Week 33: How Diminishing Democracies Across the World Prevent Climate Action

Dear all,

In my latest newsletter, I wrote that we are living in a time of monsters. I wish that weren't the case. Anyone who has seen or read about the “talk” on climate between convicted criminal Mr. Trump and self-proclaimed god Elon Musk must have realized, after just 25 seconds of that utterly stupid conversation, how dire things really are. On the other hand, it's also quite clear what liberal Western democracies and their citizens are up against. This is no longer just about climate change and the dire consequences exacerbated by its unforgiving force. The stakes are much higher.

Autocratic ideas are no longer hidden in the dark corners of our realities. What we once called populism has transformed into normality with a speed few could have imagined. The acceptance of what is happening in plain sight among broad consumer masses of the Western world is not surprising, but rather tragic. As long as people can buy what they want, travel where they want, and eat and drink what they want, that seems to be enough freedom for many. Yet, before our eyes, a massive global revolution is taking place—perhaps not the one many of us had hoped for. Across the U.S., Latin America, Africa, Europe, and Asia, autocracies are growing in power and reach.

That light at the end of the tunnel many once saw now looks more and more like a cold, void lamp. Polarization is the language they speak, fear the music they play, and submission the only oath they demand. The conflicts they initiate, participate in, and support are no longer binary. Addressing the consequences of climate change and the havoc it wreaks across the world has never really been a moral issue. Although many would like to place it in that category—and I fully understand that—it has always been an economic issue. Most economic issues are also social issues, and most social issues are inherently political.

To address the deeply complex consequences of the climate emergency, we need functioning democratic political and civil society institutions. These institutions play a crucial role in enabling the scale of transition needed across the world toward something better, more peaceful, safer, and more sustainable. Unfortunately, the deconstruction of functioning democratic rules of engagement is happening across the world, both televised and highly "internet-vised." And as passengers on this train, we seem to accept the destination it is inevitably taking us towards. 

When Elon Musk revealed his plan to buy Twitter in April 2022, he emphasized that the platform needed to be politically neutral to earn public trust. He argued that this meant equally frustrating both the far right and far left. However, two years later, this vision seems to have unraveled. X, as Twitter is now called, is accused of reflecting Musk’s own political stance, which has shifted sharply to the right. He’s been increasingly vocal about domestic and international issues, often in ways that have sparked controversy. Recently, Musk angered UK police and politicians by describing far-right riots as a “civil war” and harshly criticizing Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s response. He also shared misinformation originally spread by the white supremacist group Britain First. In Europe, the EU has threatened to enforce sanctions if Musk fails to control illegal content on the platform. These actions highlight Musk’s evolution from a revered innovator to a polarizing figure. Despite his achievements in renewable energy, transportation, and space, he is now as much a provocateur as a pioneer. Since purchasing Twitter for $44 billion, Musk has relaxed its content moderation, reinstating previously banned accounts, including those of Donald Trump, Alex Jones, and Tommy Robinson. He has also introduced volunteer-based moderation tools like “community notes” to address misinformation rather than removing it directly.