NGLS’s Civil Society Observer aims to keep readers informed of developments and specific topics related to NGOs and civil society, whether it be through the media; academic and scholarly discourse; civil society position papers or statements at multilateral meetings or events; or analysis and research originating from civil society.

From 29 November to 10 December, the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP16) took place in Cancun, Mexico. The Conference closed with the adoption of the “Cancun Agreements.”

Below is an overview of various reactions from civil society, think tanks and academia on the Cancun Agreements. For a more extended overview, read the article “Civil society’s response to the Cancun Agreements.”

Reflections on the Cancun Agreements

World Resources Institute (WRI), December 2010, by Jennifer Morgan

In this paper, WRI analyzes some of the overarching dynamics that allowed for progress in Cancun, and evaluates the Cancun Agreements.

The working paper can be found here.

Global climate deal in reach with Cancun outcome

WWF, 11 December 2010

In this statement, WWF expresses optimism with the Cancun outcome. It has rebuilt trust; set a process in motion for a second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol; advanced agreement on a set of rules for the measurement, reporting and verification of emission reductions and finance; led to the establishment of an adaptation committee and a new global “green fund” and made progress on REDD+.

More information is available here.

Cancun Climate Talks – Keeping Options Open to Close the Gap

Climate Action Tracker, briefing paper, advance version, 11 December 2010, by Claudine Chen, Bill Hare, Markus Hagemann, Niklas Höhne, Sara Moltmann, Michiel Schaeffer

This briefing paper underlines that after Cancun, countries’ emission reduction pledges still fall short and will not limit global warming to 2°C and 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Even if all countries would implement their reduction pledges, a “reduction gap” remains of 8 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year by 2020.

The briefing paper is available here.

Reaction to the Climate Talks in Cancun

Friends of the Earth US, 11 December 2010

In their press statement, Friends of the Earth US acknowledges that progress was made in Cancun, but notes that the Cancun Agreements fall short on curbing climate pollution; in providing sufficient funding to developing countries to help them transition to clean economies and respond to climate change impacts; and in moving forward on a second Kyoto Protocol.

More information is available here.

Cancun Climate Agreements: Taking Great Strides for Women’s Rights and Gender Equality

Women’s Environment & Development Organization (WEDO), December 2010

WEDO analyzes the Cancun Agreements from a gender perspective. It finds that the agreements recognize “women and gender equality as integral to effective actions to mitigate and adapt to climate change.”

More information is available here.

Women Can, Men Can’t?

GenderCC, 11 December 2010

Although pleased with the women and gender refences in the texts of the Cancun Agreements, GenderCC, in their press statement, cautions that “the presence of references have not enjoyed a sense of permanence in the whole process, except for boxing women under the umbrella of ‘vulnerable groups.’ In other words, there is hardly progress in the way women and gender have been championed and integrated by parties.”

More information can we found here.

Cancun Declaration

Civil society declaration, 14 December 2010

Simultaneous to the Climate Change Conference, peoples’ organizations from throughout the global South convened the “South-South Summit on Climate Justice and Finance” in Cancun, Mexico. It resulted in the Cancun Declaration, which calls for justice; systematic change away from market mechanisms; appropriate climate finance; and recognition of the agreements made in the Cochabamba Peoples´ Summit on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth.

The declaration is available here.

Cancun Agreement stripped bare by Bolivia’s dissent

Transnational Institute, December 2010

In this article, Transnational Institute compares Bolivia’s dissent with the Cancun Agreements to Hans Christian Anderson’s fable, The Emperor’s New Clothes, and stipulates that Bolivia is the only country that dared to speak up and say the truth. It analyzes whether the Cancun Agreements are based on realism by science or on realism by the powerful.

The article is available here.

Cancún Betrayal: UNFCCC Unmasked as WTO of the Sky

Indigenous Environmental Network, Statement, 12 December 2010

This critical statement notes that the Cancun Agreements only support climate mitigation strategies motivated by profit– and therefore violate human, indigenous and environmental rights.

The statement is available here.

Further reading:

* The Cancun agreement on REDD: Four questions and four answers – REDD-Monitor, 18 December 2010, Chris Lang

* Climate: 5 Lessons from the U.N. Cancún Climate Summit – Time, Ecocentric Blog, 11 December 2010, by Brian Walsch

* Did Cancun Prove the UN Irrelevant in Tackling Climate? – Yale Environment 360, Opinion Piece, 16 December 2010, by Fred Pearce

* Cancun Agreements’ emerge from COP16 talks – experts respond – Science Media Centre, 13 December 2010

* The Cancun Agreements: A Modest Outcome That Saves The U.N. Climate Process – The Santiago Times, 13 December 2010, by Miguel Fredes

This section aims to demonstrate how the international press reflects opinions, work, achievements and challenges faced by civil society organizations, and to also highlight “global civil society.”

Helen Beckett: Charities need to find better ways to tell \'good news\' stories

Guardian Professional, 17 December 2010, Helen Beckett

In this article, Helen Beckett reacts to a claim made by Martyn Lewis, NCVO Chair, that the media ignores the voluntary sector. She argues that the media is not to blame for this situation. On the contrary, the charity sector should increase efforts to make their voices heard and be more realistic about the media climate in which it operates, she says.

The article is available here.

NGOs and civil society: the way forward

The Malta Independent Online, 29 November 2010, by Josie Muscat

In this article, Josie Muscat reflects on the role of civil society as a third force that can balance the power of the State and of economic interests.

The article is available here.

The power of philanthropy to drive social change

BIZCommunity.com, 17 November 2010, by Shelagh Gastrow

This article notes that a growing number of “philantro-capitalists” is using their wealth for good causes. The author raises critical questions, such as whether this development will change the nature of philanthropy into a “power game that mirrors the values of the market.” More specifically, with a focus on South Africa, the author questions how South Africa can support a growth in philanthropy at all levels, to support its civil society.

The article is available here.

This section includes statements and position papers from civil society regarding multilateralism and covers differing views on the relation between multilateral institutions and civil society organizations.

Dublin Statement on the Process of Strengthening the United Nations Human Rights Treaty Body System: Response by non-governmental organizations

November 2010

As a follow-up to the Dublin Statement on the Process of Strengthening the United Nations Human Rights Treaty Body System (November 2009), this jointly produced civil society paper presents recommendations for further reform and strengthening of human rights treaty bodies, including for the UN Office of the High-Representative for Human Rights (OHCRH) and UN Member States.

The paper is available here.

Executive Director advocacy toolkit

Bank Information Center (BIC), 16 December 2010, by Sara Bedy

This guide provides strategies for civil society actors to engage and build relationships with the World Bank\'s Executive Directors, and includes specific advocacy techniques; and best practices for optimizing outcomes in controversial or tense situations.

The guide can be accessed here.

Statement from the 2010 Africa Feminist Forum on UN Women

2010 African Feminist Forum, 10 December 2010

In this statement, African women feminists and activists call upon the UN Secretary-General and the leadership of UN Women to ensure a quick creation of the institution; to define its engagement with different stakeholders; to take into account African women’s experiences; to ensure a fair representation of African Women within the entitity as well as in regional structures; and to support and provide resources to African women’s organizations.

More information is available here.

Good substance, bad politics: the row over 1325

OpenDemocracy, 15 October 2010, by Lyric Thompson

This opinion piece critically analyzes why the UN Security Council did not endorse the UN Secretary-General’s report on Women’s Participation in Peacebuilding. It also looks at how UN entities have addressed the issue.

More information is available here.

TRENDS AND DEBATES

Trends and Debates focuses on academic publications on civil society issues that are (freely) available online.

The Legal Framework for Volunteerism: Ten Years After International Year of Volunteers 2001

The International Center for Not-for-Profit-Law (ICNL), Global Trends in NGO Law, Volume 2, Issue 1, December 2010

Building on the report Laws and Policies Affecting Volunteerism Since 2001, this issue of Global Trends in NGO Law analyzes “the major international trends and lessons learned in the development of supportive volunteerism policies and legislation over the past decade.”

The report is available here.

Voices of dissent: activists’ engagements in the creation of alternative, autonomous, radical and independent media

Interface, Volume 2, Issue 2, November 2010

This issue of Interface examines how political activists are using alternative media in different media environments.

More information is available here.

Participation for What: Social Change or Social Control?

International Institute for Social Studies (ISS) and Hivos, 2010, by Georgina M Gómez, Ariane A. Corradi, Pedro Goulart and Rose Namara (eds)

This publication contains seven case studies from across the globe that all question participatory processes and practices in development. Key questions include: Who participates? For what? And how?

The publication is available here.

This section highlights new research reports produced by civil society organizations themselves that address global issues.

Global Corruption Barometer 2010 Report

Transparency International (TI), December 2010

This seventh edition of Transparency International’s Global Corruption Barometer, based on an extensive cross-country survey, features the general public’s views on and experiences of corruption levels in their country and their government’s efforts to fight corruption. It also addresses the frequency of bribery, reasons for paying a bribe in the past year, and attitudes towards reporting incidents of corruption.

More information is available here.

Meeting the Challenge: Protecting Civilians through the Convention on Cluster Munitions

Human Rights Watch, 22 November 2010

This publication draws on a decade of Human Rights Watch\'s field investigations to document the burdens cluster munitions impose on civilians. It shows the humanitarian impact of cluster munitions; examines the international process that resulted in the treaty successfully banning them, and recommends further steps for nations that have signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

The publications is available here.

Civil Society: The Clampdown is Real! – Global Trends 2009-2010

CIVICUS, December 2010, by Mandeep Tiwana and Netsanet Belay

“This synthesis report highlights the pressing global crisis of shrinking civil society space which began soon after 9/11 and appears to have reached its peak in 2009 and 2010. It illustrates key cases and major trends in 2009 and 2010, providing conclusive evidence that hard fought civil liberties attained in the latter half of the twentieth century are being seriously eroded.”

The report is available here.

Poor People’s Energy Outlook 2010

Practical Action, December 2010

This report finds that today, half the world’s population have still no access to modern energy. To fight this injustice, it introduces the concept of “total energy access” as a minimum standard of energy access that needs to be in place for essentials such as cooking, lighting, healthcare, livelihoods and education. It further calls upon governments, civil society and the private sector to strengthen their collaboration and to create universal energy access by 2030.

The report is available here.

Designing a World That Works for All – How the Youth of the World are Creating Real-World Solutions for the UN Millennium Development Goals and Beyond

Design Science Lab, November 2010

This book presents solutions and strategies, developed over a period of five years (2005-2010) by hundreds of young people from five continents and 35 countries, to address the most pressing problems in the world, such as food security, access to water, education, and health services; the use of clean energy; and fair economic and sustainable systems.

More information is available here.

The World Giving Index 2010

Charities Aid Foundation, September 2010

The “World Giving Index” examines charitable behaviour (giving money, giving time and helping a stranger) across the world and has been developed with data from Gallup’s Worldview World Poll.

More information is available here.