Democracy in a Hotter Time: Narrative, Governance, and the Quest for Environmental Justice

With rising temperatures setting records month after month, ever more frequent catastrophic weather events, flooding increasing in number and intensity, and fires sweeping out of control around the planet, it is clear that the world is in a long emergency. Democracy in the US and across the globe is under attack and without strong democracies, we have little hope of avoiding the climate catastrophe.

The first part of the event will center on the development of new narratives, the prospects for specific governance innovations that can effectively foster environmental justice, and proposals for rethinking democracy in the 21st century. This discussion will lead into a conversation and Q&A with the authors of Democracy in a Hotter Time (MIT Press, David Orr, ed.), which explores how and why to reform and evolve democracy to make it fit for the era of climate chaos. This book focuses on the fight for environmental justice at a time of serious threats to democracy, and the potential for climate responses to build the social capital and governance innovations that are now so desperately needed.

The event took place on Tuesday, Nov. 7, from 2 - 6:30 PM EST; click here to view the full event recording. Special remarks were given by Congressman Jamie Raskin.

AGENDA

1:30 - 2:00 PM: Check In

2:00 - 2:10 PM: Opening Remarks

Mark Schmitt (Director, Political Reform Program, New America) will frame the conversation.

2:10 - 3:00 PM: Exploring the Long Emergency of Climate Change Through Narratives of Climate Justice

Vann R. Newkirk II (Senior Editor, The Atlantic) will moderate a conversation with Resita Cox (Director, Freedom Hill) and LeeAnn Morrissette (Director, With These Hands) about their experiences documenting and filming the narratives of climate justice.

3:00 -4:15 PM Governance Mechanism to Foster a Just Transition

Moderated by Ann Florini (Fellow, Political Reform Program, & Professor, Arizona State University), our panelists will explore different governance mechanisms that promote an environmentally and socially just transition. The discussion will feature Devashree Saha (Director, U.S. Clean Energy Economy Program, World Resources Institute), Heela Rasool-Ayub (Director, Planetary Politics, New America), Gordon LaForge (Senior Policy Analyst, Planetary Politics, New America), and Dominika Parry (President and CEO, 2CMississippi). Senator Jeff Merkley will give special remarks.

4:15 - 4:30 PM Break

4:30 - 5:30 PM Book Panel

The last panel will bring together our previous discussions around environmental justice narratives and governance through the discussion of Democracy in a Hotter Time (MIT Press, David Orr, ed.), moderated by Vann R. Newkirk II (Senior Editor, The Atlantic). Lead-author David Orr (Board of Directors, Climate Democracy Initiative, Emeritus from Oberlin College; currently Professor of Practice at Arizona State University) and co-authors Ann Florini (Fellow, Political Reform Program, & Professor, Arizona State University), and William Becker (Executive Director, Presidential Climate Action Project) will provide insight into their chapters exploring the intertwined challenges of climate change and governance explaining through their perspectives. In addition to the co-authors, Representative Jamie Raskin will add his personal experience with governance mechanisms attempting to address climate change.

5:30 – 6:30 pm Reception