About the Open Climate Network

Objectives

Serve as a credible, easily accessible source of information on national policies related to GHG mitigation, and on provision of climate finance
Encourage countries to implement low-carbon strategies by drawing attention to the link between GHG mitigation and economic positioning
Prepare key players, especially civil society groups, to participate actively and constructively in national debates around low-carbon growth and development

In order to tackle the threat of climate change, most countries have made high-level political commitments to reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and developed countries have pledged financing to help developing countries transition to low-carbon, climate-resilient development. While the relative ambition of these pledges varies widely, their effective implementation could begin to drive policy reforms that would help move countries toward a low-carbon future.

Catalyzed in part by these political commitments, dozens of countries are formulating domestic policies to address climate change, and billions of dollars are being earmarked for developing countries to fund an array of climate actions. Each country, however, operates under a unique set of political, social, economic, and environmental circumstances. Transparent, accessible, and nuanced information on country progress is hard to come by. How can we keep abreast of these developments and understand what they imply for countries’ ability to deliver on and ramp up their commitments? How can one country benefit from another’s experience? How can civil society contribute to the climate policy dialogue in an informed and meaningful way within this dynamic framework?

This is where the Open Climate Network comes in. The Open Climate Network (OCN) brings together independent research institutes and civil society groups from key countries to track and report on their countries’ progress toward addressing climate change. OCN operates with a view toward identifying and removing barriers to effective policy implementation, and we are committed to developing a robust analytical framework that can be applied consistently across countries, while respecting unique national circumstances.

The Open Climate Network Approach

Information provided through OCN will build a foundation for improved policy engagement and advocacy, and enhance accountability for effective policy implementation between and within countries on the path to a low-carbon future. The network is focusing its efforts on the following areas:

Engaging around Analysis

OCN’s approach centers on developing and deploying a set of tracking and assessment tools that will help stakeholders – including our partners and the civil society networks in their countries – raise the right questions about climate‐related policy design and implementation. These tools will generate nuanced, contextualized, independent, and peer‐reviewed assessments of climate policy and climate finance.

Formulating Research Modules

OCN is developing assessment frameworks in three modules: mitigation policy, low-carbon growth and competitiveness, and climate finance. An OCN partner in each country will apply the frameworks on a regular basis to track progress in each area. The assessments will undergo peer review to ensure that the results are credible and independent.

Deploying Assessment Reports

OCN’s first assessment report is planned for 2012. The report will analyze national progress on climate change goals in eight or more key countries, with a view toward “ground‐truthing” countries’ performance on implementing effective policies that contribute to the low‐carbon transition.

Improving Policy

Good information is not enough to improve policy – it must move policymakers to adopt better approaches. Many of our partners are trusted advisors to policymakers in their countries, and have the potential to reach them directly. Civil society can also have a powerful role in policy processes. That’s why OCN is coordinating with civil society networks that advocate on a range of issues, from forest conservation to labor to electricity policy.