Editorial: Is There a New Climate Politics?

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Editorial: Is There a New Climate Politics? Politics and Governance (ISSN: 2183–2463) 2021, Volume 9, Issue 2, Pages 1–7 DOI: 10.17645/pag.v9i2.4341 Editorial Editorial: Is There a New Climate Politics? Anna R. Davies 1,*, Vanesa Castán Broto 2 and Stephan Hügel 1 1 Department of Geography, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland; E-Mails: [email protected] (A.R.D.), [email protected] (S.H.) 2 Urban Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S1 4DP, UK; E-Mail: [email protected] * Corresponding author Submitted: 2 April 2021 | Published: 28 April 2021 Abstract Addressing climate change globally requires significant transformations of production and consumption systems. The lan- guage around climate action has shifted tangibly over the last five years to reflect this. Indeed, thousands of local govern- ments, national governments, universities and scientists have declared a climate emergency. Some commentators argue that the emergency framing conveys a new and more appropriate level of urgency needed to respond to climate challenges; to create a social tipping point in the fight against climate change. Others are concerned to move on from such emergency rhetoric to urgent action. Beyond emergency declarations, new spaces of, and places for, engagement with climate change are emerging. The public square, the exhibition hall, the law courts, and the investors’ forum are just some of the arenas where climate change politics are now being negotiated. Emergent governing mechanisms are being utilised, from citi- zens’ assemblies to ecocide lawsuits. New social movements from Extinction Rebellion to Fridays For Future demonstrate heightened concern and willingness to undertake civil disobedience and protest against climate inaction. Yet questions remain which are addressed in this thematic issue: Are these discourses and spaces of engagement manifestations of a radical new climate politics? And if these are new climate politics, do they mark a shift of gear in current discourses with the potential to effect transformative climate action and support a just transition to a decarbonised world? Keywords climate assemblies; climate change; climate emergency; climate politics; Green New Deal; just transition; youth movements Issue This editorial is part of the issue “Is There a New Climate Politics? Emergency, Engagement and Justice” edited by Anna R. Davies (Trinity College Dublin, Ireland), Stephan Hügel (Trinity College Dublin, Ireland) and Vanesa Castán Broto (University of Sheffield, UK). © 2021 by the authors; licensee Cogitatio (Lisbon, Portugal). This editorial is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribu- tion 4.0 International License (CC BY). 1. Introduction omy. However, despite the global attention to climate change, we seem to be losing adaptation and mitigation Climate politics may be entering a new era. In 2020, opportunities, especially in lower-income countries. the European Commission fleshed out the European The Covid-19 outbreak in 2020 has impacted all Green Deal that, while still attempting to square the economies, but its bearing on the environment is at best circle of green growth, represented a change of gear ambiguous (International Energy Agency, 2020; Le Quéré in climate policy—a mechanism to mainstream climate et al., 2020). The Covid-19 outbreak has also compro- change in multiple spheres of policymaking. At the time mised ongoing efforts to reduce poverty and inequal- of writing, the newly elected US president Joe Biden ity (World Bank, 2020), and it has generated a need is signing the country back into the terms of the Paris for stimulus packages of which sizeable portions will Agreement. China is pushing ahead with an industrial likely go to infrastructure, to facilitate digital connectivity, strategy that puts renewables at the forefront of its econ- health care, pandemic-proofing of public services, and Politics and Governance, 2021, Volume 9, Issue 2, Pages 1–7 1 mobility (Abadie, 2020). Will these investments change (‘climate emergency,’ ‘Green New Deal,’ ‘just transitions’) the world’s trajectory towards a low carbon, climate- reflect new ways of thinking or are simply a continu- resilient future? ation of ‘old discourses’ of climate politics repackaged Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, a confluence of in a new context. Samper, Schockling, and Islar (2021), emergency declarations, novel engagement activities for example, explore this question in the context of the and social movements were generating momentum Green New Deal (USA) and Green Deal in the European for advancing courageous visions of future, low-carbon Union. In their article, the Green (New) Deal emerges development. The climate actions discussed in this as a new set of discourses of green development that thematic issue explore whether the changes in cli- are seen as potentially revolutionizing current climate mate change rhetoric and diversification of action sites, responses both in Europe and North America. The New spaces, and mechanisms that have emerged over the Deal evokes the public works, social policy and finan- past decade mark a radical shift of direction in the chal- cial reforms that, under President Franklin D. Roosevelt lenge of reducing carbon emissions and ensuring the live- changed the American landscape between 1933 and ability of the world for future generations. 1939. The moniker, however, stands uneasily with the Questions have roundly focused on how to respond diverse set of other narratives that Samper and col- and who will suffer the most (Mann, 2021). Climate leagues review, from programmes for green growth and change affects human health and wellbeing—with infrastructure development to those that represent a increasing evidence of mental health problems like fundamental criticism of current forms of organisation. solastalgia directly linked to climate change (Albrecht The European Green Deal is perhaps the most advanced et al., 2007; Pihl et al., 2021). While the youth climate programme which affects every sector of the economy, movement is increasing awareness of climate change from infrastructure development, to labour policy and in the public consciousness and re-centering climate the circular economy. However, despite the step-change debates around intergenerational ethics and justice, the in language and explicitly allocated funds for action, landscape of climate action seems plagued by unin- Samper and colleagues find it lacking, reproducing previ- tended impacts, as empirical evidence emerges of green- ous discourses and curtailing spaces for political debate. ing projects’ negative impacts, for example, causing peo- Adopting a new ‘green’ discourse, then, does not ple’s displacement (UN-Habitat, 2020). A just transition alone indicate a radical new approach to climate action. requires something other than incremental improve- This is a refrain reiterated by Ruiz-Campillo, Castán Broto, ments on infrastructure and services: It requires a cul- and Westman (2021) in their examination of the declara- tural shift that helps to reimagine human life within the tions of a climate emergency by 300 local governments in world’s confines. Such a cultural shift, however, requires 24 countries. They argue that such declarations respond political grounding. to growing pressure from social movements in interna- This thematic issue enquires as to whether this ‘new tional politics and signify a growing recognition of the politics’ of climate change signifies the continuation of sub-national government’s role in climate governance business as usual or heralds a radical change in lan- (Ruiz-Campillo et al., 2021). However, they also note that guage, approach, and participation. If such a change is framing climate change as an emergency does not, in and detectable, then there is a question of whether such of itself, make decisions about which measures to adopt change will lead towards a positive wave of environmen- any easier. Nor does it necessarily impact the effective- tal action or towards the creation of new inequalities. ness of those measures over time. The articles in this thematic issue explore various ter- Another institutional context—the university— rains of contemporary climate politics, interrogating the provides additional opportunities for the emergence of extent to which they are reflective of a new climate pol- new discourses and O’Neill and Sinden (2021) examine itics marking a radical step change from the climate pol- climate emergency declarations made in this context itics as usual which have failed to move global emis- in the UK. Universities potentially present progressive sions in the right direction since 1990. Despite their organisations to support the implementation of low car- diversity, both geographically and substantively, the arti- bon futures; however, the research conducted by O’Neill cles identify common dimensions: the significance of and Sinden (2021) cautions against assuming that such new discourses of climate action, the creation of new declarations are solely driven by desires to support a places and spaces for engagement, and the expansion radical uptick in climate action. Other concerns around of climate agents with specific attention to previously market differentiation, sustainability capital, and compe- marginalised voices. tition for students also play a part in universities declar- ing a climate emergency. 2. Dimensions of a New Climate Politics While the declarations constitute performative, posi- tioning exercises providing symbolic recognition of the 2.1. The Significance of Discourses urgency of the
Recommended publications
  • Build the Movement for a Green New Deal
    Build the Movement for a Green New Deal Whereas: The Green New Deal manifests key UU values — both “the interdependent web” and “justice, equity, and compassion”— sparking intense interest. However, this vision will require in-depth organizing and generational dedication to overcome powerful interests who disregard the scientific consensus that massive disruption lies ahead if we don’t take rapid action to address the escalating climate emergency; Whereas: Our earth has already warmed approximately 1°C, while climate catastrophes, such as flooding, droughts, wildfires, hurricanes, and species die-off, are more frequent and costly, with ballooning waves of refugees, as carbon emissions from fossil fuels are now activating powerful feedback loops in the air, oceans, and on land; Whereas: Many natural resources, such as fisheries, forests, agricultural lands, fresh water, and minerals, are being degraded or wasted by continued global economic and population growth; Whereas: Social and political stress from escalating economic and political failure is undermining popular support for democracy and human rights, especially where short-sighted economic pursuits have prevailed over equity and compassion; Whereas: Equity must replace extravagance in this new gilded age, reeling from two generations of escalating inequality, consumerism, and continued militarization, by transferring dignity and ownership to legions of proud and skilled workers to build a new and sustainable infrastructure; Be it Resolved that the Unitarian Universalist Association, its congregations, and their members are urged to: 1. Continue educating ourselves on the accelerating threats to the ecosystems and natural resources which feed and sustain our global civilization, and promote a compassionate national conversation to head off worst-case scenarios; 2.
    [Show full text]
  • Viewpoint: Extinction Rebellion: Radical Or Rational?
    Life & Times Viewpoint streets of Hackney dressed as bees. Extinction Rebellion: We arrived nervously at Marble Arch radical or rational? on the first day of the Rebellion, not really knowing what to expect and how long we The UK government has declared a climate would stay. I was taken aback by the calm, 1 change emergency. Respected fellow GPs welcoming atmosphere and the respectful have been arrested on actions with Extinction behaviour towards the police and vice Rebellion. Initially I was perplexed by this versa. There was a palpable feeling that we and wondered how they came to take this did have agency to make decisions about course of action. Although I have friends who our future and we could act to create the have tried to fly less and become vegan for type of world we all want to live in. environmental purposes, I had never really We kept coming back to the road given serious thought to climate change blockades. We played football on the four- and its consequences, let alone participate lane roundabout of Marble Arch and we in any climate activism. I’m not really sure turned Waterloo Bridge into a playground. I have rebelled in many things in my life at As we cycled blissfully through the clean, “There was a palpable all. Over the Easter holidays, though, I found quiet streets of a car-free Central London, myself repeatedly at Extinction Rebellion’s the impossible suddenly seemed possible. feeling that we did have blockades in Central London with my young The youth climate marches led by Greta agency to make decisions son and husband (a paediatric trainee).
    [Show full text]
  • Extinction Rebellion in Aotearoa: the Possibilities and Pitfalls of Importing a Social Movement Organisation Huw Morgan
    Interface: a journal for and about social movements Article Volume 13 (1): 157 – 173 (July 2021) Morgan, Extinction Rebellion in Aoteoroa Extinction Rebellion in Aotearoa: the possibilities and pitfalls of importing a social movement organisation Huw Morgan Abstract As social movement organisations spread across the world in chains of influence and inspiration, local activists have an opportunity to form a branch, capitalise on the international recognition and attract new members. Extinction Rebellion in Aotearoa New Zealand did just this and faced two familiar dilemmas. At the level of strategy, we failed to respond to criticism of our key demand from some indigenous activists. At the tactical level, a lack of cohesion over the organisational structure and tactics at our formation led to a weak organisation unable to successfully engage in complicated strategic or tactical discussion. Key words: climate justice, social movement, decolonisation, organisation, structure, New Zealand, indigenous rights XR in a global context Extinction Rebellion (XR) has been widely written about, including by the co- founder of this journal. What has been less discussed - in mainstream news media and the activist media (Waltz, 2005) of which I’m aware - are the fates of XR groups that have emerged around the world, taking inspiration from, and trying to adapt, the XR model to their context. Globally, the reach of the XR social movement organisation (SMO) was most obviously seen during the 2019 October “Rebellion” - members are called rebels, since XR is in “rebellion” against governments. Across Europe, mobilisations drew consistently upwards of 200 people into action. XR France had hundreds occupying a bridge in central Paris for five days before joining an occupation of a shopping centre with the gilets jaunes, amongst other groups.1 Eastern European XR groups, notably in Prague, experienced 130 arrests for blockades that were quickly and brutally repressed.
    [Show full text]
  • Towards Transformative Climate Justice: Key Challenges and Future Directions for Research
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orking Paper Volume 2020 Number 540 Towards Transformative Climate Justice: Key Challenges
    [Show full text]
  • PLAYBOOK for CLIMATE FINANCE Innovative Strategies to Finance a Cooler, Safer Planet
    PLAYBOOK FOR CLIMATE FINANCE Innovative strategies to finance a cooler, safer planet Playbook for Climate Finance 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 Introduction 4 What is Climate Finance? 5 How Climate Finance is Taking Shape How We Do It 6 Carbon Pricing 8 Impact Investment 11 Blue Bonds for Conservation 13 Insuring Natural Infrastructure 15 Leveraging Multilateral Funding Sources 16 Conclusion Playbook for Climate Finance 2 INTRODUCTION Every day, we see the toll climate change takes on our planet. It represents an immediate threat to economic security and prosperity, as well as the physical health of human and natural communities. But addressing climate change is an opportunity for innovation in all facets of human life—in how we provide food and goods for a growing population, provide clean and affordable energy for communities, design healthy and livable cities, conserve and protect lands and oceans, and provide water security for future generations. Many of the tools and resources we need to tackle climate change already exist, and human innovation keeps creating new possibilities. However, the window of opportunity is closing. This is the critical decade to reduce risks of catastrophic climate change, major biodiversity loss and other environmental problems that are increasing human suffering. The COVID-19 pandemic is undoubtedly a setback, of course, creating a level of global system shock not witnessed since World War II. But the current crisis has also shown our collective vulnerability—and our collective capacity to mobilize rapidly and decisively against threats that have no regard for international borders, such as climate change. It’s up to our leaders as well as every single one of us to decide whether we allow this era to be defined by inaction and frustration, leading to devastating impacts, or whether it’s a springboard to a better world.
    [Show full text]
  • Climate Finance Tracking Guidance Manual
    1 Table of contents 1. General introduction ......................................................................................................... 4 1.1 Rationale for tracking climate finance ................................................................................... 4 1.2 Climate finance tracking in the AfDB ..................................................................................... 5 1.3 Outline of the structure of guidance ..................................................................................... 5 2. Preparing for tracking climate finance ................................................................................ 7 2.1 When does climate finance tracking take place? .................................................................. 7 2.2 To what is this guidance applied? ......................................................................................... 7 2.3 Who is responsible? .............................................................................................................. 7 2.4 What information is required? .............................................................................................. 7 2.5 How are the results reported? .............................................................................................. 8 3. How to track climate finance ............................................................................................. 9 3.1 STEP 1: Define qualifying project elements ..........................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Climate Finance in the Urban Context
    DEVELOPMENT · CLIMATE · AND FINANCE Climate Finance in the Urban Context November 2010 COSTS OF ADAPTATION AND MITIGATION IN CITIES ISSUES BRIEF #4 A good deal of climate-resilient development in the urban Cities and the people who live in them context simply means good, robust development. Potential climatic changes pose additional challenges in building account for more than 80 percent of the infrastructure that can withstand extreme variations in world’s total greenhouse gas emissions. In weather conditions, such as flooding, wind storms, heat waves, and heavy snowfall. Increasingly the work toward addition, more than 80 percent of the over- the Millennium Development Goals and related urban all annual global costs of adaptation to infrastructure should be screened for the potential impacts and increased costs associated with a changing climate. climate change are estimated to be borne by urban areas. This Issues Brief looks at There is an incremental cost to climate-resilient develop- potential financing opportunities and costs ment for which cities are seeking additional financing. Cities are also the largest emitters of greenhouse gases of mitigation and adaptation in the urban (GHGs) and are experiencing increased costs as they move context. Wide-ranging potential sources for toward low-carbon development paths—that is, mitigat- ing GHG emissions. finance for climate action are described, and suggestions are made for more- When addressing adaptation and mitigation costs, the effective responses to climate investment broad range of financing needs includes: challenges in cities. • Upstream planning for the provision of urban services • Prefeasibility and feasibility analysis of investments • Support for climate change adaptation and disaster risk management at the city level 2 • Support for low-carbon solutions in the energy sector opportunity for rapidly growing cities: they can be built • The design and construction of investments better and avoid locking in costly, high-emitting and non- • Maintenance and repair climate-resilient infrastructure.
    [Show full text]
  • The Mont Pelerin Society
    A SPECIAL MEETING THE MONT PELERIN SOCIETY JANUARY 15–17, 2020 FROM THE PAST TO THE FUTURE: IDEAS AND ACTIONS FOR A FREE SOCIETY CHAPTER SEVENTEEN THE RISE AND FALL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIALISM: SMASHING THE WATERMELON JEFF BENNETT HOOVER INSTITUTION • STANFORD UNIVERSITY 11 The rise and fall of environmental socialism: Smashing the 1 watermelon Jeff Bennett2 1. The bad news The green gravy train is fully loaded and achieving record speeds. Rent seekers of many different varieties have taken their seats and are enjoying the largess created by the fears of environmental doom and gloom. The current season of bush fires in Australia illustrates the point. The motivating hypothesis for the fear is that climate change is causing earlier and more severe bushfires. Hence this season’s experience (with declarations of ‘catastrophic’ conditions being made for the first time ever followed by reports of ‘unprecedented’ damage) will be ‘the new normal’. Who gets the gravy once on board? 1. The politicians – who can achieve photo opportunities amidst fire ravaged communities and make announcements about immediate support for those impacted and long term interventions to address climate change. 2. The firefighting bureaucrats – who lobby for more equipment and more staff to deal with the climate change ‘emergency’. 3. The press – who get to present reports from areas that look like war zones without being shot at. 4. The scientists – who argue for more research funding to understand better (for example) the impacts of climate change on fire behaviour. 5. The green industrialists – who gain from subsidies paid to encourage the transition to a ‘de- carbonised’ economy.
    [Show full text]
  • CLIMATE FINANCE ADAPTATION STUDY REPORT Ethiopia
    CLIMATE FINANCE ADAPTATION STUDY REPORT Ethiopia 2 0 2 0 ADAPTATION FINANCE TRACKING REPORT FOR ETHIOPIA TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES 3 List of Figures 3 List of tables 3 ACRONYMS, ABBREVIATIONS AND TERMINOLOGY 4 SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 6 1. INTRODUCTION 12 2. NEEDS FOR ADAPTATION FINANCE 12 2.1 Global climate context 12 2.2 Climate context in Ethiopia 13 3. OVERVIEW ON CLIMATE FINANCE 14 3.1 Climate finance flow to Ethiopia 14 3.2 Development partners 14 3.3 Ratio of Adaptation and Mitigation Finance 15 3.4 Cross-cutting or overlap figures for Ethiopia 15 4. ANALYSIS BASED ON PROJECT DOCUMENTS AND OBSERVATION 17 4.1 Methodology 17 4.2 Assessment results from Step 1: Climate Vulnerability Context 23 4.3 Assessment results from Step 2: Statement of Purpose or Intent 23 4.4 Assessment results from Step 3: Clear and direct link between climate vulnerability and project activities 24 4.5 Comparing reported and assessed Rio markers and adaptation-relevant finance25 4.5.1 Consolidated 3-step results 25 4.5.2 Comparing donor and assessment team adaptation finance totals 26 4.5.3 Comparing donor and assessment team Rio markers 28 4.5 Conclusion 29 5. ANALYSIS OF POVERTY ORIENTATION, GENDER AND THE JOINT PRINCIPLES FOR ADAPTATION 31 5.1 Poverty orientation results and analysis 31 5.1 Gender equality and adaptation analysis 32 5.3 JPA principles results and analysis 33 5.4 Conclusion 34 List of Annexes 35 Annex A: Methodology for the research (brief version) 35 Annex B: List of Assessment Team and Advisory Group
    [Show full text]
  • Why the Extinction Rebellion Movement Is Morally Justified
    Why the Extinction Rebellion Movement is Morally Justified Article by Jeff Justice June 26, 2019 Extinction Rebellion is part of a global movement that is forcing climate and environmental issues into the mainstream. Their success is based on widespread recognition of the legitimacy of their demands and action – but not before the law, as the first prosecutions of activists in the United Kingdom demonstrate. Jeff Justice draws on political theory and environmental philosophy to argue that when government inaction and irresponsibility puts people’s security at risk, rebellion is justified. Extinction Rebellion (also known as XR) recently stormed onto the environmental protest group scene. Their tactics have included occupying public spaces, displaying large banners on landmarks, and interrupting local council and even parliamentary proceedings from the public galleries with their protests and chants. They have even taken to choking major traffic arteries with large groups of slow moving cyclists and blocking streets and squares through sit-ins. The group is international; its website shows groups on every inhabited continent. It declares itself to be in a state of ‘international non-violent rebellion against the world’s governments for criminal inaction on the ecological crisis’. Extinction Rebellion has three demands: first, that governments tell the truth about the ecological crisis; second, that there be zero emissions and drawdown by 2025; and third, that participatory democracy be established. Whilst the group is indeed global in its outlook and organisation, much of the press to date focuses on activities in the UK where it was founded in 2018 and where most of its chapters currently are.
    [Show full text]
  • Carbon Emission Reduction—Carbon Tax, Carbon Trading, and Carbon Offset
    energies Editorial Carbon Emission Reduction—Carbon Tax, Carbon Trading, and Carbon Offset Wen-Hsien Tsai Department of Business Administration, National Central University, Jhongli, Taoyuan 32001, Taiwan; [email protected]; Tel.: +886-3-426-7247 Received: 29 October 2020; Accepted: 19 November 2020; Published: 23 November 2020 1. Introduction The Paris Agreement was signed by 195 nations in December 2015 to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change following the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) and the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. In Article 2 of the Paris Agreement, the increase in the global average temperature is anticipated to be held to well below 2 ◦C above pre-industrial levels, and efforts are being employed to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 ◦C. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides information on emissions of the main greenhouse gases. It shows that about 81% of the totally emitted greenhouse gases were carbon dioxide (CO2), 10% methane, and 7% nitrous oxide in 2018. Therefore, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions (or carbon emissions) are the most important cause of global warming. The United Nations has made efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or mitigate their effect. In Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, three cooperative approaches that countries can take in attaining the goal of their carbon emission reduction are described, including direct bilateral cooperation, new sustainable development mechanisms, and non-market-based approaches. The World Bank stated that there are some incentives that have been created to encourage carbon emission reduction, such as the removal of fossil fuels subsidies, the introduction of carbon pricing, the increase of energy efficiency standards, and the implementation of auctions for the lowest-cost renewable energy.
    [Show full text]
  • Getting Climate Finance Right: Successful Examples for the Green Climate Fund from Around the World a Working Draft
    Getting Climate Finance Right: Successful Examples for the Green Climate Fund from around the World A Working Draft July 2015 Co-Editors: IPS is the nation’s oldest multi-issue progressive think tank, connecting peace, justice and the environment for 50 years. www.IPS_DC.org. For more information about our work on energy, climate and the Green Climate Fund, please contact Janet Redman, climate policy program director, [email protected]. Friends of the Earth U.S., founded by David Brower in 1969, is the U.S. voice of the world’s largest federation of grassroots environmental groups, with a presence in 75 countries. Friends of the Earth works to defend the environment and champion a more healthy and just world. Through our 45-year history, we have provided crucial leadership in campaigns resulting in landmark environmental laws, precedent-setting legal victories and groundbreaking reforms of domestic and international regulatory, corporate and financial institution policies. For more information, please contact Karen Orenstein, senior international policy analyst, [email protected]. The Institute for Policy Studies and Friends of the Earth U.S. have been actively engaged in global debates about the role of the Green Climate Fund since its inception, focusing on meeting the needs of those most impacted by climate change while supporting the shift toward a clean energy economy. For the purposes of this paper, we reached out to international networks working on issues of climate-related international financing and asked for existing examples of adaptation and mitigation projects, programs and policies that people felt had been successful. Our aim was to collect a selection of brief ‘snapshots’ with a diversity of location, size, and sector that could serve as positive examples of the types of activities the Green Climate Fund should support.
    [Show full text]