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I now discuss the concept of justice between generations that forms the normative core of the sustainable economy. I do so by discussing Rawls on justice between generations.

The success of timber engineering and of the use of timber as load-bearing material depend on the quality criteria. The most important factor is the economical use of timber in order to increase its utilization in construction and make it competitive in comparison to other construction materials. Therefore, all kinds of wood and timber, from round wood to square timber through composite sections made of boards and square timber, as well as glue-laminated timber, plywood, etc., especially when combined with other materials, must be developed and employed with that awareness.

Flotation is one of the really promising techniques in environmental technology. Already now it is an essential part of the solution of difficult problems of soil remediation. Its use in the characterization of polluted soils is on the increase, thanks largely to the positive experience with similar uses of the technique in the field of applied mineralogy1. Its application as a recycling technology, e.g. in de-inking waste paper, offers many interesting possibilities to the environmental technologist. And its unparalleled flexibility as a separation technique makes sure flotation will be a lasting technique in a sustainable economy.

This chapter is intended to introduce the subject and provide an overview of the relevant aspects of environmental policy making. It starts with some general reflections on environmental economics and the formulation of environmental policies as a means of copying with the underlying conflict between economic growth and the limited carrying capacity of the environment. Section 4 provides a brief overview of the contents of the book but without summarizing individual chapters (such summaries are provided in the abstracts of each individual chapter). Sections 5–8 contain an attempt at summarizing some reflections emanating from the various chapters analyzing policy instruments in industrialized, transitional and developing countries as well as on the global arena.

During the past two decades it has become increasingly clear that most environmental problems have an international dimension in the sense that their impacts cannot be confined to the country of origin. This is most obvious in the case of global environmental problems, such as ozone layer depletion and climate change. It is also evident, however, in the case of various “regional” problems, such as acid rain and the pollution of many international rivers and seas.1