James Goldstein
James Goldstein is a Senior Fellow at Tellus Institute, where he directs the Sustainable Communities Program. His research centers on the development of analytic methods and stakeholder processes for community-based initiatives to integrate environmental protection, economic development, and social well-being. He has over thirty years of experience in the assessment of environmental problems and policies, with a particular emphasis on integrated approaches for water resource planning, solid waste/materials management, and long-range scenario analysis. His current focus is incorporating a global perspective in the design of local and regional sustainability efforts. He has developed sustainability scenarios for the Boston metropolitan area, advised on integrated resource planning for provision of regional water management, and advanced sustainable urbanization as a key component of the future UN Development Agenda. He received a BA in Geography from Clark University in 1978.
GTI Contributions
Sustainable Communities and the Great Transition
James Goldstein describes how the forces of globalization and urbanization have strengthened place-based identities while fostering broad recognition of the need for sustainable development. He identifies the key actors in efforts to ensure community sustainability and examines the limitations of such activities. He outlines the design of a sustainable city under the Great Transition and offers lessons from the Boston Scenarios Project to move us forward toward such a goal.
