Short Abstract:

This study aims to identify analytical categories and theoretical approaches to understand the plural challenges of sustainable development, using a literature review focusing on Sen and Nussbaum to outline the capabilities approach, and Georgescu-Roegen to discuss ecology and economics. It proposes structured pluralism to integrate these contributions for economically addressing the environment.

Long Abstract:

The debate on environmental issues gained significant momentum during the mid-20th century. The proliferation of production, globalization, and increased exchange of goods and services led to an expanded use of raw materials, thereby elevating the risk of environmental degradation. Presently, this debate has permeated large global organizations, underscoring the universally pervasive nature of the environmental challenge.

The emergence of ecological economics, spurred by the need to understand environmental issues comprehensively, represents a transdisciplinary approach aimed at elucidating the complex interplay between ecology and economics. Spearheaded by the International Society for Ecological Economics (ISEE) and the journal Ecological Economics, this field seeks to establish a methodological foundation to guide research. In the inaugural edition of the journal, Nogaard's article "Methodological Pluralism" argues against a complete rejection of positivist epistemology within ecological economics, acknowledging its continued influence despite inherent limitations.

The adoption of methodological pluralism also served as a means of inclusivity, inviting researchers from diverse backgrounds to engage in the nascent ecological and economic discourse.

Understanding the challenges associated with environmental issues requires exploration of the intricate connections between ecological and economic aspects, as well as ethical and moral dimensions. In this regard, the diversity of information sources and the values underpinning humanity's relationship with nature and the future align this article with the capabilities approach, initially formulated by Amartya Sen (2010) and Martha Nussbaum (2001).

According to the capabilities approach, the preservation of natural resources becomes an intrinsic goal. This perspective posits that the protection of species and the environment should be the product of social values, individual free choices regarding available opportunities, and a legacy for future generations. However, for such decisions to be truly voluntary, environmental challenges must be examined through a multifaceted lens, encompassing economic, environmental, cultural, ethical, moral, and other dimensions.

The aforementioned issue underscores the imperative of addressing environmental issues with a plurality of perspectives, utilizing diverse dimensions, a range of information sources, and a variety of methodologies. In this context, this article poses the following inquiry as its central investigation: What analytical categories and theoretical frameworks can enrich the assessment of the environmental issue from a pluralistic standpoint?

To address this query comprehensively, the article employs literature review as the primary research and reflection procedure. To describe the main categories of the capabilities approach, Sen and Nussbaum are the primary references, introducing concepts such as functionings, resources, agents, and means and ends in themselves. It is through these authors that we can analyze the importance of ethical and informational pluralism for the construction of methodological pluralism.

To describe the concerns of ecological economics regarding the interaction between the economic and natural environment, the author uses Georgescu-Roegen, who introduces thermodynamic concepts into economic science and presents the limitations of environmental discourse before the introduction of the concept.

Lastly, to identify how structured pluralism, considered a methodological proposal, could be used to converge all these contributions, we will rely on Caldwell's concept of pluralism and Sheila Dow's structured pluralism, passing through concepts of pluralism applied to ecological economics by Nogaard.

According to the analysis of this research, sustainable development encompasses various dimensions, including its organic and inorganic aspects, which undergo a series of transformations from its raw state through production and ultimately to consumption. Any intervention within this environment reverberates as a direct influence on the entire interconnected production milieu, encompassing facets that pertain to the natural, cultural, institutional, and more.

Regrettably, these causative actions do not manifest in isolation; rather, they result from a complex interplay of cultures that have been ingrained and institutionalized within society for decades. This extends beyond mere production methods and encompasses aspects related to information, ethics, and morals.

The capabilities approach treats these issues as conversion factors, social processes, and contexts that contribute not only to the shaping of values but also to commitments concerning the future. Consequently, the resolution of these challenges necessitates a multi-faceted approach that takes into account various dimensions, including economic, social, cultural, political, and global considerations.

Georgescu-Roegen, in his adoption of thermodynamic principles for economics, challenged the established mechanistic paradigm in environmental economics, deviating from the mainstream and traditional views. Through ecological economics, he pioneered a revolutionary and innovative field fraught with significant challenges.

In an attempt to instigate the necessary changes within the field as introduced by Georgescu, Nogaard authored the initial article outlining the methodology applicable to ecological economics. Subsequently, limited discussion or debate ensued regarding methodology. Nogaard's articulation of methodological pluralism remains the primary reference in the field, despite his own reservations and criticisms. Within this landscape, schisms emerged within the field, with some advocating for uncritical and unstructured pluralism, while others championed a critical and structured pluralism.

As discussed in this overview, it becomes evident that ecological economics, in its quest to carve out a distinctive niche grounded in its foundational principles, must disengage from premises that have already been addressed and transcended. Neoclassical assumptions that run counter to the field's essence are a case in point. This initial analysis calls into question the uncritical pluralism still espoused by many within the field.

In contrast, critical and structured pluralism, to be formulated successfully, relies on the establishment of ontological, epistemological, and methodological foundations that can support a structured approach capable of addressing the complexity inherent in human, biological, natural systems, and more. This methodological framework can draw from critical realism as presented by Bhaskar and can be further structured through the lens of the capabilities approach articulated by Sen and Nussbaum. This structural framework emphasizes pluralism in its methodological, ethical, and informational dimensions, positioning it within a critical perspective that takes into account the representation of the subject matter, whether it is quantifiable or not.

Consequently, we conclude that the environmental issue is multidimensional, affects various aspects of life, and requires different sources of information. Methodological pluralism thus presents the only possible and viable option for us to advance the debate through the complexity and scope of the object itself.

Keywords: Ecological economics, sustainable development, capabilities approach, methodological pluralism.