Global Elections as a Catalyst for Sustainable Development

This piece was originally published in Apolitical.

2024 was a “super year” for global elections. More people went to the polls than ever before, with national elections in over 70 countries. Nearly across the board, we saw a deep erosion of trust in governments, exacerbated by economic crises, rising nationalism, deadly conflicts, and the worsening impacts of climate change.

As the next election cycle kicks off for several countries and the 2025 United Nations Climate Conference (COP30) approaches, we find ourselves at a critical moment for global democracy and the growing climate crisis. While some important sustainable development goals have shown signs of progress and electoral support, the negative trends of 2024 loom large.

Now more than ever we must build new partnerships, institutions, and finance streams to reestablish trust in governments for a more sustainable future.

Looking back at 2024, of the 1.6 billion ballots counted across over 70 countries, the vast majority demanded change. Countries like the United States and the United Kingdom, for example, elected a new head of state. And over a third of all elections led to change in the party of the executive. Even in countries like Hungary and India, the same party stayed in power but the incumbent leadership lost some of its governmental control.

Global economic crises — largely influenced by post-COVID pandemic inflation; major wars in Sudan, Ukraine, and Gaza; and disasters brought on by climate change — have affected the public psyche and eroded trust in government. Reuters reported inflation as one of the top issues among global voters, and the Pew Research Center found that 64% of people across 34 countries said their country’s economy was struggling. Rising economic nationalism and protectionism in the form of sanctions, tariffs, and export controls have continued to put intense pressure on global supply chains and critical resources — not to mention the effects of global conflict and natural disasters, including fires, floods, and droughts — have driven prices up for consumers and increased economic instability

The result? People around the world are losing faith in representative democracy.

It’s easy to see that these crises are not leaving anytime soon. Global trade wars threaten new levels of inflation, while wars and economic hardships for poor countries persist. Continuing trends of political uncertainty pose major risks to the global climate and sustainable development agenda. As of now, the majority of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopted by the United Nations in 2015 for an agenda until 2030, are far off track — with only 17% of the agenda targets on pace to succeed — and global climate finance commitments are well under the 1.3 Trillion USD set by the New Collective Qualified Goal.

This year, national elections will take place in at least 25 countries — and probably more. At least two G7 countries, Germany and Japan, are scheduled to go to the polls, and political tensions in countries like Canada, France, Bangladesh, or South Korea may add additional elections to the calendar. Alongside these political elections, nearly all countries will be submitting their updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) — individual commitments from countries party to the Paris Agreement regarding climate action.

We’ve reached a massive political moment, and the SDGs hang in the balance. A continuation of war and economic crisis threatens peace (SDG 16) and decent work (SDG 8). A rise in political polarization and nationalism endangers global partnerships (SDG 17). A failure to commit to climate adaptation and a clean energy transition (accounting for about 75% of emissions) could leave the world’s most vulnerable without electricity and in danger of natural disasters (SDG 7).

It is also at this critical moment that we should recognize the progress made thus far — progress that cannot be overwritten or undone by new governments — and reasons for hope.

Today, more clean energy is being developed than ever before. The amount of global energy coming from renewables reached new heights in 2024, and rising energy demand in 2025 will ensure that clean energy projects continue. Additionally, although fossil fuels haven’t disappeared, solar and battery components are more affordable, electric vehicle adoption is increasing, and electrification and efficiency are growing alongside renewables.

Forest protection is also increasing. Global Forest Watch reported that tree cover loss worldwide declined in 2023, and both Brazil and Colombia celebrated huge decreases in deforestation in 2024. COP30 in the Amazon taking place in November 2025 also holds hope for forest conservation with global institutions and governments worldwide collaborating for greater forest protections.

Globally, the NDCs may also be a turning point. At least fifteen countries have submitted new climate commitments and more have the opportunity to increase their ambition and push for climate action. Furthermore, local governments maintain the power to govern through any turnover at the national level. In a meeting of mayors in Brasilía this month, COP30 President André Corrêa do Lago underscored this message. "The solutions from cities will be the ones that will most quickly bring climate change mitigation closer to the people."

While daunting, this year presents an opportunity to build on past progress and advance the sustainable development agenda. We must come together to build new pathways to climate finance, support peace and security, expand the digital renaissance, elevate the voices of our youth, and envision a new global governance structure for today. Our democracy and earth depend on it.