Marrying strands of ecological modernisation: A proposed framework

To advance understanding of Ecological Modernisation (EM), we need to delineate the concept more precisely and to develop a more encompassing framework. Many definitions advanced by EM theorists are broad and vague, and so limit the analytical usefulness of the concept. Moreover, EM thinking has produced a range of, often competing, theoretical perspectives emphasising different aspects of EM. The authors propose a theoretical framework that, while encompassing elements of many existing perspectives, adopts a more precise definition of EM with preventative innovation at its core. The framework advanced includes policy, social and economic perspectives, clustered around actors, contexts and outcomes.