A Coasian Approach to Planning and Sustainable Development by Communicative Planning

Abstract

Influenced by the growing popularity of the Coase Theorem, less formal expressions are often used interchangeably, such as 'Coasian approaches', 'Coasian paradigm', 'Coasian solutions', and 'Coasian framework', and have proliferated in the planning and related sustainable development literature. The diversity of the meanings of these expressions has grown, thereby causing some confusion. This short article examines these expressions with a view to explaining what exactly may or may not be properly described as a 'Coasian approach' and explores the idea that the Coasian approach, taken with innovations brought along through communicative planning, can foster sustainable development. This is demonstrated by reference to a model built of elementary neo-classical economic and ecological concepts but given a new interpretation.