Sustainable Development: Definitions and Models of Legal Regulation. Some legal-theoretical outlines on the role of law

Sustainable development is a fascinating yet controversial concept. In particular, the legal debate on this topic has been very heated from its beginning. As a multidisciplinary concept sustainable development can find a complete implementation if different disciplines co-operate. Law can properly serve for the purpose of creating a framework for the balance of the different involved interests (economic, social, political). For this reason, it is important to redefine sustainable development so that legislators can successfully identify the most adequate model of legal regulation which can best help to implement sustainable development in a comprehensive way. In this paper, it is suggested that the legal regulation could/should be based on the “rule of compatibility” among different values and not on the “rule of preponderance” of one value.