Table of Contents

1. Ecological Modernisation: Three Decades of Policy, Practice and Theoretical Reflection Part 1: Foundations of Ecological Modernisation Theory 2. The Origins and Theoretical Foundations of Ecological Modernisation Theory 3. On Ecological and Political Modernisation 4. Ecological Modernisation: Beyond Scarcity and Bureaucracy 5. Sociology, Environment and Modernity. Ecological Modernisation as a Theory of Social Change 6. Ecological Modernisation as Cultural Politics 7. Ecological Modernisation, Ecological Modernities 8. Ecological Modernisation as Social Theory Part 2: Transformations in Environmental Governance and Participation 9. Transformations in Environmental Governance and Participation 10. New Approaches to Environmental Governance 11. Environment and Participation in a Context of Political Modernisation 12. Democratic Ethics and Ecological Modernisation: The Formulation of California's Automobile Emission Standards 13. Ecological Modernisation, Risk Society, and the Green State Part 3: Greening Life-Cycles and Life-Styles 14. Greening Lifecycles and Lifestyles: Sociotechnical Innovations in Consumption and Production as Core Concerns of Ecological Modernisation Theory 15. Environmental Policy and Industrial Innovation: Integrating Environment and Economy Through Ecological Modernisation 16. Ecological Modernization of Industrial Systems 17. Sustainable Consumption: A Theoretical and Environmental Policy Perspective 18. Upstreaming Environmental Action Part 4: Environmental Reform in Asian and Other Emerging Economies 19. Ecological Modernisation in Asian and other Emerging Economies 20. Contradictions of Ecological Modernisation: Pulp and Paper Manufacturing in Southeast Asia 21. Why Ecological Modernisation and Sustainable Development should not be Conflated 22. Integrating Environmental and Economic Policy making in China and Taiwan 23. Environmental Management for Industrial Zones in Vietnam 24. Environment and Modernity in Transitional China: Frontiers of Ecological Modernisation 25. Shifts within Ecological Modernisation in South Africa: Deliberation, Innovation and Institutional Opportunities Conclusion 26. Ecological Modernisation: Assessment, Critical Debates and Future Directions

About the Author

Arthur P.J. Mol is chair and professor in environmental policy in the Environmental Policy Group (ENP) of Wageningen University, the Netherlands. He edited a number of books, and is the author of Globalization and Environmental Reform (2001) and Environmental reform in the Information Age (2008). David A. Sonnenfeld is Professor and Chair of Environmental Studies at the New York State College of Environmental Science and Forestry. He is co-editor of Challenging the Chip: Labor Rights and Environmental Justice in the Global Electronics Industry (2006); and Ecological Modernisation Around the World (2000). Gert Spaargaren is part-time Professor on 'Environmental Policy for Sustainable Lifestyles and Consumption' at the Environmental Policy Group of Wageningen University, The Netherlands. His publications are in the field of (environmental) sociology, sustainable consumption and behavior, and the globalization of environmental reform. He (co)edited Governing Environmental Flows (2006).

Reviews

"This is a much needed collection which fills the gap left by theoretical and empirical work. Whatever your opinions about Ecological Modernisation this promises to be a benchmark study." -- Michael Redclift, Professor of International Environmental Policy, King's College, UK "Ecological modernization has become the most important theory of practical attempts to deal with environmental problems. Whether it be efforts by the environmentally leading countries of northern Europe, or by the Obama Administration in the United States, or by Japan and China, the endeavors all consist of ecological modernization in one form or another. This informative reader brings together the most significant research on the subject over the three decades since its inception. The success or failure of ecological modernization remains nevertheless an open question, as indicated by global warming caused by human activities. Hence this perspective has its critics, particularly neo-Marxist and neo-Malthusian ones, and the book briefly responds to these as well. It is a must read for anyone interested in the broader aspects of environmental problem solving." -- Raymond Murphy, President Environment and Society Research Committee of the International Sociological Association "This book offers the clearest and the most comprehensive introduction to ecological modernisation theory yet. It sets out the criticisms of ecological modernisation as a theory of social change and puts forward a compelling argument for a sociology of environmental reform. It shows how technological, institutional and cultural innovation concretely affect peoples' lives and the ways they relate to their environment. The Ecological Modernisation Reader will initiate a new and more sophisticated era of debate over the greening of industrial societies." -- Professor Stewart Lockie, The Australian National University, Australia "The ideas underpinning ecological modernisation are exerting a growing influence over environmental policy-makers around the world. This valuable and timely collection brings together many of the main contributors to the development of this controversial concept, and provides a comprehensive coverage of the key theories, debates and policy developments in ecological modernisation." -- Professor Neil Carter, Department of Politics, University of York, UK