Non-state actors in global climate governance : Roles and reasons to participate

Sammanfattning

The operationalization of the Paris Agreement started in 2021 as the last details of its practical application were signed five years later during the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Simultaneously, there has been a substantial rise in participation in COPs. As Non-State Actors (NSAs) are increasingly involved in climate governance as observers, without any decisional power over negotiations, it is interesting to investigate their roles and motivations for attending COPs. This thesis explores the rationales for the important augmentation of participation by exploring the roles NSAs play in COPs and the reasons driving them to attend. Based on an analysis of surveys distributed at COP28 and interviews with COP28 participants, this thesis argues that the roles of NSAs have evolved accordingly with the different phases of the Paris Agreement. The results imply that the motivations to attend a COP go beyond the sole interest in the negotiations. Furthermore, the perception of the increase in participation highlights important challenges. This thesis is part of long-standing research on the role of non-state actors in environmental governance. It provides a comparison with existing research from the wake of the Paris Agreement. One main conclusion is that the dynamics of the roles of NSAs have evolved, being less centered on functionalist functions, now that the focus has shifted to implementation. Finally, this thesis proposes a reflection of the utility of COPs from a Non-State Actor’s perspective.