The Climate Crisis, Democracy and Governance: Transition in Ten Steps: Action Points for Governments

131 Pages·2020·1.179 MB·English

by  Eric Ponthieu

SPRINGER BRIEFS IN CLIMATE STUDIES
Eric Ponthieu
The Climate Crisis,
Democracy and
Governance
Transition in Ten
Steps: Action Points
for Governments
123
SpringerBriefs in Climate Studies
SpringerBriefs in Climate Studies present concise summaries of cutting-edge
research and practical applications. The series focuses on interdisciplinary aspects
of Climate Science, including regional climate, climate monitoring and modeling,
palaeoclimatology, as well as vulnerability, mitigation and adaptation to climate
change. Featuring compact volumes of 50 to 125 pages (approx. 20,000- 70,000
words),theseriescoversarangeofcontentfromprofessionaltoacademicsuchas:
atimelyreportsofstate-of-theartanalyticaltechniques,literaturereviews,in-depth
case studies, bridges between new research results, snapshots of hot and/or
emerging topics Author Benefits: SpringerBriefs in Climate Studies allow authors
to present their ideas and readers to absorb them with minimal time investment.
Books in this series will be published as part of Springer’s eBook collection, with
millionsofusersworldwide.Inaddition,Briefswillbeavailableforindividualprint
and electronic purchase. SpringerBriefs books are characterized by fast, global
electronic dissemination and standard publishing contracts. Books in the program
willbenefitfromeasy-to-usemanuscriptpreparationandformattingguidelines,and
expedited production schedules. Both solicited and unsolicited manuscripts are
considered for publication in this series. Projects will be submitted to editorial
review by editorial advisory boards and/or publishing editors. For a proposal
document please contact the Publisher.
More information about this series at http://www.springer.com/series/11581
Eric Ponthieu
The Climate Crisis,
Democracy and Governance
Transition in Ten Steps: Action Points
for Governments
123
EricPonthieu
Section for Agriculture, RuralDevelopment
andthe Environment—Sustainable
Development Observatory
European EconomicandSocial Committee
Brussels, Belgium
ISSN 2213-784X ISSN 2213-7858 (electronic)
SpringerBriefs inClimate Studies
ISBN978-3-030-58129-9 ISBN978-3-030-58127-5 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58127-5
©TheAuthor(s),underexclusivelicensetoSpringerNatureSwitzerlandAG2020
Thisworkissubjecttocopyright.AllrightsaresolelyandexclusivelylicensedbythePublisher,whether
thewholeorpartofthematerialisconcerned,specificallytherightsoftranslation,reprinting,reuseof
illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and
transmissionorinformationstorageandretrieval,electronicadaptation,computersoftware,orbysimilar
ordissimilarmethodologynowknownorhereafterdeveloped.
The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this
publicationdoesnotimply,evenintheabsenceofaspecificstatement,thatsuchnamesareexemptfrom
therelevantprotectivelawsandregulationsandthereforefreeforgeneraluse.
The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this
book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the
authors or the editors give a warranty, expressed or implied, with respect to the material contained
hereinorforanyerrorsoromissionsthatmayhavebeenmade.Thepublisherremainsneutralwithregard
tojurisdictionalclaimsinpublishedmapsandinstitutionalaffiliations.
Disclaimer:Theauthorofthispublicationisactinginhisownname.Theviewpointshedefendsareinno
wayreflectingtheopinionoftheEuropeanEconomicandSocialCommitteeandofotherEUinstitutions.
ThisSpringerimprintispublishedbytheregisteredcompanySpringerNatureSwitzerlandAG
Theregisteredcompanyaddressis:Gewerbestrasse11,6330Cham,Switzerland
Change will not come if we wait for some
other person, or if we wait for some other
time.
We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.
We are the change that we seek.
Barack Obama
Forewords
Climatechangepolicieshavebeendiscussedgloballyformanydecadesnow,most
visiblystartingin1992.Withoutanydoubt,muchhaschangedsincethen:afterthe
first careful steps in Kyoto (1997), a failed summit in Copenhagen (2009) then
towards the groundbreaking summit in Paris (2015). But at the same time, our
societies have, rightfully so, become impatient with policy-makers. Globally, the
FridaysforFuturestrikesarecallingustofinallyconvertthewordsintorealclimate
action, something extra and effective that can achieve the targets that were estab-
lished in the Paris Agreement.
AsaMemberoftheEuropeanParliament,IhavebeenpartofEUgovernancefor
more than 10 years. I have seen the debate changing, from fighting to be more
ambitiousinour2020targetstonow,wherethecurrentEuropeanCommissionhas
puttheGreenDealcentrestageforallofitspolicies.Ahugeshiftinambition,but
again,wordsstillneedtobetranslatedintorealaction.Theverycriticalreactionsof
society on the Climate Law proposed by the European Commission show that the
increased ambition is not yet fully converted into proposed action.
The gap between what science tells us, what society expects from us and what
policy-makersaredeliveringisstillhuge.TheGreenDealisanattempttoclosethat
gap,butclearly,wearenotthereyet.Whileweunderstandtheclimatesystembetter
and better, it seems that less attention has been paid to understanding our gover-
nance system and why policy-making is lagging behind the needed and desired
action. This book is aimed at filling in that gap: a necessary analysis of why
policy-makingisnotdeliveringtheactionsthataresodesperatelyneededandwhy
it is so difficult to change the political system in order to mitigate the climate
emergency.
For everyone interested in preventing further climate change, this book is a
highlyrecommendedtoread,providingfurtherinsightsintothecomplexitiesofour
politicalsystem.Itchallengescomplacencyandprovidesaroadmapforhowwecan
get change in our politics. This is the change we have been asking for during all
those decades while climate sciencesteadily progressed, showingthat moredelays
in climate action will only make things worse. There is no planet B; let there be a
political plan B.
vii
viii Forewords
BasEickhout,Vice-PresidentoftheEuropeanGreens/EFA,MemberofEuropean
Parliament since 2009, Brussels, Belgium.
-o-
Climatechange,climate crisis,existentialcrisisetc.:itsoundsradical,butitisnot.
For decades, we have built a society addicted to fossil fuels, ruled by short-term
policies and based on inequality.
Thesepillarsthatoursystemstandsonarecollapsing,anditistimetobuildnew
ones.Lotsofworldleadershavebeentryingtofixthesystem,insteadofreplacing
the pillars. They have been fighting symptoms of a disease that they never really
treated.
Although governments and politicians hold the prime responsibility to show
ambition and bravery, they have been shamed by children who, in the last year,
have sacrificed their education to protest against the world’s inaction. Last
September 2019, over 7.5 million people across the globe took to the streets,
demanding to unite behind the science and provide a safe future.
Ourrapidlydisappearingcarbonbudgetisourultimatebottomline,revealedby
the best available climate science. Scientists have written hundreds of reports,
solutionsandroadmapstochangethesystemandtofightforhumanityandhuman
equality.
In a world distracted by fake news, backroom politics and mainstream trivia,
knowledgeiskey.Whiletheworldisfacinghugechallenges,manypeopleareonly
awareofalittlebitofwhatishappening.Evenpoliticiansareoftenlostinthedark.
Thisiswhymorebookslikethisoneareabsolutelynecessarytoeducatepeopleand
equip them to fight for their right and what is needed. Also this book points to the
responsibility of politicians and shows them there is a way ahead. No more empty
words.
When people realise there is a way, they will fight for it. When they join us in
thisfight,thingswillchangeandfranklythatisalleveryonereallyneeds.Theworld
demands action. For things to change,
Anuna De Wever, Young Climate Activist, Mortsel, Belgium.
-o-
This is the book the next President of the USA needs to read, and also, the
respectivePresidents oftheEuropean Council andCommission, and also,political
leadersofallcountrieswhereyoungclimate activists havechallengedtheirleaders
to become climate leaders, And also, business executives who want to be able to
look their children into their eyes in 2050, when the world must have reached
carbon neutralitytorespectthe1.5 °Cwarminglimit.Lastbutnotleast, thisisthe
bookthatmustbereadbyclimate-awarecitizenswhowanttotransformtheiranger
into hope and then into action.
This is their handbook on how to address the climate change challenge. It is
differentfrommany‘howtosaveclimate’books.Indeed,itfocussesonthepolitical
leadership required to move the world economy in the direction needed.
Forewords ix
Eric Ponthieu starting point is clear: ‘Young people are perfectly right to shake
existing governments’.
This book explains how public authorities can become climate leaders. How a
newnarrativethatspeakstoboththemindandtheheartisneeded.Howwecanuse
lessons from the handling of the COVID-19 crisis. How representative democracy
can benefit from complementary deliberative approaches such as citizen’s assem-
blies. How these approaches can help enshrine the long-term vision which is so
often lacking in the political process. Eric Ponthieu pleads for improving the sci-
ence–policy dialogue around tackling climate change, inspired by what happened
during the COVID-19 crisis. He points to the importance of business having a
long-term vision rooted in deliberations with its own employees and with civil
society. He explains how sustainable consumption can be made mainstream and
fashionable with the right government measures, reform of economic policies and
supporttolocalclimateactionalignedwithnationalplans.Finally,heexplainshow
all this could be funded, especially in Europe.
EricPonthieuwarnsthereader:civildisobedienceduetomountingfrustrationin
the face of climate inaction by governments is likely to increase. It has been
non-violent up to now, but it is high time for real climate action to address youth
and citizens’ concerns. I agree.
Political leaders and business executives are human beings. They share our
planet with almost 8 billion people. They often have children who will experience
in their flesh the consequences of climate change and biodiversity loss in the
coming decades. As the world economy will slowly restart after COVID-19, as
huge amounts of money will be injected into the ‘recovery’, they have a unique
chance to make a difference. They can recycle the old recipes, or reinvent a better
world,cleanerandfairer,wheretheyoungpeopleoftodaywillbehappytolivein.
This book will inspire them.
Jean-Pascal van Ypersele, Professor, UCLouvain, Former IPCC Vice-chair,
Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
-o-
Weareatacriticaljuncturefortheclimatecrisis.COVIDhasexposedthefragility
of many decision-making processes and much ‘conventional wisdom’ about the
marchofglobalisation.Andtherecessionisbringingtheneedfora‘fair’transition
into sharp relief. COVID has also shown, however, how behaviours can change
overnight. Amidst this disruption, the need to galvanise all sides to tackle climate
change could not be greater.
This book provides a call to action and comprehensive set of steps for gov-
ernments, businesses and communities to forge a new social contract. It explores
how this can be shaped by ongoing deliberative engagement between people and
decision-makers, including at a local level, in a way that looks for synergies and
balancedoutcomes.Theimplicationsofthisgobeyondclimatetohowtoreconnect
politics with long-term public interests.
x Forewords
Technologicalbarrierstodecarbonisationaresmallcomparedtotheinstitutional,
cultural and behavioural issues that need to be addressed. The book identifies the
transformationsingovernance,partnershipsandcommunicationsthatcandothis.It
emphasisestheimportanceofdevelopinganinspirationalnarrativetohelpallsides
understandthatcaringfortheclimateisgoodfortheeconomyandsociety—aswell
asthenaturalworld.Ensuringjobsandco-benefitsresonatewithlocalcommunities
andmakingchangeeasyandfun,sothatpeoplehaveasenseofagencyandbelieve
a positive future is possible, are essential for public acceptability.
Somecompaniesarealreadyconsideringwhattheir‘LicencetoOperate’means
inanetzeroworld.However,thereismoretodotoensuresuchchangesshapeall
businessmodelsandcoreprocesses.Thebookposesimportantquestionsaboutthe
macroeconomic reforms that need to be discussed ‘openly and without taboo’ to
create the frameworks for transformative change to be mainstreamed. How to
measurewell-beingandinternaliseenvironmentalcostsintopricing—inawaythat
minimises the distributional impacts on those least able to pay—is key. A new set
ofprinciplesfor‘regulatingforsustainability’,includingrecognisingthebenefitsof
diversity and systems thinking, are needed.
The Youth Climate Movement has shown that creativity and different perspec-
tives can unlock stale arguments and hold governments to account. With capacity
building, the convening skills and soft power of NGOs can navigate complex,
interconnected systems. The local networks, knowledge and partnership expertise
of community groups are essential to enact the change we need to see.
COVID has taught us that the time for collaboration is now that we all have a
role to play to ensure social—and natural—resilience. Climate change, like the
pandemic,isfartooimportanttoleavetosomeoneelsetosortout.Thisbookshows
the way.
Sharon Darcy, Director, Sustainability First, London, UK.