Climate change, totalitarian approaches, and the diversity of voices

challenges, hegemonies and alternatives in managing the climate crisis

Abstract

This article/essay problematizes the management of global climate crisis discussions from a Eurocentric perspective, in which the main greenhouse gas-emitting powers set the rules of the game without acknowledging contributions from other intellectual traditions. Grounded in the analysis of totalitarianism according to Emmanuel Lévinas and Hannah Arendt, we examine how the dominant model silences voices from the Global South and reinforces homogenizing dynamics in environmental governance. We propose the adoption of an inclusive approach that values the complexity of natural systems and welcomes antagonistic forms of knowledge. We argue that by making room for diverse perspectives—not only political and economic but also cultural—the range of possible solutions for climate change mitigation and adaptation expands, contributing to a more equitable and effective management of the planetary crisis.