Unpacking democratic participation in the European Green Deal: the case of Climate Pact

The European Green Deal (EGD) aims to achieve a ‘deep societal transformation’ to address climate change. The European Climate Pact (ECP) is a key initiative to help achieve this objective. This article scrutinises how the ECP frames climate change as a problem and the solutions it proposes. By applying Foucault’s problematisation perspective, it argues that the ECP’s emphasis on democratic participation is intertwined with the EGD’s nature as a multifaceted strategy for growth, environmental protection, and democratic environmental politics. As a result, whilst the ECP primarily addresses climate change as a problem of insufficient participation, it offers largely consumerist solutions. This reflects an approach where climate responsibilities are individualised, citizens are framed as consumers, and different hierarchies of participation are created. Overall, the ECP’s focus on grassroots climate action is balanced with the pursuit of a competitive and growth-oriented EU economy, limiting the scope for just and inclusive climate action.