What do Frito Lay’s potato peels, Wal-Mart’s delivery trucks, and Goldman Sachs’ relationship to Rainforest Action Network all have in common?

What do Frito Lay’s potato peels, Wal-Mart’s What do Frito Lay’s potato peels, Wal-Mart’s delivery trucks, and Goldman Sachs’ delivery trucks, and Goldman Sachs’

relationship to Rainforest Action Network all relationship to Rainforest Action Network all have in common?have in common?

Ecological ModernizationEcological Modernization

Ecological Modernization Theory:Ecological Modernization Theory:

1) Protecting the environment, reducing resource 1) Protecting the environment, reducing resource use, use,

and reducing pollution are good for business and reducing pollution are good for business

and for the planet and for the planet

2) Businesses and society are increasingly 2) Businesses and society are increasingly accepting accepting

that that it is possible to “de-link” economic growth it is possible to “de-link” economic growth

and resource flows and resource flows

EM Theory seeks to counter three major EM Theory seeks to counter three major arguments about the relationship between arguments about the relationship between

the economy and the environment:the economy and the environment:

1.1. Economic growth and the environment are Economic growth and the environment are fundamentally incompatible. When in conflict the fundamentally incompatible. When in conflict the needs of business should triumph over the needs of needs of business should triumph over the needs of the environment.the environment.

2.2. Economic growth and the environment are Economic growth and the environment are fundamentally incompatible and the needs of fundamentally incompatible and the needs of business will always win under capitalism. business will always win under capitalism. However, this will eventually lead to capitalism’s However, this will eventually lead to capitalism’s and/or modern society’s self-destruction.and/or modern society’s self-destruction.

3.3. We need to focus on economic growth in order to be We need to focus on economic growth in order to be able to worry about environmental protection able to worry about environmental protection somewhere down the line.somewhere down the line.

The original Endangered Species Act specifically said that cost was irrelevant in determining whether a threatened species should be protected.

The Clean Water Act: All the country’s waterway should be safe for fishing and swimming.

““We’ve got to pause and ask ourselves: We’ve got to pause and ask ourselves: How much clean air do we need?”How much clean air do we need?”

— — Lee Iacocca (Then CEO of Chrysler)Lee Iacocca (Then CEO of Chrysler)

Cost benefit analysis: Are the Cost benefit analysis: Are the benefits of a particular benefits of a particular

environmental policy worth the environmental policy worth the costs?costs?

?“Kyoto would have wrecked our economy.”

~ George W. Bush, June 30, 2005

Neomarxism and radical Neomarxism and radical ecologyecology

A radical shift in our economic, political, and

social structure is required if

eco-catastrophe is to be averted.

Capitalist production

will eventually destroy the

natural resource

base necessary for

its continuation.

The Environmental Kuznets CurveThe Environmental Kuznets Curve

Economic development will eventually lead to environmental protection.

Ecological Modernization Theory Ecological Modernization Theory rejects the inevitability of conflict rejects the inevitability of conflict between economic growth and the between economic growth and the

environmentenvironment

There can be, and increasingly is, a “win-win-win” situation in which technological change and a

significant movement to energy efficiency, greener production and consumption can benefit the

economy, people, and the environment.

Techno-CorporatistTechno-Corporatist Ecological Ecological ModernizationModernization

It is possible to “de-link” economic growth and It is possible to “de-link” economic growth and resource flows through:resource flows through: Energy efficiencyEnergy efficiency Improved technologyImproved technology Closed-loop production Closed-loop production

This de-linking will help the environment This de-linking will help the environment and and

increase industry profits.increase industry profits.

Goal: To double delivery truck fleet fuel efficiency by 2015

Goal: To sell 100 million compact fluorescent bulbs a year by 2008, increasing total sales of the bulbs in the US by 50 percent

Goal: To drastically reduce store energy use through skylights and high efficiency light and temperature regulation

Wal-Mart has become a leader in promoting energy efficiency.

Goal: To be seen as a good corporate citizen while saving money in fuel and energy costs

““The environment is begging for the Wal-Mart The environment is begging for the Wal-Mart business model.” business model.”

~ H. Lee~ H. Lee Scott, Jr., Wal-Mart chief Scott, Jr., Wal-Mart chief executiveexecutive

Buys green energy credits that amount to 100% of the energy used to make Sunchips

Is putting a bank of solar panels in at their plant in Modesto that will provide 75% of the energy used in that plant

Is transforming its plant in Casa Grande, AZ to a “net-zero” plant.

Reflexive Ecological Reflexive Ecological Modernization: Modernization:

The greening of states and The greening of states and societysociety

Changes in cultural attitudes and the Changes in cultural attitudes and the structures of states and other institutions is structures of states and other institutions is enabling an environmentally sustainable enabling an environmentally sustainable form of modern society to emerge. form of modern society to emerge.

Environmental concerns are being Environmental concerns are being institutionalized in individual and corporate institutionalized in individual and corporate decision-making as values in themselves not decision-making as values in themselves not just because they are profitable or trendy.just because they are profitable or trendy.

Reflexive Ecological Reflexive Ecological Modernization: Modernization:

The greening of states and The greening of states and societysociety

Shift in states from top-down regulation Shift in states from top-down regulation to working with industry to reduce to working with industry to reduce pollution through negotiation, market pollution through negotiation, market incentives and environmental taxesincentives and environmental taxes

Cap and trade programsCap and trade programs EPA and Department of Commerce’s EPA and Department of Commerce’s

Green Suppliers NetworkGreen Suppliers Network

Reflexive Ecological Reflexive Ecological Modernization: Modernization:

The greening of states and The greening of states and societysociety

Key role for NGOsKey role for NGOs, including , including interacting with industry and interacting with industry and encouraging them to be more encouraging them to be more environmentally consciousenvironmentally conscious

Reflexive Ecological Reflexive Ecological Modernization: Modernization:

The greening of states and The greening of states and societysociety

Movements such as “small is beautiful” and Movements such as “small is beautiful” and local food co-ops eclipsed by the greening local food co-ops eclipsed by the greening of large industries. of large industries.

Green consumerismGreen consumerism

To Ecological Modernization To Ecological Modernization theorists, these three sets of theorists, these three sets of changes represent a radical changes represent a radical

shift in the relationship shift in the relationship between the environmental between the environmental and the modern, capitalist and the modern, capitalist

political economy.political economy.

““The President knows that overcoming The President knows that overcoming extreme poverty goes hand-in-hand extreme poverty goes hand-in-hand with improving the environment. with improving the environment. Stagnant economies are one of the Stagnant economies are one of the greatest environmental threats in our greatest environmental threats in our world, because people who lack food, world, because people who lack food, shelter, and sanitation cannot be shelter, and sanitation cannot be expected to preserve the environment expected to preserve the environment at the expense of their own survival - at the expense of their own survival - and poor societies cannot afford to and poor societies cannot afford to invest in cleaner, more efficient invest in cleaner, more efficient technologies.” technologies.”

~ From www.whitehouse.gov~ From www.whitehouse.gov

Ecological Modernization in Southeast Asia’s paper mills?

YES:

•Adoption of best technologies from the start

• Collaboration between governments and industry

• Important role for NGOs and social movements

NO:

•Changes not seen in small and medium size plants

• Increased resource extraction (deforestation)

Critique: Critique: Breadth of the changesBreadth of the changesIs enough happening, and will it Is enough happening, and will it

happen soon enough, to really make happen soon enough, to really make a difference?a difference?

Critique: Permanence of the changesWill corporate and consumer interest in energy efficiency continue if energy prices fall?

?

Adjusted oil prices, 1965 - 2005

Comparison of EPA and DOT Fuel Efficiency Measurements (Fleet Total)

15

17

19

21

23

25

27

1978 1983 1988 1993 1998 2003 2008Year

Mile

s p

er G

allo

n

EPA Average

DOT Average

Critique: Critique: Lacks a theory of social Lacks a theory of social changechange

• How many incidents of ecological How many incidents of ecological modernization does it take for them to be modernization does it take for them to be indicative of a larger transformation?indicative of a larger transformation?

• Under what social/political/economic Under what social/political/economic conditions is ecological modernization more conditions is ecological modernization more or less likely? or less likely? Why?Why?

Critique: Environmental and social justice

Is it acceptable to detach environmental protection from other social change goals?

““In the end, the empirical question will In the end, the empirical question will of course remain whether these of course remain whether these radical environmental reforms will be radical environmental reforms will be sufficient to deal with the - to a large sufficient to deal with the - to a large extent socially constructed - criterion extent socially constructed - criterion of sustainability.” of sustainability.”

~ A.P.J Mol~ A.P.J Mol