Seminar on "Democracy & Sustainable Development"

On November 3, 2026, NTU College of Law’s Asian Center for WTO & International Health Law and Policy (ACWH) hosted Prof. James Bacchus for a lecture on “Democracy & Sustainable Development.”

Vice Dean Prof. Sieh-chuen Huang welcomed Prof. Bacchus, the recipient of the 2026 Himalaya International Law Chair, and introduced his career as a former U.S. Congressperson and founding member and two-time Chair of the WTO Appellate Body. ACWH Director Prof. Yueh-Ping (Alex) Yang welcomed his first visit to Taiwan.

Drawing on his book Democracy for a Sustainable World, Prof. Bacchus highlighted that democracy and sustainable development are inseparable. Amid declining democratic freedoms and mounting environmental challenges, he identified distrust and limited public participation as barriers to governance. He proposed “circles of participation”: randomly selected citizens deliberating face-to-face and sharing decision-making authority with existing institutions, including international organizations. He also proposed advisory circles for nature and future generations, stressing grassroots action as a path to reform.

Prof. Yang highlighted the proposal’s relevance to Taiwan’s international participation. During the Q&A, Prof. Mao-Wei Lo and the audience discussed WTO reform, consensus rules, possible decision-making delays, and building trust in democracies. Prof. Bacchus stressed that broader participation could strengthen legitimacy, break deadlocks, and build trust through dialogue.

ACWH sincerely thanks Prof. Bacchus for his insights into a more democratic and sustainable world.