The historical geography of an idea: Sustainable development in Latin America, 1972–2022

Abstract

This article traces the genealogy of the idea of sustainable development in Latin America. It links perspectives from historical political ecology and the history of ideas to trace authors, conferences and major works that produced and disseminated socio-ecological knowledge relating to sustainable development in the region. Challenging the pretensions of ‘universality’ of this concept, the article presents the formulations of alternative development created by Latin American theorists that were influenced by the socio-political and socio-economic ideas prevalent in the region prior to the Brundtland report, and which established strong ties to issues of justice and rights. The North-South flow of ideas is palpable, however, there was also a South-North flow that enriched and challenged ideas such as the limits to growth through the Latin American World Model and the concept of ‘ecodevelopment’. This allowed for a Latin American construction of sustainable development that was different from other regions, and which eventually led to new formulations such as post-development, buen vivir and neo-extractivism. The article concludes that there were key moments, themes and contexts that led to a particular emphasis on socio-ecological justice that contrasts with ecological modernisation and environmental responsibility conceptual formulations that emerged more strongly in other regions.