The Democratic Gap in Climate Policy

Abstract

The current environmental crisis is one of humanity’s greatest challenges. The various environmental problems are prompting contemporary societies to rethink the way they are organized. In 2015, the United Nations adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The aim was to eradicate poverty, protect the planet, and take action to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. However, despite states’ willingness to work toward achieving these goals, there are several aspects of the organization, governance, and coordination of activities that are not being addressed. This article argues that there is a gap in global environmental governance that, we contend, should be addressed through coordination among actors at both international and local scales. We draw on the concept of functional interactions from the public policy literature to suggest that coordination among actors from different levels and of different natures is necessary to achieve the SDGs. To illustrate the applicability of this concept, the article focuses on SDG 7 and SDG 12 as two key goals that can contribute to fulfilling the 2030 Agenda.