Issues of Sustainability Assessment

60 Sustainability Assessment

“ecological modernization” (Hajer, 1995). Ecological modernization assumed that existing environmental problems can be internalized by political, economic, and social institutions and can care for the sustainability. The concept of “ecological modernization” as introduced in the discourse of environmental sustainability can be outlined as follows:

1.It assumes that environmental degradation is calculable most notably by combining the monetary units and discursive elements from different branches of natural and social sciences of which cost benefit analysis of environment is one of the examples.

2.It assumes that effective management of environmental problems is possible by collective action; if every individual, firm, and at the larger arena if every country participates, management of sustainable environment is possible.

3.Economic growth and the resolution of ecological problems can be reconciled; that is, the discourse of environmental sustainability follows a utilitarian logic.

Sustainability thus covers a broader realm than that of environmental concerns which utilizes the basis of ecological modernization and observes the following few realms:

1.A shift in environmental policy measures. The old principle of “react and cure” has been replaced by an “anticipate and prevent” discipline.

2.Integration of compartmental division. Division of environmental boundaries through regional pact and/or international convention.

3.Inclusion of deregulation methods replacing the hierarchical legislative system involved in environmental management. The organization or institution itself will be responsible for environmental management. As a result, last few years have witnessed impact assessment, risk analysis, polluters pay principle, cost benefit analysis, precautionary principles, tradable pollution rights, levy of charges as well as debates on resource rent and emission taxes.

4.Influence of science in policy making. Science, as an evaluator of

damaging effects of environmental and social change, provides a basis for an exact input for policy making. For example, the concept of critical load and more benignly the concepts of multiple stress. The concept of multiple stress has transformed the

reductionist scientific view of “critical role” to orientalist idea of “integrated role” (NCEDR, 1998).

5.Replacement of unproductive investment at microeconomic level by anticipatory investment (e.g., filter technology in industries). At the microeconomics level, the shift toward environmental sustainability drives the idea of “environmental protection solely increases the cost” to the concept that “pollution prevention pays back.” The inclusion of the concept in the policy has led to promoting low and nonwaste technologies in developed countries and put forward the idea of “multivalued auditing” (success is measured not only in terms of money but also taking energy and usage into account).

6.Conceptualization of nature as “public goods” in the macroeconomic level. Nature used to be treated as “free goods.” Nature including forest was utilized as a sink, but under the present concept this cannot be done without paying for it. Therefore, externalization of economic costs of environmental pollution has been reduced and thereby, the concept can put a great emphasis on the conservation of natural resources by stimulating ecological pricing, recycling, reusing, and technological innovations.

7.Change in the characteristics of legislative discourse. Modern approaches assume that environmental sustainability of resources would depend how the price of the environment is included in the resource valuation (OECD, 1985). In this discourse frame, statistical prediction has become the basis for collective liability of policy sustainability.

8.Consideration of participatory practices. This concept seeks a plausible solution between the requirement of resources and minimization of problem. Therefore, it acknowledges the most proliferated and effective actors like NGOs.

These principles and objectives show that the policy climate for environmental sustainability could be pursued through ecological modernization. This could lead to the increased influence of science and decreased influence of legislative and regulatory system in policy climate. Understanding may take the place of compulsion in management. Thus, environmental sustainability possesses some special dimensions in policy climate that are important for considering transitions to policy evaluation. The following section presents a brief review of basic issues for policy evaluation.