Ecological Modernization Theory (EMT):
Studying Environmental Change in
Reflexive Modernity
Guest-lecture Gent University
18 November 2008
Gert Spaargaren:
Environmental Policy Group;
Wageningen University
www.enp.wur.nl
Outline of the argument
 Sociology and the Environment I (history)
 Ecological Modernization Theory
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Classical and Contemporary formulations
Key characteristics/ major contents
Example(s) from empirical research
Critiques of Ecological Modernization
 Sociology and the Environment II (future)
Ulrich Beck at recent Sociology
Meeting in Jena
 “Seitdem als unstrittig gilt, das der Klimawandel
menschengemacht ist und katastrophale Folgen fűr
Natur and Gesellschaft hat, werden die Karten in
Gesellschaft und Politik neu gemischt, und zwar
weltweit” (Beck, 2008, 41)
 [“Since it is generally accepted that climate change
is (wo)man-made and brings along disastrous
consequences for society and nature, the cards in
both society and politics are rearranged, even at the
global level”].
Sociology and the Environment
 Classics: no explicit focus on the ‘environmental
consequences’ of modernity
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Marx, Weber, Durkheim, Simmel
 Mainstream sociology in the 1970’and 80’s: no
response to the emerging environmental discourse
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Functionalism; Structuralism; (neo)Marxism; World System
Theory (Parsons, Merton, Saussure, Wallerstein etc.)
Ethnomethodology; Interpretative Sociology; Symbolic
Interactionism (Goffman, Schultz, Garfinkel etc.)
Sociology and the Environment
 Since late 1970’s – 1980’s: Environmental Sociology
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Human Ecology; Chicago School; HEP-NEP
Treadmill of Production theory (TOP) = (neo)Marxism
Ecological Modernization Theory = industrial society theory; system theory
Theory of Cell-Tissue Society; Small is Beautiful; de-modernization theory
Constructivism; post-modernism
 General Sociology and the environment anno 2008
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Giddens, Beck, Luhmann, Urry, Castells, Latour,…
Habermas, Bourdieu, Bauman, Elias…
Alexander, Sassen, Archer, Foucault, Coleman, …
+
+/-
Ecological Modernization Theory;
Classical formulations in 1980’s
 German origine: Joseph Huber, Martin Jänicke
 Originated from debate on de-modernization strategies
of grass-root ENGO’s in 1970’s/80’s
 In line with Brundtland-report of 1987
 Aimed at repairing a major ‘design fault’ within
‘modern’ production and consumption
 Strong focus on role of (environmental) technology in
the process of change
 Productivist outlook (greening of industry)
 National outlook (nation state system)
Ecological Modernization Theory:
Contemporary formulations
 International network of authors (ISA, RC-24)
 (Re)connecting Ecological Modernization Theory to
General Sociologies of Beck and Giddens in
particular
 Focus on social and policy dimension next to the
emphasis on technologies as key drivers of change
 Focus on Consumption next to Production
 Looking beyond the nation-state: Asia, LA, Africa
Key characteristics and contents:
basic assumptions
 TEIs= Technological Environmental Innovations (Huber)
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Main drivers behind Sustainable Development (incl. high-techs)
By their potential to increase both eco-efficiency and ‘eco-consistency’
of modern production-consumption-cycles
 Companies/private enterprises/TNC’s are important
stakeholders in the process of environmental change
 ENGO’s professional sparring-partners of consumers,
companies and governments next to their protest and pressure
role in environmental change
 Decentral governments and civil-society actors important copolicy makers to complement national politics (Statsversagen)
Key characteristics and contents:
Some examples of TEI’s (Huber 2004)
 Energy transition by de-carbonization (hydrogen
instead of carbon fuels and fuel-less energy)
 Natural Resources: low-impact mining,
sustainable forestry, fish-farming,
organic/precision farming
 Materials and material processing: biotechnology
and nano-industry;
 End products: clean-cars; zero emission buildings
etc.
Key characteristics and contents:
a three-step procedure to eco-modernize
 1. start MONITORING the relevant energy and substance
flows (make them visible)
 2. work towards the MONETARIZATION of substance
flows that are crucial from a sustainability point of view.
(‘internalization of external costs’)
 3. manage transitions towards sustainable development by
using and further developing an ‘INDEPENDENT SET OF
CRITERIA’ for the ecologically (more) rational
organization of production and consumption.
Key characteristics and contents:
Mol and Spaargaren on ‘ecological rationality’
 Ecological Modernization Theory refers to the emergence
(since 1970’s) of an new, ‘ecological’ rationality
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In the form of an independent set of criteria, principles and dynamics
Which is governing the complex society – nature relationships in
(reflexive) modernity, and
Can be used to assess the environmental performance of industries,
technologies, households and lifestyles
Not just in OECD countries but at the international and global level
Resulting in Environmental Performances to be judged and valued
parallel and equal to Economic Performances
Relative independency of the ‘ecological sphere’
Economic
Political
Ecological
sphere
Sphere
Sphere
Ecological
Sphere
Socio-cultural
Sphere
Key characteristics and contents
‘Ecological rationality’ in practice
 Examples of ecological criteria
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the use of the precautionary principle
the closing of substance cycles
the extensivation of energy-use/ use of renewable energy resources
 Examples of instruments used :
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Life-Cycle-Analyses, EIAs;
EP-Indicators (ISO14000; Carbon Credits; Product-labels;
Footprints; Environmental Management Systems (EMAS), CSR
and ICM-methods
Green GNPs; CDM; TEP’s
 Character of Ecological criteria
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not undisputed, universal and a-historical
learning-by-doing; reflexive processes
Examples from empirical research
 The ecological modernization of
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Chemical industry in Europe
SME’s in Asia (Vietnam, China, Thailand)
(Food) retail chains (Brazil, Netherlands, Malaysia)
Infrastructural provision of energy, water and waste-services
(UK, Sweden, Netherlands
Consumption domains of everyday life in OECD
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Housing; Food; Mobility; Holidays; Clothing and Personal care
 Visit: www.enp.wur.nl/UK/research
Critiques of Ecological Modernization Theory
Competing perspectives within
Environmental Sociology in
USA and Europe mainly
 Neo-Marxists/ political
economy
 Neo-Malthusianism
 De-modernization frames
 Post-modernism/
constructivism
Neo-marxism
Ecological
Modernization
Theory
Post-modernism
Constructivism
NeoMalthusianism
De-modernization
Critiques of Ecological Modernization Theory
What is debated? What are the main issues
 Radical Change or Environmental Improvements?
 Social or Environmental dimension of Sustainable Development to go first?
Absolute priority for Ecological Rationalities over other rationalities?
 Materialist basis (substance flows analysis) of EMT when compared to Social
Construction of Risks
 Risk-profile of Reflexive Modernity: objective and subjective dimensions
 Improvements (dematerialization) realized or green-washing,
 rebound-effects and accellerating deterioration?
 Population growth to offset eco-improvements
 Applicability of the theory in non-OECD contexts (role of States, NGO’s,
markets)
Environment and Sociology II (future):
 Environment/climate risks move to centre stage in
general sociology
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Beck: world-risk society and cosmopolitization
Giddens: time-space distanciation and risk/trust in abstract
systmes
Castells: space of flows versus space of place
Urry: sociology of mobilities; complexity theory
Latour: hybrids
 Ecological Modernization Theory responding to
these challenges: Sociology of Networks and Flows?
Environment and Sociology II (future)
EMT and the Sociology of Networks and Flows
Conventional EMT:
Additions and
withdrawals
Place-bound
‘Geographical’
focus
Unit of analysis Production and
consumption activities
behind the flows
Substances: energy
Definition of
and materials
flows
Scope of
studying flows
Nature of flow
Networks and
Flows
Borderless
Mobile flows
themselves
Substances, Ideas,
Environmental
Information etc.
Moving in between
Flows without clear
ecysystems and
beginning and end
production &
stage, traveling
consumption chains
through scapes
Material substances as Hybrids
separate from human
agents
Thanks for your attention and questions
The eyes of the Panda can do more than
one hour of lecturing….
(Etienne Vermeersch)