How do civil society organizations influence climate change politics? Evidence from India, Indonesia, and Finland

Bibliographic Data

ID12890935
AuthorsEeva Luhtakallio (0000-0002-8883-5672, University of Helsinki, corresponding author), Tuomas Ylä-Anttila (0000-0002-6908-3495, University of Helsinki), A Lounela (0000-0002-8903-1983, University of Helsinki)
Year2022
Volume18
Issue4
Pages410-432
Publication date2022-10-02
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Civil Society (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1744-8689 • E-ISSN: 1744-8697
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/17448689.2022.2164026
OpenAlexW4319791167
LanguageEN
Citations received8
References cited63

In this article, the efforts of civil society organizations to influence climate change policymaking in three countries with very different traditions of democratic decision making are compared: in a newly developed democracy (Indonesia), in an established democracy in the Global South (India), and in an established democracy in the Global North with an exceptionally strong civil society (Finland). The empirical material consists of 57 in-depth interviews with Civil Society Organization (CSO) representatives. The following three arguments about CSO influence in climate change politics are made: (1) the nation-state is an important avenue of influence for most CSOs, alongside global institutions; (2) CSOs influence states through specific contact points, rather than by challenging the state as a uniform entity; and (3) CSO actors’ perception of influence in climate politics may be stronger where state capacity is weaker, rather than where civil society itself is strong

Civil society · Climate change · Democracy · Development economics · Economics · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Sociology · State (computer science · Electoral Systems and Political Participation · Law · Public Administration · Religion, Society, and Development · Sustainability and Climate Change Governance