Elite Networks and Sustainability

Sustainability is commonly associated with broad societal participation and inclusive decision-making processes. Recent research, however, has shown relatively sobering results as to the actual functions of citizen and stakeholder participation to further sustainability. The result of the last US presidential elections, the obstruction of infrastructure projects by local citizens, the rise of populism in many parts of the world, and the advent of a “post-truth” discourse have served to demonstrate that democracy is in a state of crisis. Against this background, there is a renewed research interest in the role of scientific expertise. Less attention has been paid to the general role elites – in politics, administration, business, science and the media – may play in furthering sustainability. This study reviews the available literature on the role of elite networks (e.g. Club of Rome, Bilderberg, G20, transnational bureaucratic networks, etc.) in providing common goods for sustainability – rather than merely serving the elite’s own private interests. I ask: What is the function of elite networks in furthering sustainability? What role do patterns of communication, deliberation and network structures play? What role do the characteristics of the elite members (their capacities, their interests, their knowledge, etc.) play? This review is intended to provide an unbiased view on the potentials and risks of elite networks in providing common goods by deriving testable hypotheses from the available literature.