Are we missing the point?

The discourse on how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in cities is dominated by ecological modernization theory, which focuses primarily on technological approaches supported by market mechanisms to curb carbon emissions. This discourse has contributed to a research and management agenda. Yet this is based primarily on perceptions and precedents drawn from high-income nations. This paper draws on empirical evidence from Latin American cities for a critical discussion of the usefulness and limitations of this approach when applied to cities in low- and middle-income nations. The paper suggests that for such cities, ecological modernization is an inappropriate framework for addressing global (and local) environmental problems.