Confronting the ‘Democracy Deficit’ and Long-term Environmental Threats

Abstract

The world faces multiple long-term environmental threats that include: i) climate change; ii) biodiversity loss; and iii) water insecurities. Effective responses are hindered by the ‘democracy deficit’; deficiencies in democracy and the influence of powerful interests that undermine actions favoured by a majority of voters. Confronting the democracy deficit requires more active (deliberative and participatory) democracy to redistribute power and influence to citizens from privileged interests – the ‘push back’ triangle of; i) the Climatocracy (climate change), ii) the Biodiversocracy (biodiversity loss) and iii) the Hydrocracy (water insecurity). More active democracy requires but is not limited to: i) high-quality public education that allows most people to engage with complex problems; ii) effective and widely-available civic education; iii) fact-checking of publicly available information; iv) a diverse and free press; v) participatory processes around decisions of key public interest; and vi) transparent mechanisms that hold decision-makers fully accountable for their actions.