Reflections on the political theorization of climate change

Abstract

This article examines how climate change and the onset of the Anthropocene challenge the foundations of contemporary political theory. Starting from the diagnosis that the climatic stability of the Holocene is being eroded by human activity, it argues that core concepts such as freedom, democracy, and progress must be rethought in light of planetary boundaries. Drawing on authors such as Crutzen, Charbonnier, Vanderheiden, and Dryzek, the article: (i) identifies the productivist roots of the Anthropocene and their implications for political theorization; (ii) maps both domestic and global distributive conflicts — including environmental justice, climate justice, and a just energy transition — highlighting asymmetries of responsibility and vulnerability; and (iii) assesses the strengths and limitations of the “tragedy of the commons” framework as an interpretive key to the climate crisis. The article concludes that a political theory attuned to our time must recognize the interdependence between human and natural systems, incorporate global and intergenerational dimensions of justice, and offer normative criteria capable of guiding collective responses without reproducing historical inequalities.