Making the green economy: politics, desire, and economic possibility

The green economy is put forward as an apposite remedy to both economic crisis and ecological devastation. Policy makers, academics, corporate interests and activists are advancing their goals as part of and through the green economy, a discursive terrain full of circulating and competing ideas about, dispositions towards, and desires for the economy. In Massachusetts, broad-based coalitions involving labor, environmentalists and community groups have emerged to capture funding, influence policy and launch their own economic initiatives. This paper explores and compares the activities of two green economy coalitions. I investigate how social actors, including myself, have been negotiating, responding to, and producing the meaning of the green economy, and the meaning of "the economy" writ-large, through our political efforts. I aim to move beyond a project that only critiques capitalism or maps out capitalist hegemony. Instead, taking inspiration and drawing from J.K. Gibson-Graham I look to theorize and amplify non-capitalist initiatives and enterprises. I am particularly interested in thinking about the ways in which the expression of different desires for economy can lead to openings, or closures, for the construction of non-capitalist relationships, initiatives, and enterprises. L'économie verte est mise en avant comme un remède pertinent à la fois la crise économique et la dévastation écologique. Les décideurs politiques, les universitaires, les intérêts des entreprises et des militants avancent leurs objectifs dans le cadre de, et par l'économie verte, un terrain discursive pleine de circulation et d'idées concurrentes sur, dispositions à l'égard, et les désirs de l'économie. A Massachusetts, de coalitions impliquant les travailleurs, les écologistes et les groupes communautaires ont vu le jour pour assurer le financement, la politique de l'influence et de lancer leurs propres initiatives économiques. Cet article explore et compare les activités des deux coalitions de l'économie verte. J'étudie comment les acteurs sociaux, y compris moi-même, ont négocié, en réponse à, et produisent le sens de l'économie verte. Le sens de «l'économie» est produite par des efforts politiques. Je cherche à aller plus loin que la critique du capitalisme ou la cartographie de l'hégémonie capitaliste. Au lieu de cela, en s'inspirant de J.K. Gibson-Graham, je théoriser et d'amplifier les initiatives et des entreprises non-capitalistes. Je suis particulièrement intéressé par la réflexion sur la façon dont les initiatives et les entreprises peut conduire à des ouvertures ou fermetures, et l'expression des désirs économique pour la construction des relations non-capitalistes. La economía verde es presentada como un remedio a la crisis económica y a la devastación ecológica. Formuladores de política, académicos, intereses corporativos y activistas están avanzando en sus objetivos como parte de y a través de la economía verde, un terreno discursivo lleno de ideas circulando y compitiendo acerca de, disposiciones hacia, y deseos por la economía. En Massachusetts, coaliciones amplias que involucran grupos de trabajo, de ambientalistas y la comunidad han emergido para capturar financiamiento, influenciar la política e impulsar sus propias iniciativas económicas. Este artículo explora y compara las actividades de dos coaliciones de economía verde. Investigo cómo actores sociales, incluyéndome a mí mismo, han estado negociando, respondiendo a, y produciendo el significado de economía verde, y el significado de "la economía", a través de nuestros esfuerzos políticos. Mi objetivo es ir más allá de un proyecto que solamente critica el capitalismo o traza la hegemonía capitalista. Por el contrario, inspirado y enmarcado por J.K. Gibson-Graham busco teorizar y ampliar iniciativas y empresas no-capitalistas. Estoy particularmente interesado en pensar acerca de los caminos en los cuales la expresión de diferentes deseos para la economía puede provocar aperturas, o cierres, para la construcción de relaciones, iniciativas, y empresas no-capitalistas.

Green political economy is a relatively new area of study, arising as it has over the last two decades in response to increasing levels of global and local environmental degradation, and other social and economic consequences of a 'neoliberal' economic agenda (both within the academy and politics and policy making). 1 While much of green political economy thinking has been focused on developing critiques of this neoliberal agenda as an explicit ideological project (Barry, 1999a; Jacobs, 1999; Mulberg, 1992), usually as part of a broader 'green political' critique, this (necessary) critical focus has not been balanced by a positive and reconstructive programme. The aim of this chapter is primarily reconstructive, in that we concentrate on the positive and transformative potential of green political economy both in theory and in practice. The overarching objective of the chapter is to outline some of the key political, economic and normative features of green political economy, which makes this body of critical knowledge distinctive and politically radical in comparison to the orthodox economic models which currently dominate both the discipline of economics and economic policy making, including environmental policy making (Barry, 1999a). The chapter begins with a discussion of the current state of green political economy, arguing that much of the debate about the putative 'greening of the economy' revolves around the defence and critique of ecological modernization. Although this is the site of much significant analysis, it is our belief that the almost hegemonic position of ecological modernization means that debates within green political economy continue to be dominated by discussions of neoliberal economic theories and approaches. Although a sustained and appealing critique of ecological modernization has emerged, elements of a reconstructive approach to green political economy are sadly lacking. Much of this chapter offers one possible avenue for a reconstructive turn by focus-ing on the potential of the social economy to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development. It is our contention that the different forms of organization found within the social economy can contribute to central concerns within green politics, in particular environmental protection, social justice (including poverty alleviation / reduction in socioeconomic inequality), the reconceptualization of work and democratic participation.

Geografiska Annaler: Series B, Human Geography, 2014

This special issue editorial explores potential research interfaces between human geography and the rapidly unfolding concept and practices of the "green economy". The article outlines a range of critical issues about the green economy that are particularly pertinent and suited to geographical analysis. The first concerns questions around the construction of the green economy concept and critical questioning of current, largely hegemonic neoliberal, growth-focused and technocentric definitions of the green economy. The second broaches the spatial complexities of green economic transitions, while the third discusses the need for critical appraisal of the logics and mechanisms of governance and transition that see the green economy as a key mechanism for economic, social and environmental change. The fourth focuses on the crucial issue of micro-level and individual practices and behaviour, and on links between individual behaviour and wider economicenvironmental governance and economic systems. Finally, the article discusses the need for scholars to engage in imaginative consideration of alternatives to current, growth-focused paradigms and conceptualizations of the green economy.

Review of Radical Political Economics

The ‘Green Economy’ is fast becoming the new alpha and omega for many policy makers, corporations, political actors and NGO’s who want to tackle both the environmental and economic crisis at once. Or would it be better to speak about ‘green capitalism’? Going green is not only important in the fight against environmental destruction, it also makes a country “stronger, healthier, safer, more innovative, competitive and respected”, argues Thomas Friedman, the well-known New York Times columnist. “Is there anything that is more patriotic, capitalist and geostrategic than this?” Indeed, the rationale underlying the nascent project of the Green Economy is that if the market could become the instrument for tackling the environmental crisis, the fight against this crisis could be the royal road to solving the problems of the market. Focusing in particular on the Green Economy’s impact on climate change, this paper analyses the Green Economy as a hegemonic project that tries to retranslate environmental concerns into a new jargon, and to turn environmental conflict into a new motor for economic development.

Policy Quarterly, 2014

The conflicts among ecological and economic goals have been a central characteristic of environmental politics since the emergence of the modern environmental movement in the 1960s. On one side of the debate is the argument that reducing pollution and protecting ecosystems and other resources unnecessarily impairs economic expansion, competitiveness and prosperity. From this point of view, although some environmental safeguards are needed, public policy should favour growth as a general rule. On the other side is the assertion that human health and ecological limits demand a carefully managed path for growth, including little or even no growth, and a preference for ecological over economic goals when they conflict. Environmental politics has consisted of a struggle to define where the balance between these goals should be struck.

Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 3(1), 100134., 2021

The onset of economic globalization by the end of the 20th century foisted progressively new modes of collaboration on most of the American social movements. New Social Movements (NSMs) such as the environmental movement, the environmental justice movement, and the labour unions, were propelled into rapprochement that soon gave rise to new forms of coalition dubbed the blue-green/the blue-green-brown alliances. Revisiting this cross-movement reconciliation from a sustainability studies’ perspective, this paper contends that these alliances, oscillating between failure and success, helped theoretically set up the three sides of the ‘Sustainability Triangle,’ – an integrative framework premised on the ‘three Es,’ i.e., Environment/Ecology, Economy/Employment, and Equality/Equity. Utilizing a critical comparative analysis of these three movements, this paper also vets the extent to which this framework fosterages a shared ‘sustainability identity’ amongst these groups and bridges the ‘job -versus- the-environment’ divide that beleaguered their alliances and almost brought them to a grinding halt.

Geografiska Annaler, Series B: Human Geography, 2014

This special issue editorial explores potential research interfaces between human geography and the rapidly unfolding concept and practices of the "green economy". The article outlines a range of critical issues about the green economy that are particularly pertinent and suited to geographical analysis. The first concerns questions around the construction of the green economy concept and critical questioning of current, largely hegemonic neoliberal, growth-focused and technocentric definitions of the green economy. The second broaches the spatial complexities of green economic transitions, while the third discusses the need for critical appraisal of the logics and mechanisms of governance and transition that see the green economy as a key mechanism for economic, social and environmental change. The fourth focuses on the crucial issue of micro-level and individual practices and behaviour, and on links between individual behaviour and wider economicenvironmental governance and economic systems. Finally, the article discusses the need for scholars to engage in imaginative consideration of alternatives to current, growth-focused paradigms and conceptualizations of the green economy.

Environmental History