Empowering change: implementation of civil society climate actions in Southeast Asia

Civil society organizations (CSOs) – including non-governmental organizations, charities, youth groups, local communities, and indigenous peoples – play a unique role in advancing climate action at all levels. This study systematically examines the implementation of CSO climate actions across ten Southeast Asian countries, leveraging a unique and comprehensive data repository. Drawing on theoretical and empirical insights from civil society and non-state climate action literature, we analyze CSOs’ climate strategy priorities (mitigation vs. adaptation), geographic distribution, implementation mechanisms, and programme delivery. Additionally, we assess their collaborations with the public and private sectors and their receipt of government funding. Our analysis yields three important findings. First, CSO climate actions generally align with the national climate strategies and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) of the countries in which they operate. Second, despite this alignment, there is a notable gap in implementation: efforts are predominantly advocacy-oriented, with a considerable deficiency in direct programme delivery. This gap is often due to limited organizational capacity and fundraising challenges. Third, CSOs tend to engage more with businesses than with government entities on climate initiatives, possibly because of limited state capacities. By examining CSOs climate actions in a vulnerable yet understudied region, this research enhances our global understanding of non-state climate efforts. The findings can help refine CSO strategies in the region, inform more effective policy design, and facilitate greater business involvement and cross-sector collaboration in Southeast Asia’s climate policymaking.