ABSTRACT
Ecological modernisation is an ambiguous term since it aims to combine two contradictory aspects: environmental protection and economic growth. State policy may have a direct effect on the pattern of ecological modernisation. Successful environmental protection combined with a continuation of productionism would clearly favour the established political order and would not imply a change in the direction towards a more ecological society. Productionist development is characterised by the desire to improve social welfare by improving material wealth through the exploitation of natural and human resources. The increase or decrease in rates of energy consumption shows quite clearly the productionist orientation of advanced Western societies. While green parties have a strong impact on better environmental progress, the emergence of strong new social movements and left-libertarian parties correlates with a lower degree of productionism. Countries such as New Zealand, Australia and Greece disprove the hypothesis that social-democratic governments protect the environment better than conservative ones.
