La esterilización del eco-criticismo: del desarrollo sostenible al capitalismo verde

Abstract

Development has been a dominant trope of global political and economic life since the 1950s. As such it has been inevitably linked to some of the most important social processes of this era: colonialism, globalization, postcolonialism, global ecological crisis, the rise of environmentalism, and more. Consolidation of the contemporary consumer society came, hand in hand, with the certainty that it sustained a way of life that, like collateral damage, included a global ecological crisis. From many parts of the world new voices raised concerns about the costs of globalization and proposed alternatives and solutions; thus, modern eco-criticism was born. This article analyzes the historical process of emergence of eco-critical concepts as well as appropriation, redefinition, and use of these concepts by politicians and economists. Specifically, we reflect on how "development" and "growth" under heavy criticism during the 70s were gradually transformed into "sustainable development" first, and, as this conversion was still raising significant disapproval, to "sustainability" later. Adoption of these new ideological frameworks aimed at legitimizing development allowed Western societies to ignore more critical approaches such us "zero growth" or "degrowth". Keywords