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Democracy, Autocracy, and Everything in Between: How Domestic Institutions Affect Environmental Protection

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 December 2020

Jana von Stein Open the ORCID record for Jana von Stein [Opens in a new window]
Jana von Stein*
Affiliation:
School of Politics and International Relations, The Australian National University, Canberra
*
E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

As major global challenges intensify in the twenty-first century, which domestic institutions will best enable countries to take decisive and positive action? This article explores this question in the realm of environmental policy. Scholars and practitioners have long argued that ‘democracy’ yields the best environmental outcomes, but others now maintain that ‘eco-authoritarianism’ may be the best way forward. The author unpacks the theoretical mechanisms behind these debates, and adds important nuance in making three arguments. First, the link between elections and eco-policy depends on what citizens want. Secondly, the relationship between civil liberties protections and environmentalism depends on which actors within society hold power. Finally, political constraints make environmental policy change – be it environmentally friendly or damaging – more difficult. The study empirically tests these arguments and finds strong support for the expectations regarding elections and civil liberties. There is only limited evidence that constraints stymie eco-policy change.

Keywords

environmental politicsdemocracyautocracy
Type
Article
Information
British Journal of Political Science , Volume 52 , Issue 1 , January 2022 , pp. 339 - 357
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press

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