Making Democracy Fit for Climate

Lars Tønder

Climate change has been high on the political agenda for years, yet greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise. Globally, communities are already experiencing the consequences of the crisis in various ways: from increases in extreme weather and changes to ecosystems to rising sea levels and depleting natural resources.

What's inside

Syllabus

Climate Change and Democracy - A Perfect Storm?

The purpose of this module is to introduce the fundamentals of democracy and climate change. The module provides an overview of the main justifications for why democracy is the most preferred mode of government, and juxtaposes these justifications with the challenges that climate change poses to democracy. The module concludes by outlining how and why democratic innovations might be needed.

When, How and Why is Democracy Failing Us?

The purpose of this module is to analyse when, how, and why democracies are failing to address climate change with sufficient action. The module provides an overview of the main causes of inaction, with a focus on lobbyism, policy-inertia, and lack of attention to nonhuman forces. The module concludes by outlining how and why democracy, regardless of the current stalemate, has the potential for reform.

The Allure of Authoritarianism - A Credible Alternative?

The purpose of this module is to explore how and why some actors see climate change as a reason to replace democracy with eco-authoritarianism. The module provides an overview of the history of authoritarianism and offers an in-depth account of how this history informs contemporary eco-authoritarianism in Europe and elsewhere. The module concludes with a discussion of why eco-authoritarianism, regardless of its intuitive appeal, fails to address the challenges of climate change.

Democracy and the International Political System - Where Is the Innovation?

The purpose of this module is to examine the actions that the international political system has taken to address climate change. The module focuses on institutional reforms by the United Nations and the European Union, and discusses how these reforms affect relations between the global north and the global south. The module concludes with a discussion of how and why institutional reforms from above require democratic innovations from below.

Democracy, Non-State Actors and Civil Society - Where is the Innovation?

The purpose of this module is to analyse how democratic innovations from below enhance the fight against climate change at both local and global scales. The module focuses on climate citizens' assemblies, climate activism, civil disobedience, green neighborhoods, and other non-state actors, and introduces the politics of swarming as an umbrella-term for these innovations. The module concludes with a discussion of how and why a renewal of democracy must take many forms to address climate change.

Democracy and the Non-Human – An Impossible Idea?

The purpose of this module is to introduce the concept of a "more-than-human democracy" as a way to overcome the limits of contemporary climate politics. The module focuses on the entanglements of human and non-human forces and shows how these entanglements inspire new forms of democratic innovations ranging from artistic performances to the extension of rights to rivers and other ecosystems. The module also includes a discussion of why purely technological solutions are insufficient and why this should lead us to an ecological perspective on democracy. Finally, the module provides a brief overview of the previous five modules and concludes by emphasising that making democracy fit for climate will require new understandings of participation, representation, the relationship between humans and non-humans, and the distribution of authority across both local, national and transnational borders.

Save this course

Save Making Democracy Fit for Climate to your list so you can find it easily later:

Save

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Making Democracy Fit for Climate with these activities:

Review Course Materials

Show steps

Strengthen your understanding by comprehensively reviewing course materials.

Show steps

Gather all course readings, assignments, and notes.
Summarize and synthesize key concepts.
Create a study guide or concept map for easy recall.

Explore Climate Change Data and Resources

Show steps

Develop your research skills by exploring climate change data and resources.

Show steps

Identify relevant climate change databases and repositories.
Follow tutorials and documentation on data access and analysis.
Practice visualizing and interpreting climate data.

Volunteer with a Climate Change Organization

Show steps

Gain practical experience and engage with a community working on climate change.

Browse courses on Community Engagement

Show steps

Research and identify climate change organizations in your area.
Contact the organizations to inquire about volunteer opportunities.
Attend volunteer training and events.
Participate in community outreach and advocacy initiatives.

Five other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all eight activities

Form a Study Group

Show steps

Enhance your learning by collaborating with peers and discussing course concepts.

Show steps

Find classmates who share your interests.
Schedule regular study sessions.
Work together to review materials, solve problems, and clarify concepts.

Analyze Political Systems

Show steps

Strengthen your understanding of different political systems and their relationship with climate change.

Browse courses on Political Systems

Show steps

Research and compare different political systems.
Identify key features of each system.
Analyze how these features influence climate change policies and actions.

Read 'On Democracy' By Robert A. Dahl

Show steps

Explore the concept of democracy and its challenges.

View A Preface to Economic Democracy on Amazon

Show steps

Obtain and read the book
Make notes while reading, and pay special attention to Dahl's arguments about the characteristics and challenges of democracy.
Summarize the main insights and arguments of the book

Develop a Climate Policy Proposal

Show steps

Apply your knowledge to develop a comprehensive climate policy proposal.

Browse courses on Climate Policy

Show steps

Research best practices and current climate policies.
Identify key stakeholders and their interests.
Develop a policy proposal that addresses both short- and long-term climate challenges.
Write a policy brief summarizing the proposal and its key recommendations.

Develop a Climate Adaptation Plan

Show steps

Apply your knowledge by developing a comprehensive climate adaptation plan for a specific region or community.

Browse courses on Climate Adaptation

Show steps