04. November 2020
In 2015, many countries, including Colombia, Georgia and Ukraine, agreed
on the Paris Agreement to limit global warming and its impacts. However, current national
commitments (Nationally Determined Contributions – NDCs) are inadequate to keep the
rise in global temperature in this century well below 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels. Time
is running out, and rapid and far-reaching shifts across all sectors are required. Civil society
actors play a crucial role in developing and implementing climate policies because they act as
watchdogs and advocates for a fair socio-environmental transformation. The scope of their
activities and advocacy work ranges from raising awareness about climate change, building
capacity, supporting climate change mitigation and adaptation activities to conducting research,
developing strategies and measures, and influencing concrete climate policies.
The purpose of the study “Civic space for participation in climate policies in Colombia,
Georgia and Ukraine” was to investigate the environment and conditions for climate-related
participation, such as the legal framework for participation, as well as concrete practices
of participatory policy making in Colombia, Georgia and Ukraine. The analysis explores how
national civil society is being involved in political processes related to the Paris Agreement. The
focus thereby lies on organised groups, rather than individuals and the general public. Are civil
society organisations involved in the development of climate-relevant national plans, strategies
and other document? Are there good examples or good approaches of participation that enable
civil society actors to effectively influence national political processes and raise ambition in
climate matters? The study also identifies concrete country-specific barriers that hamper or
avoid meaningful, effective and long-term participation, and gives advice for overcoming these
barriers. Furthermore, the study examines selected examples of good practice in climate-related
participation from eight other countries around the world.
The full study can be downloaded here:
The study is part of the project Strengthen Civil Society for the implementation of national climate policy. The project is funded by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) as part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI).