Democracy and climate change: rethinking governance from a more comprehensive political framework
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24241/rcai.2025.140.2.173Keywords:
climate governance, democracy, climate change, democratic strategies, analytical frameworkAbstract
Revista CIDOB d’Afers Internacionals, nº 140, pp. 173-192
Quadrimestral (May-September 2025)
ISSN:1133-6595 | E-ISSN:2013-035X
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24241/rcai.2025.140.2.173
Climate change is a “prolonged state of emergency” whose repercussions transcend “planetary boundaries”. More than an isolated crisis, it poses a systemic threat with the potential to undermine the principles of democracy, testing institutional capacity to respond to its multidimensional impacts. This paper examines the political challenges of climate change governance from a democratic perspective. It identifies five structural challenges: a) the undermining of democratic legitimacy; b) natural disasters and environmental risks; c) global food insecurity; d) global inequalities and historical responsibility for climate change; and e) the impact of migration. Based on this analysis, it explores strategies to enhance democratic resilience in the face of climate change and, ultimately, formulate a comprehensive analytical framework geared towards consolidating the democratic governance of climate change.
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