Democratic Challenges: The Gap between Political Platforms and Climate Concerns in Argentina

Argentina is among the democracies that began 2024 with a newly elected government. The 2023 elections altered the composition of the executive and legislature at both a national and subnational level. The elections also resulted in a new administration led by Javier Milei, an ultraright, anarcho-capitalist president, who beat Sergio Massa, the former Minister of Economy, at the ballot box.

Milei is known for his strong and explicit denial of climate change.  On environmental issues, Milei is known for his strong and explicit denial of climate change. He associates the phenomenon with a globalist neo-Marxist agenda, with the potential to hinder economic growth and national development worldwide. Although this stance has drawn criticism, it is perhaps not surprising given that other far-right figures hold similar views (e.g. former US President Donald Trump, former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, and figures from the Spanish party Vox, among others). What might be more surprising is that in the election campaign that resulted in Milei’s presidency, few parties made environmental issues and climate change a prominent topic in their platforms, with the exception of the most left-wing party, Frente de Izquierda y de Trabajadores.

This absence of environmental issues from the 2023 presidential election campaign has been studied by several scholars, who have examined the electoral platforms of these parties. In the case of La Libertad Avanza, Milei’s party, the electoral platform criticised the role of the state in environmental management, denied human responsibility for climate change, opposed international agreements such as the Paris Agreement, and proposed a resource exploitation approach based on private investment, with a focus on agribusiness and open-pit mining, among others. For its part, Unión por la Patria, the Peronist party of Sergio Massa (in second place), addressed environmental issues in its platform and during the presidential debate, highlighting the importance of advancing adaptation and mitigation measures for climate change and pointing to Argentina’s potential as a renewable energy exporter. However, the environment was not a central focus of his campaign. The candidate of Juntos por el Cambio, Patricia Bullrich (in third place), aimed to promote mining while emphasising respect for high environmental standards, and to expand the energy and agribusiness sectors. She also acknowledged climate change and biodiversity as challenges but did not significantly address the environmental agenda in the presidential debates or in her campaign.

This lack of concern about environmental climate issues is particularly striking in light of the results of a recent survey by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) which showed a significant increase in climate concern among the Argentine population. Approximately 64% of participants stated that they were interested or very interested in environmental issues, and 63% believed that climate change is an important issue for the country’s future. Approximately 89% of respondents indicated that climate change currently has a high or medium-high impact in Argentina.

The growing severity of extreme climate events could lead to heightened social mobilisation and demand for more robust political action.  The disconnect in priorities between the population and the major political parties raises significant concerns for climate action, as it obstructs the progress of concrete measures to address problems such as natural disasters, floods, droughts, heat waves, and cold spells. While media outlets may downplay the gap between public concerns and the agendas of the major political parties, the growing severity of extreme climate events could lead to heightened social mobilisation and demand for more robust political action. However, the risk lies in the potential for escalating social conflict if the political system does not act swiftly. This delay could worsen the urgent need for effective environmental policies to mitigate climate change’s adverse effects, especially on the most vulnerable sectors and populations.

Moreover, the risks extend far beyond the climate agenda and environmental policies. The growing gap between public concerns and political party agendas poses a serious threat to democratic representation and citizen engagement. This widening divide could leave citizens feeling increasingly alienated from their leaders, eroding trust in both party structures and government institutions. As people feel more unsupported and isolated, the resulting decline in their quality of life and empowerment may not only deepen social unrest but also strike at the very core of democracy itself.