CAN reacts with shock to the exclusion of civil society representatives from IEA 50th Anniversary Ministerial

The IEA Ministerial started on the 13th of February, 2024, and runs for three days. CAN is calling out the lack of civil society representation at these events.

The IEA has failed to champion any voices from the environmental, climate or wider civil society movements for the multiple panels taking place over the three days. This is despite leaders acknowledging that without massive public support, a just energy transition will simply not happen. CAN represents over 1,900 organisations from 130 countries, we are part of the clean energy transition and our efforts to further climate action are essential to the process.

The participation of civil society in international forums related to the environment is a principle enshrined in international environmental governance and more than two thirds of IEA members have a legally binding obligation to promote public participation in forums dealing with environmentally related matters. We have written to the IEA and published the letter on our website which you can read in full here.

Tasneem Essop, Executive Director, Climate Action Network International: “A just energy transition aligned with the Paris Agreement and a 1.5 C pathway will not happen unless people’s voices, concerns and solutions are heard. It is shocking therefore that the IEA 50th Anniversary agenda gives no space to representatives from environmental civil society, social movements or trade unions from across the world and only includes the usual echo-chamber of voices from governments, business and technical experts. It is time that the IEA not only recognises the important role that civil society plays to address the climate crisis, but also puts this into action through creating the space to have our voices heard. It is the only way to address this crisis so that no one is left behind.”