Environmental Populism Conference

Environmental Populism Conference

Climate policy provides fertile ground for populist mobilisation for several reasons. While the scientific case for sustainability is clear and its economic and social benefits well-established, climate policies create winners and losers within and across countries. To take a key example, these policies require complex transfers, which are often infeasible or politically contentious. Those who bear the costs, especially poor countries and non-elite groups in richer countries, become natural targets for populist appeals. 

This conference explores our understanding of the contentious politics of climate policy focusing on ideology, economic interests, and institutional design. We invite contributions that examine the features of environmental populism, particularly in developing countries. Below are some indicative themes:

General Principals Shaping the Politics of Climate Policy Implementation

• Ethical considerations: Who gets weight in climate decision-making?

• How does shifting away from international assistance based on poverty alleviation to climate finance affect political and economic development in poor countries?

• The role of scientific information and trust in technocrats.

• How ideology and identity shape environmental policy acceptance.

Political Challenges of Practical Implementation

• Case studies on successful and failed climate policy implementations.

• Distributional consequences and the feasibility of compensation mechanisms.

• Public perception and behavioral biases in evaluating policy costs and risks.

Populism and Environmental Policy

• What makes climate change a natural candidate for populist arguments?

• The appeal of anti-globalist rhetoric in environmental debates, particularly in poor countries. 

• The role of deprivation in fostering extremist positions.

• Institutional mechanisms for fostering consensus and mitigating populist backlash.

Submission Guidelines 

• We invite submissions of original research, theoretical frameworks, and case studies that address the outlined themes.

• Full papers are preferred, but we will also consider extended abstracts (maximum 500 words) detailing the research question, methodology, and key findings. 

• Submissions from PhD students are also welcomed.

• PDF format only. 

Important Information

• Submission Deadline: The call for papers is now closed.

• Notification of Acceptance: Monday 7 April

• Conference Dates: Thursday 15 – Friday 16 May

• Venue: LSE Campus

• There is no fee to apply or register for the conference, and travel expenses will be covered for all speakers.