Unearthing human progress? Ecomodernism and contrasting definitions of technological progress in the Anthropocene

Abstract With increased awareness of the current and projected consequences of climate change, many have argued that rapid technological progress presents the sole means by which to avoid dangerous climate change and ensure human welfare. Proponents of this “ecomodernist” perspective argue that, with technological innovation, climate mitigation doesn't have to come at the expense of the economy. Instead, economic growth can be decoupled from ecological harm through efficiency gains and the technological intensification of human activities. Marshalling very different theoretical and empirical perspectives, critics argue that contemporary reliance on technology has proven insufficient and has often had deleterious systemic consequences, including delayed mitigation and the displacement of environmental costs in an unequal global economy. This article is inspired by an ethnographic moment that drew these two contemporary perspectives into sharp relief and is grounded in a survey of the highly contradictory evidence in support of and contrary to the ecomodernist perspective. It traces these perspectives to fundamentally different views on the nature of technology and progress, both with deep theoretical roots familiar to economic and environmental anthropologists. In the end, the article argues that the dominant emphasis on technological progress, though hopeful, is linked to affluent urban perspectives that delegitimize more aggressive and just proposals for climate mitigation and human progress.