Discreetly Tackling Climate Action Through Earth Diplomacy

Jan 30, 2023 | Gabriel Gomes Couto
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The window of opportunity for humanity to prevent major climate disasters is rapidly closing, and the multilateral system is not responding quickly enough. Multilateralism is doing what it is equipped to do: negotiate global agreements that reflect the intentions and limitations of 198 parties (197 national states and the European Union).

Looking for alternatives in parallel to this system, can private diplomacy help unlock alternative pathways for concrete, urgent climate action? 

Private diplomacy is the mediation or facilitation support provided by actors who do not represent states or governmental organisations, such as the United Nations. The Geneva-based Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD) is a quintessential example of a private diplomacy actor. An independent non-governmental organisation, HD has helped solve armed conflicts in some of the world’s most complex environments. The key goal of private diplomacy is to go where governments and governmental organisations cannot reach for political complexities or mandate limitations.