As people and ecosystems confront escalating environmental challenges, there is a growing recognition of local stakeholders' pivotal role in decision-making processes. What is the interplay between environmental democracy and the pursuit of green transitions efforts worldwide? How do citizen-led reforms in democracy take place?
A recent conference, held from October 23-25, 2024, brought together experts from across the globe to explore environmental justice, community mobilisation, and the nuanced challenges of green transitions in diverse socio-political contexts. The three-day event featured panels, discussions, and presentations on the complex and interconnected issues impacting both the Global North and Global South, and proposed innovative frameworks and case studies relevant to each region.
It was organised by Christine Lutringer (Albert Hirschman Centre on Democracy, Geneva Graduate Institute) and Rusha Das (Indian Institute of Management - IIM Bangalore) with the support of the Leading House South Asia and Iran, Zurich University of Applied Sciences, and in collaboration with the research project “Youth Climate Activism and Local Institutions: Reframing Democratic Spaces at a Time of Polarisation”.
The conference also featured a public panel discussion, which explored how local institutional mechanisms and political mobilizations shape green transitions. The audience heard from two personalities who have been acting for green transitions as scientists and scholars but also as elected representatives or founders of civil society organisations: Pauline Plagnat-Cantoreggi, Senior Lecturer, University of Geneva and Mayor of Machilly, Vice president of the community of communes of Annemasse Agglo, France, and Trilochan Sastry, Professor, Indian Institute of Management Bangalore and chairman of the Association for Democratic Reforms, India, discussed their experience and the innovations that they have been part of in India, France and Switzerland.
Conference Summary:
Day 1: Environmental Justice Movements and Case Studies
The conference began with a powerful discussion on environmental justice frameworks. In Panel 1, Sneha Thapliyal and Akansh Khandelwal presented an empirical review of biodiversity conservation movements, emphasising how these movements, often shaped by state interests and socioeconomic groups, reveal deep-rooted market failures and externalisation practices. The study illustrated the complex identity dynamics within heterogeneous groups and underscored the global nature of environmental justice struggles. Sreeja Chakraborty and Rusha Das delved into contested coastal zones in Karnataka, India, uncovering the governance gaps that leave communities vulnerable in favour of infrastructure projects. Marco Palma’s study of Vaubàn in Freiburg, Germany, highlighted how urban transitions toward sustainability can inadvertently marginalise social dimensions, pushing the need for consistent, community-focused approaches to long-term urban transitions.
Ashish Kothari introduced Eco-Swaraj, a framework for radical ecological democracy, in Panel 2, advocating for a localised, grassroots approach to societal needs. His analysis covered transformative initiatives worldwide, illustrating how bioregionalism, Indigenous cosmologies, and anti-capitalist frameworks could support a diverse, justice-centred approach to sustainability. Then, Abhishek Awadhut Daithankar, Renjith Thamarakshan and Helena Szczupak shared compelling insights into land rights and challenges faced by Indigenous communities in India and Venezuela, reinforcing the critical role of legal frameworks and community engagement in environmental justice efforts.
Day 2: Sustainable Development, Circular Economies, and Urban Challenges
Day 2 opened with Panel 3, featuring diverse case studies that explored sustainable urban transitions, circular economies, and inclusive green policies. Budhaditya Das’s study on hydraulic infrastructure in India highlighted the environmental and social implications of large-scale projects, urging for deeper policy safeguards. Italian researchers Anna Rita Ceddia and Ombretta Presenti shared evidence from participatory models in Italy, emphasising the value of public involvement in environmental decision-making.
The day continued with discussions on emerging financial mechanisms, particularly the Social Stock Exchange (SSE) as an alternative financing tool for environmental initiatives. Presenters Akshat Bhargava and colleagues emphasised how SSE models could transform sustainable finance post-COVID-19, supporting social enterprises in building nature-positive economies.
Panel 4 shifted focus to grassroots environmental mobilisation. Rehnuma Ferdous presented a case study from Bangladesh, showing how patron-client relationships impact environmental decision-making in fisheries. Deepthi Ramachandra Adiga from Christ University, Bengaluru, explored the role of citizen participation in restoring and managing Bengaluru’s urban lakes. Ilaria Cauzzi and Isabella Gigliotti explored the role of community resistance against top-down ecological projects in Bologna, Italy, emphasising the need for citizen voices in sustainability policies. This panel concluded with AHCD’s Yanina Welp’s examination of whether mini-publics address youth climate demands, exploring protest as democratic voice and disengagement (exit) across Paris, Bologna, Geneva, and Barcelona.
Day 3: Local Democracy, Green Justice, and Inclusion in Transitions
The final day addressed the role of democratic processes in achieving just transitions. Panel 5 included Pooja Jain’s work on AI-driven analysis of local environmental democracy, which examined public sentiment data to reveal how community engagement influences the legitimacy of environmental policies. Sagar Verma’s research on disability inclusion in India’s clean mobility transition called for attention to the need for equitable access in transportation planning, while Shubham Payasi discussed the critical Water-Energy-Food Nexus in India, proposing a human rights-based approach to secure these essential resources.
The conference concluded with Panel 6, where Filippo Bozzini’s reflections on Argentina’s dual political and energy transitions provided a broader context for understanding just transitions in politically dynamic environments. Discussions highlighted the pivotal role of local communities, especially those facing challenges in the green transition due to rapid political shifts and resource extraction pressures. AHCD researcher Maria Mexi’s research examined youth policies shaped with youth input, analysing dynamics of participation, trust-building, and democratic innovation from two European projects, and assessed Geneva's inclusive initiatives amid broader activist engagement.
Conclusion: Toward Inclusive, Sustainable Transitions
Across panels, participants examined how environmental justice and democratic participation intersect within broader green transition frameworks. The speakers advocated for more inclusive, community-driven approaches, with a focus on local empowerment, sustainable financing mechanisms, and policy reforms that prioritise marginalised voices.
In conclusion, the conference successfully fostered rich dialogue on the complex intersections of environmental justice, community mobilisation, and green transitions, emphasising the need for inclusive, democratic approaches to sustainable development. By bringing together diverse perspectives from both the Global North and South, the event highlighted the challenges and opportunities inherent in crafting policies that are both environmentally effective and socially just.
Discussions underscored the importance of local community engagement, inclusive policy frameworks, and the active participation of marginalised groups in shaping green transitions. Moving forward, it is clear that achieving true sustainability requires not only ecological innovations but also the dismantling of systemic inequalities that hinder inclusive progress. The conference provided a platform for innovative ideas and frameworks that will continue to inform global conversations on justice, democracy, and sustainability.