Scientific consensus on sustainability: the case of The Natural Step

Paul Upham
Additional contact information
Paul Upham: ARIC, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK, Postal: ARIC, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK

Sustainable Development, 2000, vol. 8, issue 4, 180-190

Abstract: The Natural Step (TNS) is internationally promoted as the basis of a scientific consensus on sustainability. TNS appears potentially consensual because it argues from a position of summary trends that are scientifically informed. However, comparison with other sustainability principles shows that this appearance is unjustified. Firstly, this is because sustainability principles vary widely in their implications and purpose. Secondly, TNS is ambiguous in its approach to risk assessment and controversial in its implied proposal for zero growth in the physical parameters of the human economy, biodegradable material excepted. Two concepts from the sociology of science are used to account for international corporate and public uptake of TNS, despite its ambiguity and highly precautionary message. These are the boundary object and anchoring devices. TNS illustrates how operationalization of sustainability theories unavoidably involves value judgements relating to the choice of features to be sustained, despite any scientific content that those theories may have. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.

Date: 2000
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

There are no downloads for this item, see the EconPapers FAQ for hints about obtaining it.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:wly:sustdv:v:8:y:2000:i:4:p:180-190

DOI: 10.1002/1099-1719(200011)8:4<180::AID-SD143>3.0.CO;2-R

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainable Development is currently edited by Richard Welford

More articles in Sustainable Development from John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Wiley Content Delivery ().