Halina Ward
This paper is the final report in FDSD’s major two-year research project on The Future of Democracy in the Face of Climate Change.
The paper draws on Papers One to Four to find answers to the question: ‘how might democracy and participatory decision-making have evolved to cope with the challenges of climate change by the years 2050 and 2100?’
Four scenarios are set out in the final part of the report, sounding the voices of five people speaking from the year 2050: ‘rationed democracy’; ‘transition democracy’; ‘post-authoritarian democracy’, and ‘technocratic democracy’.
The paper opens with a Foreword by Professor Tim O’Riordan.
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Tim O’Riordan
Professor Tim O’Riordan’s commentary on democracy, climate change and and sustainability is a contribution to discussions under FDSD’s project on the future of democracy in the face of climate change.
In the wake of UK Chancellor George Osborne’s 2011 Autumn statement, the commentary is an attack on signs of incompatibility between democracy and climate stability.
Professor O’Riordan argues that democracy as we know it may be breaking down; with a ‘local democracy of community engagement and exaltation’ its possible successor.
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Ipsos MORI for FDSD and Intergenerational Foundation
More than two thirds (67%) of British people believe the UK Government considers future generations too little in decisions it makes today.
Opinion poll findings commissioned from Ipsos MORI by FDSD and the Intergenerational Foundation in November 2011 also found that nearly half of those interviewed (45%) think passing on a healthy planet is more important than passing on a thriving economy (9%), safety and security (16%) or even an unspoilt countryside (4%).
And far from looking out only for ourselves or our own children, almost two thirds (64%) think all future generations’ needs should take priority when we think about sharing the Earth’s resources.
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Halina Ward with additional inputs from Emma Woods & Anandini Yoganathan
This paper forms Paper Four in FDSD’s project on The Future of Democracy in the Face of Climate Change, which aims to develop scenarios that can help to answer the question: ‘how might democracy and participatory decision-making have evolved to cope with the challenges of climate change by the years 2050 and 2100?’
In this final preliminary paper, we review the current state of climate science and some of its most closely associated tools and scenarios. We focus on the work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), particularly its 2007 Fourth Assessment Report (AR4), as well as on later (post-AR4) analysis.
Beyond Paper Four, the next step will be to…
Halina Ward with Emma Woods
This paper forms Paper Three in FDSD’s project on The Future of Democracy in the Face of Climate Change, which aims to develop scenarios that can help to answer the question: ‘how might democracy and participatory decision-making have evolved to cope with the challenges of climate change by the years 2050 and 2100?’
As we work towards scenarios on the future of democracy in the face of climate change to 2100, this paper reviews and offers preliminary comments on three broad existing bodies of work: those on ‘the future of sustainable development’, ‘the future of sustainable development governance’, and ‘the future of democracy’.
“Our leaders speak of tomorrow, while their dreams and those of their citizens, are…
Peter Roderick
“We take the long view in so many ways. We get educated. We have children. We build. We buy houses. We talk about “making a living”, a continuing, dynamic, creative process. We contribute to pension schemes. We imagine retirement. We hope for good health. We devise and take out insurance policies. We make wills. We value museums, libraries, gardens, beaches, and open and wild spaces. We fear death and want to continue living. Even our fairy stories take the long view: “and they lived happily ever after”. And laws and policies are aimed at supporting these kinds of ends, or should be, even if the means are passionately contested”.
Peter Roderick’s report for FDSD and WWF-UK outlines a range…
Tags: Canada, Congress for the Future, democracy, environmental rights, Finland, future generations, horizon shift, Hungary, Israel, sustainable development, Sustainable Development Commission
Carol Hatton, Halina Ward, Peter Roderick
Written submission from WWF-UK’s legal team, FDSD and Barrister Peter Roderick for the Environmental Audit Committee’s Inquiry into ‘Embedding Sustainable Development Across Government, after the Secretary of State’s Announcement on the Future of the Sustainable Development Commission’.
The submission highlights the importance of Parliament as a driver of democratic decision-making for sustainable development and outlines a range of legal and institutional approaches that could address the imperative to make sustainable development a central organising principle of government.
link to the written evidence (external website)
Halina Ward
In September 2010, ISO, the International Organisation for Standardisation, adopted an ambitious International Guidance Standard on Social Responsibility, ISO 26000. This draft paper, for eventual publication in the journal Theoretical Inquiries in Law, considers the implications of the Standard for public policy and for democracy.
The paper also draws on the author’s experience within the International Working Group on Social Responsibility to describe key issues in the negotiating process behind key parts of the text. These include references to the precautionary approach, the role of the state, and text on the relationship between the standard and the World Trade Organization.
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Halina Ward
A report from an event on ‘Mobilising Democracy to Tackle Climate Change’ which was organised by Schumacher College, Salzburg Global Seminar and the Foundation for Democracy and Sustainable Development, with the support of Goodenough College. The report focuses on one key question: what innovations are needed in democracy and participatory decision-making if we want them to deliver the actions needed to mitigate and adapt to climate change?
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Sally Hill
Drawing on her experience as membership coordinator for Australian online campaign group GetUp during 2008-9, FDSD volunteer Sally Hill considers the rise of online activism exemplified by four organisations: MoveOn, GetUp, 38 Degrees, and GetUp. Case studies focus on the four organisations’ climate change activities. The discussion paper also discusses the implications of online activism for democracy and for effective action on climate change.
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Halina Ward and Anandini Yoganathan
In this paper, which forms Paper Two in FDSD’s project on The Future of Democracy in the Face of Climate Change, the authors review a range of definitional approaches to democracy. They discuss the relevance of existing approaches in the light of climate change and its possible impacts on democracy.
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Halina Ward
In this first paper from FDSD’s project on ‘The Future of Democracy in the Face of Climate Change’, Halina Ward outlines the range of links between democracy and climate change. The paper explores the range of reasons why it is important to explore the project’s central question: How might democracy and participatory decision-making have evolved to cope with the challenges of climate change by the years 2050 and 2100?”.
Separate sections address democracy; the sustainable development challenge to democracy; climate science; the Copenhagen Climate Summit, and climate change and the wider challenges of preparing for resilient democracy.
The paper lays the ground for FDSD’s work throughout 2010 to develop scenarios for the future of democracy in the face of climate change.
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Maria Adebowale, Simon Burall, Caroline Digby, Erin van der Maas, Paul Manners, Charles Secrett, Matthew Scott, Mark Walton, Halina Ward, Stuart Wilks-Heeg
In this paper written following an NGO Leaders meeting on democracy, environmental justice and sustainable development held in October 2009, participants reflect on an emerging agenda on democracy, environmental justice and sustainable development, and their potential role in shaping its course.
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Charles Secrett
Leading sustainability campaigner Charles Secrett sets out a possible pathway for achieving revolutionary change towards democracy, environmental justice and sustainable development.
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Ian Christie
Ian Christie considers lessons from the so-called ‘climategate’ affair in this short piece, written during the December 2009 COP15 negotiations.
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Halina Ward
Halina Ward reflects on the potential relevance for the UK of Hungary’s unique ‘Green Ombudsman’ role: the office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Generations. This piece was originally published in the November issue of the electronic journal of the UK Environmental Law Association, e-law.
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Maria Adebowale, Halina Ward
This short background note, produced by Capacity Global and the Foundation for Democracy and Sustainable Development, is intended to help stimulate discussion at a half-day Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) Leaders meeting on democracy, environmental justice and sustainable development on 26th October 2009. The note outlines a range of intersections between democracy, environmental justice and sustainable development in the UK, and highlights issues for consideration at the meeting.
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Halina Ward, John Elkington
In this piece, published on opendemocracy.net on the Second International Day of Democracy, 15th September 2009, FDSD’s Director and Chair reflect on links between democracy and climate change; and urge the global community to recognise the dangers posed to democracy by climate change.
Read article on opendemocracy.net
John Elkington, Halina Ward
On the occasion of the second International Day of Democracy, FDSD Chair John Elkington and Director Halina Ward write to United Nations Secretary-General Mr Ban Ki-moon on the subject of equipping democracy for resilience in the face of climate change. They warn that unless the world’s nations take meaningful and decisive action to tackle climate change, democracy itself may be a casualty, and ask that in future years International Day of Democracy become an opportunity to reflect on the democratic challenge of climate change.
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Halina Ward
This report contains the text of a presentation made by Halina Ward to participants at Salzburg Global Seminar’s 2009 Board weekend. The report reflects on the idea of ‘One World’ thinking and ethics by highlighting links between democracy and sustainable development.
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Halina Ward, Ethical Corporation
Halina Ward analyses tensions between government-led public policy and multistakeholder decision-making in this piece on the proposed ISO 26000 International Guidance Standard on Social Responsibility.
Read the article on ethicalcorp.com
Joydeep Gupta with Halina Ward
This report records discussions at a three-day seminar held in New Delhi in February 2009. The event explored Indian perspectives on links between democracy and sustainability. It was organised by Salzburg Global Seminar and the 21st Century Trust in collaboration with The Environment Foundation, the Paul Hamlyn Foundation and TERI.
Keynote speakers were Mr Nitin Desai and Dr Rajendra Pachauri, Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and TERI Director-General.
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John Elkington and John Lotherington
This report records discussions at a March 2008 event on Democracy and Sustainability which was organised by The Environment Foundation and 21st Century Trust and hosted by the Dana Centre.
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John Elkington and John Lotherington
John Elkington and John Lotherington’s reflections on discussions on ‘Democracy and Sustainability’ at the Dana Centre in March 2008. They ask: is democracy necessary for sustainable development, or does it get in the way?
Read article on opendemocracy.net
Tim O’Riordan
In this paper, Professor Tim O’Riordan responds to papers by Ian Christie and Sara Parkin. He considers the relevance of a variety of ‘tipping points’ to sustainability politics, suggesting that we could witness the emergence of a ‘democratic tipping point’.
Professor O’Riordan calls for what he terms a ‘mass mobilisation of virtue’ in both civic responsibility and political accountability and outlines essential features of a charter for democracy and sustainability.
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Sara Parkin
In this contribution to The Environment Foundation’s March 2008 event on Democracy and Sustainability, Forum for the Future founder Sara Parkin reflects on whether political parties get in the way of the collaborative democracy that is needed to tackle sustainability.
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In the build-up to the ‘Democracy & Sustainability’ event held at the Dana Centre in March 2008, SustainAbility polled its Faculty members to see what they thought. This report contains some of the responses.
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Ian Christie
In this discussion paper for The Environment Foundation’s March 2008 events and discussions on democracy and sustainability, Ian Christie critically examines four propositions: democracy is crucial for humane and just sustainable development; democracy poses huge problems for sustainable development; sustainable development NGOs (non-governmental organisations) are a massive success for civil society worldwide; sustainable development NGOs are a massive failure by their own standards. The paper goes on to outline links between democracy and climate change.
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