As the world’s eyes turn to Brazil for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), Austin-based Texas Impact/Texas Interfaith Power & Light is sending dispatches from the conference to the Chronicle.
Every policymaking body – from the city hall to the halls of Congress – navigates a tension between inclusivity and productivity. Policymakers face intense pressure to include all stakeholders in their deliberations. At the same time, they face both real and manufactured time constraints. Nowhere is this tension more evident than in the United Nations climate negotiations, where the decisions must reflect a global consensus and the stakeholders include every person on the planet. In the COP process, the nearly 200 participating nations each are “parties” to the negotiations and have seats at the table. Everyone else – businesses, scholars, scientists, subnational governments, faith communities, grassroots activists, and everyone else – belongs to “civil society.”
Every COP includes a lively debate over the proper participation of civil society, in whole and in its constituent parts. Like other policy events, COPs feature diplomatic language and “interventions” that bring stakeholders into the process. They also have “guardrails” to ensure they can stay on track and complete their mandated work.
COP30 in Belem, Brazil, was special from the get-go, designated both “the indigenous COP” and “the COP of truth.” Indigenous people from the Amazon region were invited to participate in events leading up to the COP, and to be present in the negotiations more than has typically been the case. The indigenous Brazilians are joined by representatives of communities of color from all corners of the world; frontline and climate-vulnerable people including climate migrants; farmers; youth; and local leaders. Many of these constituencies have specific demands: a particular mine they oppose, for example, or a particular program for which they seek funding. Others are here to advocate for faster, more ambitious action to reduce global carbon emissions, or to convince affluent nations to commit more of their wealth to help developing countries meet increasing challenges of climate change.
Many of the most impacted constituencies and their allies oppose the participation of fossil fuel lobbyists in the climate policy process. Many also resent the aspects of the diplomatic and legislative processes that limit or truncate their own participation.
As the impacts of climate change manifest in communities across the world, the climate policy stakeholder population will only increase. Diverse civil society constituencies are calling for “UNFCCC reform” – although that term may mean different things to different interests.
The UNFCCC’s administrative bodies and national leaders will face increasing challenges in balancing inclusivity and momentum. In navigating these challenges, they have the opportunity to build new models of policy collaboration that could benefit policymakers at every level.
About Texas Impact
Texas Impact exists to put faith into action. We equip faith leaders and their congregations with the information, opportunities, and outreach tools to educate their communities and engage with lawmakers on pressing public policy issues. We are an interfaith group that works together on issues that impact the most vulnerable people in our communities. We help people live out their faith in the public square, moving the faith community from charity to justice.
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