Democracy and climate politics are set to collide in 2024

One of the world’s three biggest democracies, India, faces elections in the first half of 2024 but it does not offer any strong prospect of change. — AFP

IN 2024, climate will be on the ballot in a way we’ve rarely seen – the dirtier business of political manoeuvring is going to consume the world’s democracies over the next 12 months.

Voters in countries representing more than 40% of the world’s population – and roughly the same share of emissions – will go to the polls between now and the end of next year. In places, that offers the prospect to break gridlocks on climate and energy policies. In others, it may offer an opportunity for a climate-denying backlash. Far too few places show a decent chance of accelerating the transition to clean energy in the way advocated by the COP28 agreement. Here’s a review of some of the key events.