Climate mobilizations and democracy: the promise of scaling community energy transitions in a deliberative system

Abstract

ABSTRACTClimate mobilizations to address the rapidly accelerating impacts of climate change are now an imperative; but can these processes be accomplished democratically? This paper shows how climate mobilizations and democracy can be mutually inclusive and explores the promise of scaling democratically produced climate mobilization actions in understudied locations in developing countries. This paper focuses on a case study of deliberation as communally practiced for expanding energy transitions in rural Thailand. Using observations, complemented by interviews and group discussions, the paper proceeds in two stages: (1) an empirical description of how such practice performed well against the ideals of deliberation: inclusive, authentic, and influential – thus underlining the compatibility between a robust democratic exercise and green outcomes; and (2) a normative proposal on how such small-scale transitions can be connected in a deliberative system thus enriching climate mobilizations.