PARIS ¨C We live in a world of senseless suffering and impending catastrophe, where it would seem the idea of moral progress has become unintelligible. Two epochal crises afflict contemporary society: the rise of anti-democratic forces and climate change. But what if today¡¯s tragedies turn out to be a source of hope?
The authoritarian drift fueled by right-wing populism threatens democracies around the world, including even long-standing ones like the United States, where President Donald Trump¡¯s abuse of power seems to know no limits. Even Trump¡¯s more moderate European allies constantly attempt to undermine the rule of law. Most recently, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni tried to limit the judiciary¡¯s independence through a national referendum. Fortunately, Italians turned out en masse to protect their Constitution.
The crisis of democracy feeds the climate crisis. Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement and has weakened or dismantled myriad environmental protections. Meloni reversed course on several commitments under the European Union¡¯s Green Deal and opposes stricter emissions targets. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban repeatedly blocked or delayed EU-level climate legislation before he was voted out of office.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.