Crisis

The professional NGO world is unable to reverse the major global trends. It can, however, prevent projects and policies by forging powerful alliances – and build alternatives.

Many inhabitants of the Maghreb have no other choice than to leave their homes, and start a new life abroad.

Global inequality has risen alarmingly in recent years. Together with the global climate crisis, this poses a serious threat to our entire society.

Over the past decade, an ongoing reshuffle in the balance of global power has seen China change scale from regional to world actor, Russia reassert its ambition to be treated like a major player, and calls emerging for Europe to play a more active role in world politics.

While seeming solid, democracy in Sweden faces serious challenges, such as the rise of populism and voter disengagement. In this context, green foundations are well-placed to propose new initiatives that may help re-engage citizens in the political process, notably through structural changes.

Modern representative democracy is not conducive to handling environmental challenges. Ecology requires new political institutions capable of tackling long-term concerns.

What do the Greens think about the current fatigue with representative democracy?

In recent years, the volume of articles and books dedicated to the democratic crisis has been constantly expanding. The same is true of the literature addressing the ecological crisis. Yet a simultaneous reflection both on the ecological and on the democratic crisis has not accompanied this proliferation.

Rather than panic in the face of a Ukip surge, Britain’s political leaders need to stick to their principles and work to solve the root cause of voters’ unrest: the economic crisis.

A long book is probably too short to explain the European crisis in full length and depth.