Effective climate change governance institutions help countries achieve their climate goals. Action to address climate change requires coordination among many government and nongovernment actors. The extended timeframe over which climate change unfolds requires a capability to sustain a credible commitment to ambitious climate policies over multiple electoral cycles. Governance institutions can help address these challenges. Coordination bodies can facilitate the complex task of aligning climate action across state and non-state actors.
Climate change framework legislation can help address the challenge of credible commitment by establishing legally binding targets. Independent climate advisory bodies can strengthen the evidence base for climate policy and help align policy with long-term goals. Governance institutions also translate climate policy into climate action. Planning, budgeting, public investment, procurement and intergovernmental fiscal systems align public resources with climate policies. Strengthened governance of state-owned enterprises can can create incentives for climate action in key sectors such as energy, transport, and water. Stakeholder engagement and oversight institutions - auditors, legislatures and the courts – help hold the government accountable for its climate commitments.
