Deliberative Global Governance

Abstract

Global institutions are afflicted by severe democratic deficits, while many of the major problems facing the world remain intractable. Against this backdrop, we explore the prospects for a deliberative approach that puts effective, inclusive, and transformative communication at the heart of global governance. This approach can advance both democratic legitimacy and effective problem solving. Existing institutions such as multilateral negotiations, international organizations, regimes, governance networks, and scientific assessments can be rendered more deliberative and democratic. Such reforms can pave the way for more thoroughgoing transformations in the global order that could involve citizens' assemblies, nested forums stretching from the local to the global, transnational citizens' juries and other mini-publics, crowdsourcing, and a global dissent channel. We pay special attention to climate change, peacebuilding, and global poverty.

Remaking Political Institutions: Climate Change and Beyond

“…Institutional remaking already occurs, or is at least debated, in a variety of ways in domestic politics. Examples include the creation of comprehensive policy frameworks (e.g., measures to structurally support the uptake of renewable energy) (Buchan, 2012), regulation to steer public and private choices (e.g., planning and zoning, building standards, vehicle emissions standards) (Sachs, 2012), sectoral and society-wide legislation (e.g., climate change acts, legislated targets for decarbonization, ratification of national emissions reduction commitments) (Lorenzoni and Benson, 2014), creation of new authorities (e.g., agencies/departments, coordination bodies, independent advisory agencies) (Lorenzoni and Benson, 2014;, economic restructuring (e.g., active investment policies, removal of fossil fuel subsidies) 8 (Brown and Granoff, 2018), experimentation with new forms of decision-making (e.g., deliberative forums) (Dryzek et al, 2019), and the emergence of climate litigation and its institutional consequences (Peel and Osofsky, 2018;Sharp, 2019). These changes span the three imperatives for remaking institutions under climate that were identified in Section 1.1 (i.e., adapting to changing structural conditions, supporting ambitious climate action, and encouraging comprehensive and long-term political decision-making).…”

“…of calls for rapid climate action, scholars have recently been giving increased attention to the political feasibility of interventions (e.g., Andersen, 2019;Dryzek et al, 2019;Patterson et al, 2018;Pralle, 2009), reflecting a concern for support and practicality of political action. When considering any particular institutional intervention, it is important for analysis not to simply impose an outsider-defined view of desirability and feasibility.…”

Sustainable development and sustainable welfare: a changing international agenda

“…In slightly different ways, Sen and Robeyns argue for the role of open deliberation in efforts to achieve agreement on the need for a just ecological transition and what that has to involve. Sen points to the potential of deliberative democracy (Sen, 2013: 321-), in line with the views of Dryzek et al (2019), who argue that only a broad public involvement in deliberation can promote the transition to sustainability (see also Chapter 1). This suggests that deliberative democracy might protect sustainability against the risk of political backlash (Gough, 2017: 183-4, 205).…”

Scaling behaviour change for a 1.5 degree world: Challenges and opportunities

“…The flexibility that polycentricity affords also makes it possible to incorporate innovations and feedbacks through experiential learning (Bulkeley et al, 2014;Jordan et al, 2018), which is integral to securing sustainable transformation as well as generating the reflexivity that 'spiral' scaling demands, though the need for leadership to provide a guiding framework to orchestrate change should not be understated (Jordan et al, 2018). Others emphasise how participatory (Chilvers et al, 2021) and deliberative approaches can advance legitimacy and help ensure broad social ownership (Dryzek et al, 2019). The recent report of the UK Climate (citizen's) Assembly, for example, proposed a series of progressive measures targeting carbon-intensive behaviours, such as frequent flyer taxes, support for dietary shifts and bans on Sports Utility Vehicles (Climate Assembly UK, 2020).…”