Time to Reconceptualize ‘Green Technology’ in the Context of Globalization and International Relations

The focus on time is used to demonstrate that Newtonian conceptions of reality underpin the push for ‘green technology’and its associated international relations. It brings to the surface the rationale of this technology and shows its limits and future potential by exploring underlying assumptions and principles: ‘green technology’ it is argued, is not achievable on those terms and such an approach to environmental problems is unlikely to lead to relevant action and suitable solutions. It is not simply a matter of finding the ‘right technical, economic and political solutions but, crucially, about reconceptualization and the restructuring of knowledge. Thus, conceptual revision is necessary if appropriate responses are to be found to the hazards of the industrial way of life; focus on the temporal dimension of technology and globalized political processes offers a first point of departure from the Newtonian tradition.