Creative Power: Non-State Actors and the Global Climate Agenda

This project explores the capacities and strategies used by non-state actors to exert influence on the global climate agenda.

The 21st century reveals ever more clearly the limitations facing national governments to achieve their international objectives unilaterally. Without visible leadership from governments, more attention is now focused on so-called bottom-up efforts – whether from individuals, business, cities or municipalities. Addressing complex global challenges in this context will require a fundamental re-think on strategies and capacities to act.

This project seeks to explore the capacities and strategies used by non-state actors to exert influence on the global climate agenda. The project focuses on four stakeholder groups: civil society, corporations, financial institutions and sub-national governments.

The project discusses the extent to which countries are influenced and supported by non-state actors, and what is the direct and indirect role of these actors in key international processes.  It also seeks to review the extent to which non-national state actors’ influence is received by international fora, such as the UNFCCC, the lessons we can learn from past experience, and what other approaches could be taken.