link technology studies and governance research to this problem. Contributions from leading environmental social scientists are included, with each chapter reporting on new research and tackling complex, but vital issues. Drawing on examples such as wave and tidal power, wind power, micro-generation, community waste recycling and eco-housing, the book provides powerful new insights into the governance of technology for sustainability. A detailed introduction and conclusion discuss existing research directions and identify the contribution that the book makes in advancing our understanding of the people-technology-governance nexus and its implications for sustainability. This is essential reading for all those in academia, government and industry working at the critical interface between how we develop, deploy and govern technology in the pursuit of sustainability.

Section I: Introduction * Sustainability*? Section II: People and Sustainability: Appreciating Multiple Identities * Decoding Governance * People Centred Eco-Design * Energy Citizenship * Section III: Technology and Sustainability: Contextualized Accounts * Governance Lessons from Green Niches * Micro-Generation * The Rationale for Policy Interventions from an Innovation Systems Perspective * Section IV: Governance and Sustainability: Consensus and Conflict * Local Governance of Public Services * Wind Power, Governance and Networks * Multi-Level Governance and Energy Policy * Section V: Conclusion * Governing Technology for Sustainability

Joseph Murphy is RCUK Academic Fellow in the Sustainability Research Institute at the University of Leeds, UK. His previous co-authored and edited books include Regulatory Realities: The Implementation and Impact of Industrial Environmental Regulation, Exploring Sustainable Consumption and Governing the Transatlantic Conflict over Agricultural Biotechnology.