Exploring the Ecological Modernisation of private automobile transport in New Zealand

Abstract

This thesis was designed to analyse national transport policy in New Zealand using Ecological Modernisation Theory to understand the extent to which the concepts inherent in this theory are being used to frame policy development and the barriers to its use. The approach adopted involved extensive interviews with government officials directly involved in policy development and its implementation, and with industry representatives. A content and discourse analysis was also applied to policy documents and reports to evaluate the level of national commitment to Ecological Modernisation. The findings demonstrate that while the concepts associated with Ecological Modernisation are identified in public statements, in practice there is little evidence of these concepts being applied in practical terms. Under the current New Zealand government, even the rhetoric associated with the theory is no longer used and there is an increasing evidence of on economic growth. In effect, New Zealand is in a “carbon lock-down” with respect to private automobile transport. The findings do not deny the validity of Ecological Modernisation, but do highlight the need to better explore and understand the contextual factors against which the theory is played-out, including the economic, political, and social factors associated with the geography of the country or region concerned.