Not a single European government currently pursues a climate policy compatible with the Paris Agreement's goal of keeping global temperature rise below 1.5 ºC by 2100. Yet, many European countries continue to present themselves as pioneers in climate protection.
In this session, we will cover methodologies that allow us to scrutinise and fact-check governmental claims about climate action. We will learn how to systematically investigate climate policies, and the governance systems they seek to influence. The speakers will present their methodologies for you to take home, and use in your next investigation. Speakers and participants will also discuss lessons-learned and challenges from developing, testing and sharing research methodologies.
The session will cover:1. Introduction to two methodologies for investigating climate policies and governance systems:
- The Climate Policy Gap, which aims to help us reveal the divide between governments' climate pledges and what they are actually doing, and quantify the under-reaction between diagnosis and government action;
- Follow the Governance (FTG), which aims to help us research and map, in a structured way, ownership of resources and infrastructure, actors and responsibilities, norms and established practices, and decision-making processes related to a given field or activity.
2. Suggestions and tips on applying these two methodologies for your own research
3. Discussion on developing, applying and sharing research methodologies, based on the examples presented in the session.