Ecological Modernization

Ecological modernization refers to a particular way of assessing the relationship between development and the environment. Many environmental observers over the last several decades have recognized the increasingly problematic nature of industrial modernization that so often puts the environment and the economy into antagonistic relationships with one another. At the same time, significant progress has been made to relieve this tension—seen in innovations ranging from green chemistry and green accounting to industrial designs that create recyclable products and reduce waste, to environmental political regulations that carefully consider ecological components in moving forward with development. This [Page 128]transformation has been the object of much scrutiny, evidenced in the debates of many social scientists concerned with topics of modernity and the environment as they attempt to identify ...