Why climate councils?
Climate councils are expert bodies officially mandated to advise their governments on climate policy. They can help to ensure that a wide range of stakeholders are consulted in policymaking, and that policy is science-aligned and oriented to the long-term.
What is a climate council?
Mandate
Climate councils (sometimes called “committees” or “commissions”) are bodies officially mandated by government to advise them on climate change policy. Many councils are written into law, through a climate framework law. Others are set up by ministerial decree or long-term contracts. Some councils have the dual mandate to engage the public on climate change.
Advice
Climate councils advise on different aspects of climate change policy, including mitigation, adaptation, the just transition, or some combination of the three. ICCN members usually give long-term policy advice, freeing them from the constraints of short political cycles, and focus specifically on climate, rather than wider environmental or economic policy.
Expertise
Councils are made up of independent experts from a wide range of disciplines. Some councils have a stronger emphasis on scientific expertise and are made up solely of academics. Other councils have wider stakeholder groups represented, like business, organised labour, faith groups, and civil society.
Secretariat
Councils are usually supported by a secretariat. The secretariat is often funded via a sponsor government ministry but may also be funded by other donors. The secretariats are usually independent and contain a mix of analytical, communications and administrative expertise.
Why climate councils?
As the world faces the urgent challenge of limiting global warming, a science-based approach to climate governance has never been more essential. Since their inception, climate councils — uniting experts from science, policy, and other fields — have played a pivotal role in driving decarbonisation and adaptation efforts. These are the five reasons we believe climate councils will be key to strengthening climate governance worldwide:
1
Climate councils’ expert advice helps governments build consensus and make political space for long-term, science-aligned climate policy.
2
Their positioning in national or subnational climate governance (often in law) ensures they can be influential and trusted.
3
Councils promote participatory democracy through their consultative, whole-of-society approach with scientists, indigenous peoples, civil society, the private sector and government.
4
They provide investor certainty on long-term policy direction, as councils are established to endure beyond the usual 4–5-year cycles of government.
5
They show leadership in climate governance and can influence others to follow suit.
6
There is a growing body of evidence that climate councils help get buy-in from all stakeholders for ambitious climate action.
Policy Brief
2024-2025
“What is a climate council, why countries should establish one, and how the ICCN can help”