Sustainable development is often portrayed as a neutral, apolitical concept which purportedly serves universal benefits. However, its application frequently becomes a venue for political co-optation, promoting diverse agendas under a shared guise of common good, thereby necessitating a rigorous political analysis.
The global governance architecture for sustainable development, especially post-2015 with the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), reveals persistent debates and disparities in commitments and capabilities among nations. The SDGs, while ambitious and inclusive, suffer from voluntary commitment mechanisms that inherently limit enforceability and tangible political impact. This has led to discursive rather than political impacts, particularly underrepresented in the voices from the Global South and in areas lacking robust development finance.
At national and local levels, recent global crises such as the war in Ukraine and the COVID-19 pandemic have sidelined sustainability efforts, leading to increased political polarization and a retreat to short-term political gains. Examining cases from Norway, China, India, and Malawi, this talk critically examines the interplay between democracy, short-term electoral pressures, and sustainable policymaking. It highlights the need for leadership that can bridge the gap between scientific evidence and policy- making, re-frame climate action as an opportunity rather than a burden and implement globally negotiated policies at local levels.
The event will be introduced and chaired by Academic Chair in the Circle U. Knowledge Hub on Democracy, Prof. Angioletta Sperti (University of Pisa).
Professor Dan Banik
Dan Banik is professor of political science, director of the Oslo SDG Initiative at the Centre for Development and the Environment, and affiliate professor at Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo. He is also Academic Director of the Democracy Hub at Circle U. European University Alliance and Extraordinary Professor at the University of Pretoria. His books include Political Transition, Poverty, and Inclusive Development in Malawi: The Democratic Dividend; Poverty and Elusive Development; and Starvation and India\u2019s Democracy. Prof. Banik was a Visiting Professor and Consulting Scholar at Stanford University (2010-2017) and a Visiting Professor at China Agricultural University (2012-2017). He is the host of the In Pursuit of Development podcast with listeners in 160 countries.
