Climate Justice in an Age of Democratic Decline: Civic Space and Environmental Resistance
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65815/bh22td17Keywords:
Climate Justice, Democratic Decline, Civic Space, Environmental Resistance, Human RightsAbstract
This paper explores the relationship between climate justice, civic space, and environmental resistance in the context of democratic decline, with a particular focus on Indonesia. As climate change intensifies, the struggle for environmental justice becomes increasingly intertwined with broader issues of political freedom, human rights, and democratic governance. In countries like Indonesia, where environmental degradation is often driven by extractive industries and unsustainable development, civic space for environmental activism is shrinking, especially as democratic institutions face growing challenges from authoritarian tendencies. This study examines how democratic backsliding affects the ability of civil society, activists, and marginalized communities to engage in climate justice movements and resist environmentally destructive policies. Through case studies, interviews with environmental activists, and analysis of political trends, the research reveals that the decline in democratic freedoms, such as restrictions on freedom of assembly, press, and speech, has led to the criminalization of environmental resistance and increased risks for those fighting for climate justice. The paper argues that climate justice must not only address environmental and social inequities but also actively protect democratic principles that allow for meaningful public participation and environmental advocacy. By examining the intersections of climate change, civic space, and democratic governance, this research offers a nuanced perspective on how environmental resistance can continue to thrive even in the face of political repression, and how climate justice movements must adapt to an era of democratic decline.
Downloads
References
Arnstein, S. R. (1969). A ladder of citizen participation. Journal of the American Institute of Planners, 35(4), 216–224.
Bebbington, A., Abdulai, A. G., Humphreys Bebbington, D., Hinfelaar, M., & Sanborn, C. (2018). Governing extractive industries: Politics, histories, ideas. Oxford University Press.
Beeson, M. (2010). The coming of environmental authoritarianism. Environmental Politics, 19(2), 276–294.
Bermeo, N. (2016). On democratic backsliding. Journal of Democracy, 27(1), 5–19.
Boyd, D. R. (2018). The rights of nature: A legal revolution that could save the world. ECW Press.
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2021). Thematic analysis: A practical guide. SAGE.
Carothers, T., & Brechenmacher, S. (2014). Closing space: Democracy and human rights support under fire. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th ed.). SAGE.
Doherty, B., & Hayes, G. (2019). Environmental activism and political repression. Routledge.
Fairclough, N. (2013). Critical discourse analysis: The critical study of language (2nd ed.). Routledge.
Global Witness. (2023). Standing firm: The land and environmental defenders on the frontlines of the climate crisis. Global Witness.
Hintz, A., Dencik, L., & Wahl-Jorgensen, K. (2018). Digital citizenship in a datafied society. Polity.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. (2023). Climate Change 2023: Synthesis Report. IPCC.
Keck, M. E., & Sikkink, K. (1998). Activists beyond borders: Advocacy networks in international politics. Cornell University Press.
Levitsky, S., & Ziblatt, D. (2018). How democracies die. Crown.
Li, T. M. (2014). Land’s end: Capitalist relations on an indigenous frontier. Duke University Press.
Martinez-Alier, J. (2020). The environmentalism of the poor. Edward Elgar Publishing.
Newell, P., Srivastava, S., Naess, L. O., Torres Contreras, G. A., & Price, R. (2021). Toward transformative climate justice: An emerging research agenda. WIREs Climate Change, 12(6), e733.
Ostrom, E. (1990). Governing the commons. Cambridge University Press.
Peluso, N. L., & Lund, C. (2011). New frontiers of land control. Journal of Peasant Studies, 38(4), 667–681.
Power, T. P. (2018). Jokowi’s authoritarian turn and Indonesia’s democratic decline. Bulletin of Indonesian Economic Studies, 54(3), 307–338.
Roberts, J. T., & Parks, B. C. (2007). A climate of injustice: Global inequality, North–South politics, and climate policy. MIT Press.
Rocheleau, D., Thomas-Slayter, B., & Wangari, E. (1996). Feminist political ecology. Routledge.
Ross, M. L. (2012). The oil curse. Princeton University Press.
Schlosberg, D. (2007). Defining environmental justice: Theories, movements, and nature. Oxford University Press.
Schlosberg, D., & Collins, L. B. (2014). From environmental to climate justice: Climate change and the discourse of environmental justice. WIREs Climate Change, 5(3), 359–374.
Sikor, T., & Newell, P. (2014). Globalizing environmental justice? Geoforum, 54, 151–157.
Temper, L., Del Bene, D., & Martinez-Alier, J. (2018). Mapping the frontiers and front lines of global environmental justice. Global Environmental Change, 52, 48–58.
Treisman, D. (2020). Democracy by mistake: How the errors of autocrats trigger transitions. American Political Science Review, 114(3), 792–810.
United Nations Human Rights Council. (2021). The human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment (Resolution 48/13).
V-Dem Institute. (2024). Democracy report 2024: Democracy winning and losing at the ballot. University of Gothenburg.
Warburton, E. (2020). Resource nationalism in Indonesia. Cornell University Press.
Whyte, K. (2017). Indigenous climate change studies. English Language Notes, 55(1–2), 153–162.
World Bank. (2021). Indonesia country climate and development report. World Bank.
Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications: Design and methods (6th ed.). SAGE.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Mukhlis Arifin, Pratama Herry Herlambang, Andi Zakaria, Bùi Hoàng Nam, Huang Wei (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
All writings published in this journal are the personal views of the authors and do not represent the views of this journal or the authors’ affiliated institutions. Authors retain copyrights without any restriction under the license of Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).
