The Scottish Parliament's think-tank

Our work on Democracy


  • COP28: Code Red for parliaments – what next?

    COP28: Code Red for parliaments – what next?

    How are parliaments changing to respond to the climate and biodiversity emergencies? How are they supporting their elected members to deal with the issues..


  • COP28: An update from the conference

    COP28: An update from the conference

    Malini Mehra, chief executive of GLOBE International, joins parliamentarians in the COP pavilion to provide an update on how conference negotiations are going.


  • Artificial Intelligence and Democracy

    Artificial Intelligence and Democracy

    What effect will AI have on democracy? This podcast, recorded in May 2023, explored the potential impact of AI on our lives and how we should react.


  • Data Vultures Destroying Democracy?

    Data Vultures Destroying Democracy?

    Podcast of “Data Vultures Destroying Democracy” debate, from the 2022 Festival of Politics, on the increasing role of data in our society and the implications for democracy.


  • Information and Disinformation

    Information and Disinformation

    A Futures Forum debate at the Festival of Politics on 11 August 2022 on disinformation, new media and democracy. In partnership with the CPG on Tibet.


  • Democracy 2045: Challenges and Opportunities

    Democracy 2045: Challenges and Opportunities

    A summary of the Futures Forum’s work on the future of democracy from 2021 and 2022: Environment, Technology and Participation.


  • COP26: Code Red for Parliaments

    COP26: Code Red for Parliaments

    This report uses events at COP26 to identify a pathway for Parliaments in tackling the climate and biodiversity emergencies.


  • Artificial Intelligence and Accountability

    Artificial Intelligence and Accountability

    This seminar in June 2022 focused on what happens when decisions made by algorithm don’t work as intended: who is accountable and how are they held accountable?


  • Parliamentary Responses to Artificial Intelligence

    Parliamentary Responses to Artificial Intelligence

    A short review of the responses of Parliaments around the world to the development of artificial intelligence [AI].


  • Governing Now for Future Generations

    Governing Now for Future Generations

    If a week is a long time in politics, how can Parliaments and Governments take decisions for our long-term future? This seminar in March 2022 explored what Scotland can learn from Wales.