We’re excited to share the latest updates on the Horizon Europe RETOOL project!

RETOOL project is on a journey of research and dialogue to open conversations on climate democracy and provide fresh perspectives on existing practices and innovations across key domains to deepen the understanding of the relationship between democratic governance and the climate imperative.

It aims to identify new frameworks to address the climate crisis's complexity, urgency, and long-term impacts and contribute to the strengthening and revitalising democratic governance in Europe more broadly!

On 27–28 January 2025, the RETOOL project hosted a stakeholder workshop at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), bringing together experts, academics, and practitioners to explore the critical roles of courts and independent advisory bodies in EU climate governance.

Session 1 explored the challenges and benefits of broadening the definition of climate litigation, including potential new cases under the EU’s 2021 Aarhus Regulation and European Climate Law.

Session 2 examined how courts and advisory bodies interact, complement, and challenge each other in advancing climate governance, while addressing their resilience amid political and social turbulence.

Session 3 highlighted the role of advisory bodies in shaping climate policy and democratic governance, including their potential as public-facing knowledge brokers.

Read more: Stakeholder Workshop: Climate Democracy: The Role of Independent Advisory Bodies and Courts in the EU • RETOOL

We’re excited to share that the RETOOL project has published a comprehensive Analytical Framework that underpins our work exploring the intersection of climate change and democratic governance.

𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 & 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭: The framework places today’s democratic crisis in perspective, analysing issues like the rise of populism and other transformative socio-political trends.

𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞: Examining climate action’s distinctive challenges, this section explores its urgency, long-term impact, cross-sectoral dimensions, and the pressing need to address spatial, temporal, and intersectional injustices.

𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬: Essential to RETOOL’s mission, these characteristics include participation, representation, expertise, accountability, deliberativeness, effectiveness, and justice—core elements that shape our approach to democratic resilience in the face of climate crisis.

Read more: Deliverables • RETOOL

We are excited to share the publication of the special issue of the Journal of European Integration "𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐃𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐲", co-authored by our consortium partners.

This collection of research articles dives deep into the crucial intersection between democratic governance and the European Green Deal, offering fresh empirical, conceptual, and theoretical insights. From deliberative mechanisms to the role of social movements, the contributions explore how democratic innovation can drive transformative change in the context of the European Green Deal and its governance structures.

Read the open-access articles here.

A new study by Vlad Surdea-Hernea examines how historical authoritarianism shapes climate policy and public attitudes. Key findings include:

- Former East German districts show lower climate policy ambition compared to Western regions.

- Authoritarian regimes suppressed pro-environmental groups, leaving a legacy of polarization and climate skepticism.

- Democratization alone isn’t enough; building pro-environmental attitudes requires generational change.

Read the full open-access article here.

A study by Dr. Farsan Ghassim and Dr. Markus Pauli reveals that 69% of 42,000 respondents across 17 countries support a democratic global government to tackle issues like climate change and inequality. Support was highest in Egypt, India, Kenya, and Colombia, while the U.S. was the only surveyed country without majority backing.

Read the full open-access article here.

A study by Aron Buzogány in an era of increasing democratic backsliding, cities are emerging as powerful counterforces. The article examines how the Visegrád capitals (Bratislava, Budapest, Prague, and Warsaw) are resisting illiberal trends.

By strengthening local democracy, forming the pact of free cities, and working with the EU and international organisations, they show how cities can lead in defending democratic values.

Read the full article here.

A study co-authored by Louisa Parks explores the European Green Deal and its vision for a just transition to carbon neutrality, both within and beyond the EU. Central to this mission is the European Investment Bank (EIB), now a declared "climate bank." But does the EIB’s funding process truly support an environmentally just transition?

The analysis examines this question through the lens of Environmental Justice, recognitional, procedural, and redistributive justice, using the Gibe III dam in Ethiopia as a case study. While the EIB has made progress in addressing issues like inclusion, trust, and impact assessments, there’s room for improvement.

A bottom-up approach, co-designing rules with communities, could strengthen grassroots expertise, tackle power imbalances, and foster shared norms among funders.

Read the full open-access article here.

𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟔-𝟏𝟖, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓, 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐢𝐬𝐚

Explore the tensions between democracy & capitalism in a world reshaped by inequality, corporate power, and democratic backsliding.

Globalization, financialization, and deregulation have reshaped our world, but at what cost? As markets grow stronger, democracies face unprecedented challenges. Corporations now wield immense power, influencing regulations, taxes, and even human rights. Yet, they also drive positive change through stakeholder engagement, knowledge sharing, and community development.

The conference seeks to foster a critical and constructive dialogue on how democratic principles can be preserved and strengthened in market economies.

Find more: https://rebalanceproject.org/events/rebalancing-democracy-and-capitalism-a-critical-dialogue-conference/

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