London, Sep 15 (Inditop.com) Democratic freedoms will be in danger around the world unless governments step up immediate efforts to tackle climate change, according to a think tank based here.
In an open letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Tuesday, the second International Day of Democracy, the Foundation for Democracy and Sustainable Development (FDSD) has warned of “formidable environmental and natural resource challenges just around the corner – and climate change is the biggest of them all”.
FDSD Director Halina Ward said in the letter: “There is a real risk that as the decision-making implications of huge social challenges like climate change begin to bite, politicians will be tempted to tighten the reins on our democratic rights and limit our access to public decision-making on difficult issues.
“We need politicians to take really tough steps to tackle issues like climate change, but they have to find ways of doing so with public buy-in, support and active involvement. And the longer they wait to take decisive action, the more likely it is that our democratic freedoms could suffer as the cost of preventing the worst outcomes of climate change increases.”
As the UN General Assembly prepares for a special day of discussions on climate change Sep 22, Ward called on the UN “to encourage its members to reflect deeply on how they can make democracy work to deliver effective actions on climate change. It’s no longer just a question of policy measures and institutions — democracy itself will have to adapt.”
FDSD chair John Elkington added: “Climate change is coming at our societies at an underestimated and accelerating rate — outpacing the capacity of democratic systems to respond. If democracies are to retain a commitment to inclusive decision-making, they must innovate fast.
“The key question, as in times of war, is how to take the necessary decisions when they so often cut across the short-term interests of industries and citizens. That is where leadership — and vision — come in.”
