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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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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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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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 develop an initial set of draft scenarios on the future of democracy in the face of climate change for discussion, testing, and refining.

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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 shaped by the concepts, metaphors, logic and assumptions of yesterday” (Ruben Nelson)

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“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 of options for UK legal and constitutional change to underpin ‘the longer view’ in the interests of sustainable development.

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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)

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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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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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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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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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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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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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 considers lessons from the so-called ‘climategate’ affair in this short piece, written during the December 2009 COP15 negotiations.

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