PLANNING FOR A SUSTAINABLE EUROPE? - TU Berlin

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modernization as “the discourse that recognizes the structural character of the
environmental problematique but none the less assumes that existing political, economic,
and social institutions can internalize the care for the environment” (Hajer 1995:25). It is
thus defined as an approach that does not necessarily challenge status quo (power)
arrangements in society and politics. It is therefore very appealing to policy-makers.
The term ecological modernization was originally developed in the early 1980s in
Germany by two political scientists, Joseph Huber and Martin Jänicke. They used the
original German term ökologische Modernisierung to connote a more preventive,
foresighted type of environmental policy that relied heavily on the precautionary
principle (Vorsorgeprinzip) and had a long-term perspective. This is to be seen in
contrast to the more end-of-pipe approaches of earlier periods that relied mostly on
pollution control. Its core message is fundamentally optimistic, implying that better
environmental protection ultimately improves economic efficiency in the long run.
Within the framework of ecological modernization, growth and environmental protection
are no longer antithetical, but complementary. Efficiency and ecology are almost treated
as synonymous. In the words of Martin Jänicke (1988:23): “The strategy of ecological
modernization aims at the same time for the improvement of ecological and economic
efficiency.” Huber introduced the term “super-industrialization” to connote the idea that
“the dirty and ugly industrial caterpillar will transform into an ecological butterfly”
(Huber 1985:20 as quoted in Mol 1995:37). This frequently quoted sentence (see e.g.
Murphy 2000:2; and Cohen 2001:3) has been become a central metaphor of ecological
modernization.