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The contextual meaning of sustainable development: the case of the Dutch drinking water sector

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  • Judith E. M. Klostermann

    (Alterra, Wageningen University and Research, The Netherlands)

  • Jacqueline Cramer

    (Erasmus Centre for Sustainability and Management, Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands)

Abstract

The concept of sustainable development means different things to different people in different contexts, leading to 'strong' and 'weak' versions of sustainability. This article addresses the question of which meaning of sustainability is given by the Dutch drinking water sector and its main stakeholders. The 'weak', or human-oriented, school was found at three of the four water companies studied. This is understandable, because water companies have a human-oriented task: to provide the public with drinking water. The 'strong' version of sustainability was found within several governmental bodies. Their view of 'staying within the natural water system' was unacceptable for most other societal actors. A third form of sustainability was developed by the fourth drinking water company studied. It bridges the human and nature interests in a step by step dialogue. This way of looking at sustainable development may be an interesting perspective in which humans start seeing themselves as an integral part of nature again, instead of as being outside and above nature. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.

Suggested Citation

  • Judith E. M. Klostermann & Jacqueline Cramer, 2006. "The contextual meaning of sustainable development: the case of the Dutch drinking water sector," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 14(4), pages 268-276.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:sustdv:v:14:y:2006:i:4:p:268-276
    DOI: 10.1002/sd.287
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    1. Lomborg,Bjørn, 2001. "The Skeptical Environmentalist," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521010689, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. D. Rachel Lombardi & Libby Porter & Austin Barber & Chris D.F. Rogers, 2011. "Conceptualising Sustainability in UK Urban Regeneration: a Discursive Formation," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 48(2), pages 273-296, February.
    2. Karl-Erik Sveiby, 2009. "Aboriginal principles for sustainable development as told in traditional law stories," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 17(6), pages 341-356.
    3. S. Walker & M. Cook, 2009. "The contested concept of sustainable aviation," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 17(6), pages 378-390.
    4. Sydorovych, Olha & Wossink, Ada, 2008. "The meaning of agricultural sustainability: Evidence from a conjoint choice survey," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 98(1), pages 10-20, July.
    5. Alexandre Lapeyre & Annie Bonnefont, 2012. "Quelles sont les évocations du développement durable ?," Post-Print hal-03829652, HAL.

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