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‘We Have the Facts’—How Business Claims Legitimacy in the Environmental Debate

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  • S Eden

    (School of Social Science, Middlesex University, Queensway, Enfield, Middx EN3 4SF, England)

Abstract

The author examines how business associations legitimate their input to environmental policy as ‘rational’ and how they exclude others from the policy debate by characterising them as ‘nonrational’. This is compared with the theories of reflexive modernisation, such as Beck's, and with ecological modernisation. With the aid of an empirical case study of business associations and their environmental lobbying, the author shows how business associations both draw on and shore up a rhetoric of ‘expertise’ and ‘rationality’ in an attempt to legitimate their own ‘subpolitical’ role whilst evading the accountability attached to more politically visible groups.

Suggested Citation

  • S Eden, 1999. "‘We Have the Facts’—How Business Claims Legitimacy in the Environmental Debate," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 31(7), pages 1295-1309, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envira:v:31:y:1999:i:7:p:1295-1309
    DOI: 10.1068/a311295
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Boehmer-Christiansen, Sonja A., 1990. "Energy policy and public opinion Manipulation of environmental threats by vested interests in the UK and West Germany," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 18(9), pages 828-837, November.
    2. World Commission on Environment and Development,, 1987. "Our Common Future," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780192820808.
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    Cited by:

    1. Ball, Chris & Burt, George & De Vries, Frans & MacEachern, Erik, 2018. "How environmental protection agencies can promote eco-innovation: The prospect of voluntary reciprocal legitimacy," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 242-253.
    2. Matias Laine, 2009. "Ensuring legitimacy through rhetorical changes?," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 22(7), pages 1029-1054, September.
    3. Matthew Lee & Jillian Kohler, 2010. "Benchmarking and Transparency: Incentives for the Pharmaceutical Industry’s Corporate Social Responsibility," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 95(4), pages 641-658, September.

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