Conceptualising Global Environmental Governance Through the Lens of Coloniality

In this article, we unpack and critically engage with the contemporary dynamics of global environmental governance. We specifically address the persistence of uneven relations of power despite the attempts under the “participatory turn” to enhance democratic decision-making among environmental actors. We argue that rather than foster equity and justice, contemporary environmental governance institutions reinforce and replicate existing power relations. To illustrate our argument, we situate the concept and practice of global environmental governance historically and employ the concept of coloniality to illustrate the different mechanisms that uphold and reproduce power. We argue that this more nuanced understanding of how power is operationalised in global environmental governance provides a valuable tool for analysing the dynamics of participation and inclusion.