Law and Policy for a New Economy: Sustainable, Just, and Democratic

The current political economic system is misaligned for meeting the global imperatives of rapidly reducing greenhouse gases and sharing wealth more equitably. This book makes the case for a new environmentalism that implements a systems change approach to reorient the economy to be more sustainable, just, and democratic. This book addresses the laws and policies needed to support the emergence of a new economy across a variety of major areas - including energy, food, common pool resources, and the shifting of investments to capitalize locally-connected and mission-driven businesses. The contributors take the approach that these challenges are much broader than setting parameters around pollution, and indeed go to the heart of the dominant global political economy. The authors also explore the values needed to transform our current economic system into a new economy supportive of ecological integrity, social justice, and vibrant democracy. Law and Policy for a New Economy: Sustainable, Just, and Democratic will appeal to those interested in environmental law, climate change, environmental studies, political ecology and environmental economics.

Contents: Foreword 1. Climate change, system change, and the path forward Melissa K. Scanlan Part I Paradigms for an Ecological Age 2. The joyful economy: rising up from the devastation of people and nature James Gustave Speth 3. Environmentalism for the next economy Jedediah Purdy 4. Reframing rights and responsibilities to prioritize nature Catherine Iorns Magallanes and Linda Sheehan 5. The Nature's Trust paradigm for a sustaining economy Mary Christina Wood Part II Practical applications 6. Three legal principles for organizations rebuilding the commons Janelle Orsi 7. Reinventing law for the commons David Bollier 8. New hopes and hazards for social investment crowdfunding Jennifer Taub 9. Distributed renewables in the new economy: lessons from community solar development in Vermont Kevin B. Jones and Mark James 10. Unlocking the energy commons: expanding community energy generation Shalanda H. Baker 11. The decentralization of food policy and building a stronger food system Diana R.H. Winters 12. Legal democracy: using legal design, technology and communications to reform food and agriculture systems Laurie Ristino Index