Sustainable Development and Social Inclusion : Towards an Integrated Approach to Research

The Sustainable Development Research (SDR) Network is a UK wide initiative which aims to strengthen the delivery of high-quality cross cutting research relevant to sustainable development in the UK.

From a social exclusion/regeneration perspective, this report offers a critical review of the SDR-Network's work and evaluates the proceedings of the SDR-Network's first annual conference held on the 4 December 2001.

The report includes reviews of the "state of the art" and future research prospects with respect to four particular areas of sustainable development, that incorporate strong social policy concerns: sustainable rural economy; economic growth, sustainable development and quality of life; pollution, social exclusion, equity and health; and developing tools for sustainability appraisal.

It also provides a basis from which researchers, research funders, policy makers and other stakeholders concerned with environmental and social exclusion and regeneration issues can develop the discussion.