1. Why Democracies Implement Better Climate Actions: Case Study of India, the Philippines, and Japan
- Author:
- Niranjan Sahoo and Jisoo Park
- Publication Date:
- 07-2023
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- East Asia Institute (EAI)
- Abstract:
- Asia is the most populous and one of the most climate-vulnerable regions in the world. Long coastline, vast low lying areas comprising many small island nations make it highly susceptible to climate change such as rising sea level and extreme weather events like floods, landslides. For many critics, democracies' response to climate change is much impeded due to their slow decision-making process and short-termism governed by electoral compulsions. Some analysts go as far as to claim that authoritarianism is needed to tackle the crisis more effectively. However, close examination of different governance structure's climate actions strongly supports that democracies are inherently better at handling climate crisis compared to authoritarian regimes. This article explores the multifaceted impact of climate change to democracy and delves into the case studies of India, the Philippines, and Japan to identify strengths as well as areas of improvement that democracies should consider to establish meaningful climate actions.
- Topic:
- Climate Change, Authoritarianism, Democracy, and Accountability
- Political Geography:
- Japan, India, Asia, and Philippines