About us
The International Climate Councils Network (ICCN) was launched in 2021 as a forum for climate councils from around the world to share experiences, discuss common challenges and support one another in their work.
Mission and Objectives
The ICCN’s mission is to facilitate collaboration and mutual support between climate councils from around the world. The ICCN also aims to support the development of new climate councils as expert, evidence-led organisations to guide and oversee delivery of climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Terms of Reference
The Terms of Reference establish an agreed framework for participation and collective activity under the title of the International Climate Councils Network (ICCN). The ICCN itself focuses on both adaptation and mitigation, and will be inclusive, transparent and jointly owned by all participants. The Terms of Reference are intended to be non-burdensome and can be refined as the ICCN develops on an annual basis. Participation of Councils is on a voluntary basis.
The ICCN will provide a forum for:
- Exchanging methods and approaches to advising on and monitoring Government action to address climate change and its impacts.
- Sharing lessons learned from experiences in climate policy making and implementation.
- Exploring and undertaking joint research and analysis in support of common interests, including on related development considerations and outcomes.
- Identifying and promoting shared interests and/or principles on climate governance and the implementation of the Paris Agreement.
- Highlighting the role of Climate Councils in supporting effective climate policy development, including through supporting parties in introducing Climate Councils as part of climate governance frameworks.
Guiding principles for climate councils
A majority of councils have endorsed the following five principles as integral to enabling climate councils to fulfil their roles effectively:
- A robust grounding in the latest climate science, as exemplified by the assessments of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), supported by strong expertise across relevant economic, physical, ecological and social sciences
- A mandate to provide independent, evidence-led advice to and assessment of action by Government and stakeholders on climate mitigation and/or adaptation, with sufficient resources to deliver on that mandate
- A remit to produce advice on the socioeconomic aspects of the climate transition to ensure that it is procedurally and substantively fair
- A consultative and impartial approach to engaging stakeholders to help develop consensus and steer policy action, particularly in critical and/or challenging areas
- A sharp focus on strengthening and aligning adaptation, mitigation and just transition efforts, and improving their integration – all three are essential to effective climate action.