Elisabetta Mannoni presented her REDIRECT research at the Annual Meeting of the International Society of Political Psychology (ISPP) in Newcastle, United Kingdom.
Her paper, Climate Action at Any Cost? Environmental Concern and Governance Preferences, examines the relationship between citizens’ concern about environmental and climate-related issues and their attitudes towards different forms of political governance. In particular, the study investigates whether stronger environmental concern is associated with support for democratic government or with greater openness to alternative political regimes perceived as potentially more capable of delivering rapid and effective climate action.
The research engages with an increasingly important tension within contemporary democracies: while addressing climate change may require ambitious, coordinated and long-term policy interventions, democratic decision-making is often characterised by political disagreement, institutional constraints and competing public priorities. The study therefore considers whether the perceived urgency of the climate crisis may influence how citizens evaluate democratic procedures and possible alternatives to them.
By connecting environmental attitudes with broader preferences concerning democracy and political authority, the paper contributes to REDIRECT’s research on citizens’ understandings of democratic representation and governance. It also provides new insights into how major societal challenges may shape public support for democratic institutions and decision-making processes.
The presentation at the ISPP Annual Meeting offered an opportunity to discuss the theoretical and empirical implications of the research with an international audience of scholars working at the intersection of political psychology, public opinion, democracy and environmental politics.
Date: 18 July 2026
Location: Newcastle, United Kingdom
Activity: Presentation at the International Society of Political Psychology Annual Meeting
Paper: Climate Action at Any Cost? Environmental Concern and Governance Preferences
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