Phase 2
Establishment
The success of a climate council depends on a strong mandate and resources to respond to the climate challenge.
An official mandate gives credibility and authority to a council’s work and helps ensure its recommendations are taken seriously by government decision-makers. At the same time, maintaining the right balance between independence and accountability will help ensure the council’s advice has influence.
A council’s impact will also rely on having a well-defined remit and the right mix of members, combining diverse expertise and stakeholder representation.
Crucially, sufficient funding and resources are essential for the council to function effectively and deliver meaningful outcomes.
Step 4:
Secure an official mandate.
How can you gain support from the highest levels of government? How can you raise your institutional standing?
Being recognised as an official adviser by government is crucial to the credibility, authority and long-term viability of a climate council. Based on a 2024 survey of ICCN members, 95% of councils are established by law, ensuring institutional resilience and long-term advice across political cycles. Moreover, 100% of these councils operate in countries with overarching climate framework legislation, such as Climate Change Acts.
When securing your mandate, consider:
- The next realistic opportunity to develop a climate framework law and pass it through the legislative process.
- Where this will not be possible in the near-term, whether a council receive an official mandate via other means (e.g. a ministerial decree or a long-term contractual agreement with the government).
- The key responsibilities of the council that need to be included in the mandate. This could include advising on NDC targets, carbon budgets, climate policies, climate risks, just transition. It could also include a duty to engage the public on climate change.
- How to effectively engage high-ranking government officials. Securing regular meetings with ministerial groupings and the Prime Minister / President.
Case Study: Chile | Comité Científico Asesor de Cambio Climático (C4)
See the evolution of the Chilean climate council
In some cases, a council without a legal mandate can evolve over time and be enshrined in law later. In Chile, the first climate council was formed in 2019 in preparation for Chile’s presidency of COP25. The purpose of the body was primarily to serve as a platform to coordinate scientific input for international climate negotiations.
This initial formation was later formalized by a ministerial decree in October 2020, issued by the recently created Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge, and Innovation, granting the committee official status through December 2022. This formalization provided legal recognition to a body that had already demonstrated its value by contributing systematically to climate policy debates and processes, including the drafting of Chile’s Long-Term Climate Strategy and updates to the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
In June 2022, Chile published the Framework Law on Climate Change (Ley Marco de Cambio Climático). This law institutionalized the council’s role by assigning it formal advisory responsibilities. Specifically, it mandates the council to advise the Ministry of the Environment on the scientific aspects needed for the design, implementation, and updating of the climate change management instruments defined by the law.
After the Framework Law came into effect, a new council formation process was launched through a public call (January–March 2024). Candidates were evaluated on scientific merit, regional representation, gender balance, and disciplinary diversity. Eleven members were selected with terms of either 1.5 or 3 years.
Case Study: France | Haut Conseil pour le Climat
Understand the French council’s place in governance
A strong legal mandate and a direct report to the Prime Minister ensures that the High Council for Climate can advise the French government effectively.
The High Council for Climate is an independent body, entitled by law and whose members are nominated by decree, reporting directly to the Prime Minister, created to evaluate the policies and measures implemented and planned by the French government. Based on its analyses, it issues recommendations to help France improve its climate action in order to achieve its national objectives and fulfil its international commitments. The council’s structure and place in governance elevate climate change as a national priority.
Step 5:
Establish a body independent from policy-making functions.
How can you foster your existence in the long-term? How can you provide robust, independent advice?
While each country is different, a level of independence can protect a climate council in their credibility and through changing political cycles.
Consider:
- Setting up your council as an independent institution, rather than in a Ministry.
- Appointment processes for diverse engagement (See Step 7).
Case Study: The Netherlands | Wetenschappelijke Klimaatraad / Netherlands Scientific Climate Council
Find out how the independence of the Scientific Climate Council is ensured
The existence and independence of the Netherlands Scientific Climate Council is ensured by two laws. The law on advisory councils ensures that all councils in the Netherlands independently determine the topics and content of their advice. The national climate law will be revised to stipulate specifically the existence of the climate council, the number of council members, the task and position of the council and its independence.
The independence of the council is also safeguarded by the rotating and independent positions of each council member. Council members are appointed for four years and during this time they remain employed at their scientific institutes. Independence is also enhanced through measures at the secretariat level. For example, by having an office for the secretariat that is separate from the Ministry, or by seeking external review of advisory reports before publication.
Case Study: European Union | European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change
Discover how European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change was created independently from EU institutions and Member States
The existence and independence of the European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change are grounded in the European Climate Law.
The Law mandates the establishment of the Advisory Board and sets out its role in providing independent scientific advice and reporting on EU progress towards climate neutrality. It guarantees the Board’s autonomy in determining the content, scope, and timing of its advice.
The Board’s independence is further safeguarded through its composition, the appointment of its members through an open, fair and transparent process, internal safeguards against conflicts of interest, and the full public availability of its work and reports.
Case Study: Denmark | Danish Council on Climate Change
Learn what makes the Danish council an independent body
By law, the Danish Council on Climate Change acts as is an independent advisory body of experts.
The Council elects its own candidates for members, Chair and Deputy Chairs, who are subsequently appointed by the Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities. Members of the Council need to reflect a broad range of expertise specified in the Climate Act.
Step 6:
Include accountability mechanisms.
How can your council act as a ‘watchdog’? How is government held to account?
Consider:
- Providing independent annual reviews to support with policy formulation, evaluation and revision.
- Mandating government responses to advice through legislation (building on step 5).
- Allocating time within the policy cycle for the council to make its recommendations.
- Reporting to Parliament and to key stakeholders.
- Aligning your advice with international processes e.g., carbon budgets that tie into NDC deadlines.
Case Study: Germany | Expertenrat für Klimafragen
Learn how Germany’s council created its own accountability mechanism
Accountability helps ensure that climate advice leads to real change. In Germany, legal provisions require the government to act if climate projections show emissions targets won’t be met. The Council of Experts on Climate Change plays a key monitoring role, with its findings triggering mandatory follow-up actions and reviews by policymakers.
The German Federal Climate Action Act contains several provisions that ensure that the assessments of the Council of Experts on Climate Change are taken into account by policymakers.
An important example is Section 8 of the Climate Action Act: The Expert Council reviews the GHG projection data up to 2030 on an annual basis. If, in two consecutive years, the Expert Council determines that the projection data exceed the sum of the total annual emission budgets for 2030, the German Federal Government is required to adopt measures within the same year to ensure compliance with the sum.
These measures are in turn reviewed by the Expert Council, and the Federal Government must add the result of the review to its decision. In addition to this monitoring mechanism, there are additional assessments by the Expert Council, the results of which must be taken into account by policymakers in accordance with the Climate Action Act.
Case Study: Denmark | Danish Council on Climate Change
Understand how the Danish council responds to its government’s climate plans
The Danish Climate Act specifies an annual policy cycle, where the Danish Council on Climate Change responds to the Danish government’s release of the annual climate status and projection and the climate program.
Each year in February, the Council assesses whether the government’s climate efforts have made it probable that the climate targets will be reached. By law, the Danish government is obliged to set targets for 2035, 2040, and 2045, 10 years in advance, assisted by advice from the Danish Council on Climate Change.
Step 7:
Agree your council’s role.
What is your council’s remit? How can you determine exact areas of focus for the council in consultation government and other relevant actors?
Climate councils should be empowered to advise on the best available science and policy developments.
Consider:
- Transparently outlining roles and responsibilities between government, and the climate council.
- Topics within the council’s remit e.g., mitigation, adaptation, just transition, long-term targets and carbon budgets, short-term policy advice, sectoral pathways, finance, emissions trading schemes, international obligations and novel policy issues. You can review the range of our members’ work here.
- Balancing ambition with achievability. Your council can and will work beyond its mandate as it grows during the establishment phase.
Case Study: Sweden | Klimatpolitiska rådet and Nationella Expertrådet för Klimatanpassning
Find out how Sweden’s two councils jointly advise the government on climate policy
In Sweden, dual councils are officially mandated to advise the government on climate change policy. Find out how the councils are set up with distinct focuses on mitigation and adaptation.
In 2017, Sweden adopted a Climate Policy Framework made up of three key elements:
- Climate Law – requires the Government to publish a Climate Action Plan every four years and report annually on progress.
- Climate Policy Council – an independent body that evaluates the Government’s progress on emission reduction targets (mitigation only).
- Climate Goals – legally binding targets including net-zero emissions by 2045.
In 2018, Sweden released its first National Climate Adaptation Strategy, which included plans to establish a dedicated expert body for adaptation. Later that year, the National Expert Council on Climate Adaptation was set up. While independent in its work, it is administratively hosted by the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI).
The Expert Council focuses solely on adaptation and is responsible for delivering a report to the Government every five years. This includes:
- A national risk and vulnerability assessment;
- An evaluation of national adaptation efforts;
- Recommendations for priority actions based on risk, cost, and benefit;
- Strategic advice for advancing adaptation work.
This report informs updates to Sweden’s national adaptation strategy and action plan.
Case Study: Greece | Ειδική Επιστημονική Επιτροπή για την Αντιμετώπιση της Κλιματικής Αλλαγής
Find out how Greece is strengthening its climate governance
Greece has progressively established a climate governance framework that reflects broad consultation across government, scientific institutions and civil society. While a single formal climate council has not yet been established, the remit for expert climate advice has been largely agreed through legislative and institutional developments in recent years.
The Greek National Climate Law, adopted in 2022, sets out clear responsibilities for scientific input, monitoring and evaluation of climate policy. It mandates structured assessments of progress towards emissions targets and provides a legal basis for independent advice to inform government decision-making. This remit was shaped through public and inter ministerial consultation during the drafting of the law.
The government has since worked closely with academic and research institutions to strengthen science-policy linkages, ensuring that climate measures are grounded in the best available evidence. Existing bodies such as the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, HEREMA, and the team responsible for the National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) draw on external expertise and contribute to shaping a coordinated climate response.
Greece’s participation in international networks, such as the International Climate Councils Network (ICCN) and the World Energy Council, further reinforces its commitment to transparency, best practice and independent insight in climate governance. In practice, while the formalisation of a standalone climate council is still evolving, Greece has effectively agreed and begun implementing the core functions expected of such a body: providing science-based advice, evaluating progress, and supporting policy coherence across sectors and timeframes.
Case Study: Denmark | Danish Council on Climate Change
Learn about the Danish council’s multiple roles
By law, the Danish Council on Climate Change has three roles.
First, it acts as a watchdog by following and reporting on government climate policy, the Danish national climate targets, and Denmark’s EU obligations. Second, it acts as an adviser providing evidence-based advice to the government and parliament about climate policy. Third, it acts as a public debater engaging in the national debate on climate change policy.
Step 8:
Decide who will sit on the council.
How can you secure strong leadership? How will appointments be made?
Consider:
- How appointments will be made. Nominations (usually from government) and open calls are both common methods for appointing experts to advisory bodies, but the Grantham Institute recommends open calls for greater transparency and the best chance at political independence. Some bodies are formed of a combination of nominations and representatives appointed via an open call.
- How the composition ties to your mandate and purpose.
- A range of diverse voices, including academics, scientists, business representatives, youth and indigenous peoples. Note diversity will need to be balanced against an efficient size to make progress.
- How you can attract the strongest candidates for these high-profile positions. Some councils remunerate members.
- Rotating members often enough that the council is representative of different sectors and does not stagnate, but not so often that new members are constantly being inducted and the council cannot effectively drive change (World Resources Institute, 2021, p 4). Four to five year terms (often renewable once) are typical, which Chairs sometimes having longer terms than their fellow council members.
Case Study: South Africa | Presidential Climate Commission
Learn more about South Africa’s Presidential Commission’s structure
South Africa’s Presidential Climate Commission is composed of a diverse range of Commissioners, some of whom represent the nation’s social partners.
In addition to the President, a Deputy Chair, and government Ministers, Commissioners on South Africa’s Presidential Climate Commission represent environmental NGOs, civil society organisations, communities of faith, organised labour, business, and other stakeholder groups. The composition of the PCC reflects one of its core aims: to forge consensus between social partners to support better climate policy decision-making and implementation.
The diverse mix of voices represented within the PCC — from government to labour unions, business, faith groups, and civil society—helps it build consensus across sectors. This inclusive structure reflects its core aim: bringing different social partners together to drive stronger climate policy and action.
Case Study: Mexico | Consejo Consultivo de Cambio Climático
Find out how the Consultative Council on Climate Change (C3) is composed
The Consultative Council on Climate Change (C3) is a multi-stakeholder advisory body to the Inter-secretarial Commission on Climate Change (CICC), designed to incorporate input from civil society, academia, and the private sector into national climate policymaking.
The council is composed of at least 15 members from diverse sectors, selected for expertise and merit. Membership must reflect gender parity and sectoral balance, as stipulated by Article 51 of the General Law on Climate Change (2012)
The council operates on an honorary basis, with members serving independently of their institutional affiliations. Members serve on a personal, unpaid basis (Article 53), helping reduce political capture and ensuring the independence of views. Such design choices can be particularly useful in contexts where public trust in governmental processes is low.
Step 9:
Establish a strong secretariat.
How can you onboard a skilled secretariat, equipped to do the job of supporting councils and advising governments?
Consider:
- Planning for a well-resourced secretariat that can provide analytical, co-ordination, communications and administrative support.
- Systems and processes for their engagement with government, the private sector, civil society and the media.
- Setting up an effective governance structure between council and secretariat.
- Setting up collaborative structures that allows the council to coordinate across all government departments (while maintaining independence).
- Designing a complementary stakeholder engagement strategy.
- Writing MoUs and clear terms of references on roles and responsibilities for priority partners.
Case Study: Republic of Korea | Presidential Commission on Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth
Learn about the Republic of Korea’s secretariat set-up
The size and set-up of secretariats range greatly. In the Republic of Korea, a 60-strong staff across five bureaus supports the work of the Presidential Commission on Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth.
The secretariat of the Presidential Commission on Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth belongs under the Office for Government Policy Coordination and comprises a staff of about 60, either dispatched from government ministries, regional governments and public institutions, or hired as civilian experts. It is headed by the Secretary-General and 2nd Vice Minister of Government Policy Coordination, and has five bureaus providing support for planning and management, policies and strategies, analysis and communication.
Case Study: Sweden | Nationella Expertrådet för Klimatanpassning
Find out how Sweden’s Expert Council on Climate Adaptation is set up
Sweden’s Expert Council on Climate Adaptation provides an example of how, when resource is limited, a small secretariat can obtain funding and support from government.
The Swedish Expert Council on Climate Adaptation is affiliated with the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) and the secretariat to the council is located at SMHI.
The council gets its financial recourses via SMHI (specified amounts to be directed to the Council) and the authority is tasked with making sure to provide the resources needed to the Council for its work.
Case Study: United Kingdom | Climate Change Committee
Learn about the UK secretariat’s processes and systems
The UK’s Climate Change Committee has formalised the governance structure between the secretariat and the council, and processes for how it works with government, to allow for smooth operations.
The Climate Change Committee (CCC), the environment and climate ministerial departments, and the devolved administrations have together agreed on several Framework Documents that set out CCC’s governance structures, the relationship between the CCC and Government, and the CCC’s core responsibilities. The Framework Documents have evolved over time, with the most recent one being published in 2024.
The CCC also has MoUs with Government on data and models, to ensure that they use the same analytical basis.
Step 10:
Secure funding.
How can you secure reliable, long-term funding that matches your mandate?
Consider:
- Benchmarking your budget request on other similar councils and secretariats that are part of ICCN.
- Ensuring provision in legislation for government budget and protecting ongoing budgeting line with inflation.
- Maintaining autonomy in spending once budget is allocated.
- Complementing with other innovative funding mechanisms e.g., philanthropy or donor climate finance.
Case Study: Aotearoa New Zealand | He Pou a Rangi / Climate Change Commission
Explore how New Zealand’s council is funded
Reliable, long-term funding is essential for a climate council’s independence. The Climate Change Commission in New Zealand is funded under clear legal frameworks, ensuring autonomy in its operations while aligning with government requirements. Regular reports keep the public and parliament informed of the council’s financial and strategic progress.
As an independent Crown Entity, the Climate Change Commission is funded to provide the Government of the day with advice, monitoring and reporting that supports Aotearoa New Zealand’s transition to a climate-resilient, low emissions future. The legal basis for the way that the Commission operates is set out in the Crown Entities Act 2004, with further requirements in other legislation including the Public Finance Act 1989 and Public Service Act 2020.
The Commission’s independence relates to our statutorily independent functions as defined in our founding legislation, the Climate Change Response Act 2002. The Minister of Climate Change is responsible for appropriations in the Vote Environment which covers the funding provided to the Climate Change Commission. The Commission’s Board is accountable to our Minister and to Parliament for our performance and use of funding provided.
The Commission prepares annual reports year to give a clear picture of its overall performance, in terms of both how we have operated financially and our progress against our strategic direction as detailed in our Statement of Intent. The Commission’s most recent Annual Report for 2023/24 can be found here.
Case Study: Ireland | An Chomhairle Chomhairleach um Athrú Aeráide / Climate Change Advisory Council
Understand the Irish council’s funding arrangements
Reliable, long-term funding is essential for a council to deliver on its mandate. This example from Ireland shows how clear structures and formal agreements can help protect both financial stability and operational independence.
Under the Climate Act, the Climate Change Advisory Council is provided with offices, secretariat and administrative services by the Environmental Protection Agency in Ireland. This ensures that all HR, budget, IT, corporate governance policies etc are already in place.
There is a Memorandum of Understanding between the Council and the EPA to ensure the independence of this process.
The budget is funded by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. The Council discusses budgetary matters regularly (in terms of future needs and monitoring of and adjustments to ongoing expenditure) independently of the Department.
Case Study: Ukraine | Green Transition Office
Explore the Green Transition Office’s funding arrangements
Countries facing crises—whether due to war, poverty, or natural disasters—may struggle to secure funding, and in some cases, this may be impossible domestically. In Ukraine, the Green Transition Office is supported by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
The budget of the Green Transition Office is covered by donors, the main one being the UK FCDO. There is an agreement between the key donor and the Government of Ukraine that the Government will take over the funding once the state of public finances make this possible in the post-war reconstruction period. The Office’s team is working to attract additional funding from our international partners to make its activities more sustainable and predictable.
“Ukraine is committed to rebuilding a low-carbon economy as soon as possible, and through UK funding we are already preparing for this. However, the ability to do so is very much dependent on the conditions for ending Russian aggression in Ukraine.” – Andriy Kitura, Head, Ukrainian Green Transition Office
Step 11:
Consider creating or advocating for a subnational climate council.
Is a national council currently not feasible? Are there opportunities to strengthen climate governance at a subnational level?
Case Study: New South Wales, Australia | New South Wales Net Zero Commission
Learn how the Australian state council complements the federal one
In New South Wales, Australia, the state government passed the Climate Change (Net Zero) Future Act 2023, which legislated a commitment to emissions reduction targets, an adaptation objective, and established the Net Zero Commission as an independent advisory body.
This legislation followed on from New South Wales’ long-standing track record of climate leadership, having adopted the NSW Climate Change Policy Framework (2016), which committed the state to the aspirational target of net zero by 2050, the more detailed NSW Net Zero Plan (2020) and the NSW Climate Change Adaptation Strategy (2022).
The Commission is a NSW Government agency consisting of up to 7 Commissioners (currently 6), the NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer and a staff of ~20 FTE responsible for providing independent expert advice to ensure the state is on a clear path towards net zero. The Commission’s remit is significant, given the state is home to nearly a third of the Australian population and produces just over a quarter of the country’s emissions. Recently, the federal Climate Change Authority (CCA) has begun to convene a committee of similar bodies across jurisdictions, however, the remits of the bodies are distinct. For example, the NSW Net Zero Commission has an explicit remit for adaptation, while other state bodies do not. Additionally, many of the state bodies are not established by legislation, do not have the same degree of independence and are supported by staff from principle departments to exercise their functions.