89
© The Author(s) 2020
S. Sareen (ed.), Enabling Sustainable Energy Transitions,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-26891-6_8
CHAPTER 8
Accountability and the Regulation
of Legitimacy: Biodiversity Conservation
and Energy Extraction in the American West
Steven Wolf
Abstract Energy extraction in the western United States poses existential
risks to sage-grouse, a charismatic ground-nesting bird. Study of how this
concern is integrated into the governance of the sector can inform a
broader analysis of sustainability transitions. I introduce a model of coevolution of standards of legitimacy and material practices that highlights
how emergence of new accountability ‘tests’ can potentially drive socioecological transformation. This evolutionary model emphasises accountability and legitimacy as mechanisms of selection (demographic/
behavioural change). Because accountability mechanisms and selection
pressures do not exist to transform the Colorado energy sector in a manner that benefits sage-grouse, the assessment reveals that there is no sustainability transition underway. As we focus on the broader analytical and
practical challenges presented by sustainability transitions, attention to
accountability, legitimacy, and selection mechanisms will be essential.
Keywords Sustainable transitions • Accountability • Legitimacy •
Biodiversity conservation • Environmental governance
S. Wolf (*)
Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
e-mail: saw44@cornell.edu
© The Author(s) 2020
S. Sareen (ed.), Enabling Sustainable Energy Transitions,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-26891-6_8
CHAPTER 8
Accountability and the Regulation
of Legitimacy: Biodiversity Conservation
and Energy Extraction in the American West
Steven Wolf
Abstract Energy extraction in the western United States poses existential
risks to sage-grouse, a charismatic ground-nesting bird. Study of how this
concern is integrated into the governance of the sector can inform a
broader analysis of sustainability transitions. I introduce a model of coevolution of standards of legitimacy and material practices that highlights
how emergence of new accountability ‘tests’ can potentially drive socioecological transformation. This evolutionary model emphasises accountability and legitimacy as mechanisms of selection (demographic/
behavioural change). Because accountability mechanisms and selection
pressures do not exist to transform the Colorado energy sector in a manner that benefits sage-grouse, the assessment reveals that there is no sustainability transition underway. As we focus on the broader analytical and
practical challenges presented by sustainability transitions, attention to
accountability, legitimacy, and selection mechanisms will be essential.
Keywords Sustainable transitions • Accountability • Legitimacy •
Biodiversity conservation • Environmental governance
S. Wolf (*)
Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
e-mail: saw44@cornell.edu