Environmental Politics

This Section aims to run ten in-person Panels plus up to ten virtual Panels focusing on current issues in and approaches to environmental politics and policy. Environmental themes are of immense societal relevance, they are hotly debated, and they have gained increased public attention over recent years. The current political, economic, and social context of multiple co-occurring crises seems, at times, to divert public priorities to other issues. Yet, below the surface it becomes obvious that all those crises are in some way or other tied to aspects of environmental politics and policy, or the lack thereof. Prominent examples include energy, mobility, food, and health. The present environmental challenges are of great complexity and multifaceted in nature. In the current heated sociopolitical contexts, environmental themes are ever more visibly relevant to a large number of political research clusters. This includes, but is not limited to, those specialising in global and EU governance, public policy, political economy, party politics and public opinion, citizen participation, and political theory. Against this backdrop, this Section seeks in particular Panels that provide in-depth analyses of environmental problems and their governance in relation to the different ongoing (and lingering) crises (e.g., territorial war, energy, food, biodiversity, climate), at different levels (e.g., global, regional, sub-/national), and relying on different means or actors (e.g., citizens, technologies). Following positive experiences at past ECPR General Conferences, the idea is to have sets of thematically related Panels, which explore and discuss single issues with greater rigour and depth. Together with Paper presentations which reflect the breadth of environmental politics research, a Roundtable, and Standing Group meet-ups, we want to facilitate deep, broad discussion on the state, and the future, of environmental politics research. Reflecting ongoing scholarly debates in the field, and current sociopolitical dynamics, we expect to attract a diverse range of Panels from scholars across the political science community. This Section's overarching aim is to draw together conceptual expertise and rigorous empirical analysis on the wide range of research fields and subjects of study under the umbrella of environmental politics. The Section shall provide a stage for discussion within and across the various research fields and subjects, in order to explore, challenge, and re-configure theories surrounding environmental problems, both new and old. In line with our ambitions and past Section set-ups, we received expressions of interest in organising thematically related Panels. The specific selection and combination of Panels will be finalised after a second call for Panel proposals has been issued in early 2023. The Standing Group on Environmental Politics has been continuously growing over the last year(s) both in numbers (with about 450 members to date) and in the diversity of themes it covers. Its Sections have been vibrant and over-subscribed in the past. We aim to continue on this path and expect to attract a diverse and large number of excellent Papers.