Introduction: What is the relationship between democracy and sustainability?
Can we vote our way to a sustainable future for a world of 9-10 billion people—or are new forms of leadership (even forms of dictatorship) going to be necessary?
Is China—with little need to consult its people—or India—with its flawed democracy—best placed to move towards more sustainable forms of development?
Are the time-scales of democratically elected governments appropriate for delivering sustainable development?
If not, what needs to be done—and by whom?
Twenty years on from the publication of Our Common Future, the report of the World Commission on Environment and Development (‘Brundtland Commission’), SustainAbility—itself in its twenty-first year—has teamed up with The Environment Foundation, The Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and The 21st Century Trust to explore the high-energy interface between democracy and sustainability.
Our 'Democracy & Sustainability' debate will take place at the Dana Centre at London's Science Museum on 18 March. Details can be found on this website. We invite you to send in your thoughts on the theme. Our intention is to post many of these inputs on the website ahead of, possibly during and certainly after the event.
Get involved. Let us know what you think. Comment on the postings of others—or come at it from a totally different angle. If you have written material you think would advance the debate, please send it to democracy@sustainability.com.
A Consultation developed by SustainAbility for The Environment Foundation
