The Green Technopole and Green Localism: Comparing Regional Development Strategies

Two emergent “green” forms of regional development are compared and contrasted in terms of a concept of sustainability that includes ecological, economic, and equity considerations. The green technopole is built around the ecological modernization of existing industries or the development of new environmentally oriented industries, and green localism is based on production for the regional economy through small firms and nonprofit organizations. Examples and types within each category (e.g., the Freiburg solar industry for technopoles and sustainable local agricultural networks for localism) are outlined. Both ecological modernization theory and treadmill of production theory have been skeptical about the viability of localist projects, albeit for different reasons. This essay explores the degree to which such skepticism continues to be justified, and the extent to which localist projects are themselves undergoing a modernization process that may require a reassessment of their potential and viability.