Can Direct Voting Protect the Climate? A Case Study from Germany

Civil Society and Technological Change Presentation and Discussion, co-hosted by CPF and TUM university, with guest speaker Florian Jobler (Strategist and former Campaign Director Klimaneustart Berlin).

Direct voting puts policy proposals on the ballot, letting citizens amend local constitutions or regulations. Proponents argue they match voters' preferences more closely. This process offers an alternative to having elected representatives vote on policies. Citizen referenda, sometimes called ballot measures or propositions, are used in democracies with varying rules about quorum (minimum required voting participation) and procedures. In this session, we will consider a technological change that this form of participation could address— the transition to renewable energy. Come learn about the Klimaneustart and its successful campaign to declare a climate emergency in the Senate of Berlin (2019) and unravel how and why a 2023 ballot measure failed to move Berlin‘s target for 95% climate neutrality from 2045 to 2030.