IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/sustdv/v33y2025i5p7775-7790.html

Assessing the Role of Democratic Innovations in Environmental Sustainability: A Systematic Literature Review

Author

Listed:
  • José Duarte Ribeiro
  • Roberto Falanga
  • João Moniz

Abstract

Addressing the climate crisis requires innovative governance mechanisms that integrate citizen participation with environmental, social, and economic dimensions of sustainability. While democratic innovations have gained traction in climate governance, their capacity to drive systemic environmental change remains underexplored. This study identifies how they contribute to environmental sustainability by mapping their linkages to specific Sustainable Development Goals. Based on a systematic literature review, the study examines the environmental dimensions of democratic innovations and the policy domains through which they incorporate sustainability goals. Findings reveal that democratic innovations influence public perception and policy, revealing their capacity to reshape governance frameworks and align local priorities with climate policies. However, institutional constraints, fragmented policy uptake, and varying national governance capacities hinder their full potential. Strengthening the political embedding of participatory processes and fostering cross‐sectoral integration is essential to ensure that democratic innovations contribute to long‐term and transformative sustainability transitions.

Suggested Citation

  • José Duarte Ribeiro & Roberto Falanga & João Moniz, 2025. "Assessing the Role of Democratic Innovations in Environmental Sustainability: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(5), pages 7775-7790, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:sustdv:v:33:y:2025:i:5:p:7775-7790
    DOI: 10.1002/sd.3545
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.3545
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/sd.3545?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lala Muradova & Hayley Walker & Francesca Colli, 2020. "Climate change communication and public engagement in interpersonal deliberative settings: evidence from the Irish citizens’ assembly," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(10), pages 1322-1335, November.
    2. repec:sae:envval:v:24:y:2015:i:4:p:445-464 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Bill Hopwood & Mary Mellor & Geoff O'Brien, 2005. "Sustainable development: mapping different approaches," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 13(1), pages 38-52.
    4. Stephen Elstub & Jayne Carrick & David M. Farrell & Patricia Mockler, 2021. "The Scope of Climate Assemblies: Lessons from the Climate Assembly UK," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-17, October.
    5. Russell J. Dalton, 2008. "Citizenship Norms and the Expansion of Political Participation," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 56(1), pages 76-98, March.
    6. Roberto Falanga, 2023. "Youth participation in environmental sustainability: insights from the Lisbon participatory budget," Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting & Financial Management, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 36(1), pages 20-39, May.
    7. United Nations UN, 2015. "Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development," Working Papers id:7559, eSocialSciences.
    8. Yves Sintomer & Carsten Herzberg & Anja Röcke, 2008. "Participatory Budgeting in Europe: Potentials and Challenges," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(1), pages 164-178, March.
    9. Sebastien Rojon & Jean-Benoit Pilet, 2021. "Engaged, Indifferent, Skeptical or Critical? Disentangling Attitudes towards Local Deliberative Mini-Publics in Four Western European Democracies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-19, September.
    10. Janosch Pfeffer, 2024. "Setting the agenda for climate assemblies. Trade-offs and guiding principles," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(6), pages 843-858, July.
    11. Torbjørn Selseng & Arild Gjertsen, 2024. "What drives sustainable climate change adaptation at the local level? Approaching three knowledge gaps," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(6), pages 6504-6519, December.
    12. Roberto Falanga & Lígia Helena Hahn Lüchmann, 2020. "Participatory budgets in Brazil and Portugal: comparing patterns of dissemination," Policy Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(6), pages 603-622, November.
    13. Jaemin Song & Chang‐Ho Jang, 2023. "Unpacking the sustainable development goals (SDGs) interlinkages: A semantic network analysis of the SDGs targets," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(4), pages 2784-2796, August.
    14. Itten, Anatol & Mouter, Niek, 2022. "When digital mass participation meets citizen deliberation: Combining mini-publics and maxi-publics in climate policy-making," SocArXiv 6e9ct, Center for Open Science.
    15. Carmelo Reverte, 2022. "The importance of institutional differences among countries in SDGs achievement: A cross‐country empirical study," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(6), pages 1882-1899, December.
    16. Michael Cuthill, 2002. "Exploratory research: citizen participation, local government and sustainable development in Australia," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 10(2), pages 79-89.
    17. Anatol Itten & Niek Mouter, 2022. "When Digital Mass Participation Meets Citizen Deliberation: Combining Mini- and Maxi-Publics in Climate Policy-Making," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-25, April.
    18. Sergiu Gherghina & Paul Tap, 2021. "Ecology Projects and Participatory Budgeting: Enhancing Citizens’ Support," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-14, September.
    19. Andrew G.H. Thompson & Oliver Escobar & Jennifer J. Roberts & Stephen Elstub & Niccole M. Pamphilis, 2021. "The Importance of Context and the Effect of Information and Deliberation on Opinion Change Regarding Environmental Issues in Citizens’ Juries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-21, September.
    20. Jason Hickel, 2019. "The contradiction of the sustainable development goals: Growth versus ecology on a finite planet," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(5), pages 873-884, September.
    21. Charles Gore & Henrietta L. Moore, 2015. "Global Prosperity and Sustainable Development Goals," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(6), pages 801-815, August.
    22. Roberto Falanga & Jessica Verheij & Olivia Bina, 2021. "Green(er) Cities and Their Citizens: Insights from the Participatory Budget of Lisbon," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-16, July.
    23. Janina Priebe & Erland Mårald & Annika Nordin, 2021. "Narrow pasts and futures: how frames of sustainability transformation limit societal change," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 11(1), pages 76-84, March.
    24. Russell J. Dalton, 2008. "Citizenship Norms and the Expansion of Political Participation," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 56, pages 76-98, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Luisa Marti & Roberto Cervelló‐Royo, 2023. "Disparities in sustainable development goals compliance and their association with country risk," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(4), pages 3038-3051, August.
    2. Hametner, Markus, 2022. "Economics without ecology: How the SDGs fail to align socioeconomic development with environmental sustainability," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).
    3. Kristina Mensah & Christine Wieck & Bettina Rudloff, 2024. "Sustainable food consumption and Sustainable Development Goal 12: Conceptual challenges for monitoring and implementation," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(1), pages 1109-1119, February.
    4. Florence Fröhlig, 2023. "The logics and rhetoric of the announced shutdown of the Fessenheim nuclear power plant (France)," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(6), pages 3968-3978, December.
    5. Nejc Brezovar & Tatjana Stanimirovic, 2022. "Sustainability aspects of participatory budgeting at the municipal level in Slovenia," Public Sector Economics, Institute of Public Finance, vol. 46(4), pages 569-589.
    6. Natallia Sianko & Mark A. Small & Migena Kapllanaj & Edita Fino & Merita Mece, 2022. "Who Will Sustain a Culture of Democracy in Post-Communist States? Examining Patterns of Democratic Competence among Youth in Albania and Belarus," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 162(1), pages 351-375, July.
    7. Fabrizio De Francesco & Valérie Pattyn & Hannah Salamon, 2024. "The monitoring and evaluation challenges of the sustainable development goals: An assessment in three European countries," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(3), pages 1913-1924, June.
    8. Nuria Chaparro-Banegas & Ana Maria Ibañez Escribano & Alicia Mas-Tur & Norat Roig-Tierno, 2024. "Innovation facilitators and sustainable development: a country comparative approach," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(4), pages 8467-8495, April.
    9. Hervé Corvellec & Johan Hultman & Anne Jerneck & Susanne Arvidsson & Johan Ekroos & Niklas Wahlberg & Timothy W. Luke, 2021. "Resourcification: A non‐essentialist theory of resources for sustainable development," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(6), pages 1249-1256, November.
    10. Jennifer Oser & Marc Hooghe & Zsuzsa Bakk & Roberto Mari, 2023. "Changing citizenship norms among adolescents, 1999-2009-2016: A two-step latent class approach with measurement equivalence testing," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 57(5), pages 4915-4933, October.
    11. An, Youngeun & Lee, Youngsun & Oh, Soon-young & Lee, Jeong Youn, 2024. "How can young adults be civically engaged? The role of academic achievement standards in enhancing civic and social engagement in the case of South Korea," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    12. Gugushvili, Alexi, 2024. "Perceptions of the Consequences of War in Ukraine: Exploring a Russian Paradox," SocArXiv y8rzh, Center for Open Science.
    13. Walter Leal Filho & Maria Alzira Pimenta Dinis & Tarek Ben Hassen, 2025. "Trade‐Offs Among SDGs: How the Pursuit of Economic, Food, and Urban Development Goals May Undermine Climate and Equity Targets?," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(S1), pages 799-809, November.
    14. Piatak Jaclyn, 2023. "Do Sociocultural Factors Drive Civic Engagement? An Examination of Political Interest and Religious Attendance," Nonprofit Policy Forum, De Gruyter, vol. 14(2), pages 185-204, April.
    15. Sofie Marien & Marc Hooghe & Ellen Quintelier, 2010. "Inequalities in Non‐institutionalised Forms of Political Participation: A Multi‐level Analysis of 25 countries," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 58(1), pages 187-213, February.
    16. Li, Xuan, 2020. "The critical assessment of the youth policy and youth civic engagement in Denmark and three Danish municipalities," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    17. Mehdi Jabbari & Majid Shafiepour Motlagh & Khosro Ashrafi & Ghahreman Abdoli, 2020. "Differentiating countries based on the sustainable development proximities using the SDG indicators," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 22(7), pages 6405-6423, October.
    18. Ondřej Císař & Veronika Frantová & Michal Kolmaš & Eva Hejzlarová & Karel Čada & Lucie Němcová, 2025. "From consensus to domination: inductive theorizing of the mechanisms of mini-publics deliberation on climate change," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 178(11), pages 1-20, November.
    19. Katharina Spraul & Julia Thaler, 2020. "Partnering for good? An analysis of how to achieve sustainability-related outcomes in public–private partnerships," Business Research, Springer;German Academic Association for Business Research, vol. 13(2), pages 485-511, July.
    20. Yizhong Huan & Lingqing Wang & Mark Burgman & Haitao Li & Yurong Yu & Jianpeng Zhang & Tao Liang, 2022. "A multi‐perspective composite assessment framework for prioritizing targets of sustainable development goals," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(5), pages 833-847, October.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:wly:sustdv:v:33:y:2025:i:5:p:7775-7790. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1099-1719 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.