Is Ecomodernism "Just"?

Ecomodernism is frequently criticised for its rejection of the idea that there are natural limits to growth. Some of relevant the points of criticism raise the potentially destructive nature of ecomodernists’ faith in unlimited economic growth (e.g. Kallis 2021). Other critics point to the moral and practical hazards that ecomodernism’s embrace of geoengineering entails (e.g. Buck 2019, Grunwald 2016). Yet others suggest that ecomodernism fails to consider perspectives and futures beyond affluent urban ones (Isenhour 2016). What remains relatively underdeveloped in these debates is discussions around the place of ‘justice’ in ecomodernist thought. This paper addresses this gap using the case of the EU’s Green Deal (EGD). The starting point of the discussion in this paper is the place of justice in transitions to a sustainable future. The paper proceeds in three steps. First, it examines the place of ‘green growth’ in ecomodernist thought. Second, it offers an overview of ecomodernist arguments that underpin the EGD, thus establishing the case for considering this policy as an exemplar of ecomodernist thought. Third, the paper considers how ‘justice’ concerns emerge in the EGD. It concludes with a reflection on what it would take to make ecomodernism compatible with demands for justice.