‘This is a wonderful book that should be on the desk of every architect and planner. It shows how

If we cannot rely on the private sector, can we rely instead on governments?
No. Both public and private sectors have had adequate opportunities to create sustainable 
environments on their own. Few people in government or industry have any training in the nexus 
between natural and social sciences and eco-logical design. Society as a whole does not take design 
seriously, and even many designers are still dismissive of eco-logical design. Further, design is difficult 
for those schooled in linear-reductionist thinking. What is sometimes called ‘systems design’ often 
only considers energy efficiency without requiring that the upstream source of energy be renewable.
Similarly, government programmes have been tailored to address specific goals in isolation from 

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Positive Development
others, such as water efficiency, reduction in greenhouse emissions or lower construction waste 
to landfill. Sustainability will require the ability to achieve multiple goals simultaneously through 
systems re-design: changing the basic functions and forms of development systems. Governments 
could support structural arrangements like cooperatives, public–private+community partnerships 
and transdisciplinary design teams to collaborate in eco-retrofitting homes and residential areas.
Local NGOs could be instrumental in convincing residents and governments to buy into the idea.
By instituting retrofitting programmes that target whole districts, local NGOs (in partnership with 
industry and governments) could help bring about whole-systems efficiencies that none of these 
sectors have been able to achieve on their own.
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However, as noted earlier, governments have 
favoured indirect economic incentives over ‘direct action’. Traditionally, Western democracies have 
tried not to interfere in the market for philosophical reasons. Also, direct action involves assuming 
visible
risks and responsibilities.