A breakthrough for better climate change data
Faced with the urgency of building societies resilient to climate change, there is an increasing demand for data and its use to develop and implement effective climate actions
Over the last three years, PARIS21 has been working with countries to tackle the issue of climate change data. With each countries' climate change data producers diverse, and their needs for these data unique to each country, a tailored but systematic approach needed to be developed. With the launch of the Climate Change Data Ecosystems Framework and Toolkit, PARIS21 and a number of its partners made a breakthrough in developing a practical and workable approach to mapping and understanding climate change data, aligning this process with other strategic and planning processes.
How can better climate change data translate into better lives? Why advocacy matters
However, increasing the production of data alone will not change the way it is used to influence and improve decision making, and so PARIS21 is engaging non-government stakeholders on data discussions and increasing data literacy skills of civil society organisations (CSOs).
Addressing climate change challenges requires collaborative efforts between the government and the public. CSOs play a crucial role in this collaboration serving as a link between citizens and governments to ensure that climate action is both effective and responsive to the needs of the population.
The effective use of data by CSOs builds trust in official statistics and promotes a data-driven decision-making culture in the data ecosystem.
PARIS21 undertook CSO trainings in Senegal and Lesotho in 2024, and Dominican Republic and Jamaica in 2025 introducing data skills around climate change and climate action. The training will provide follow up one-on-one guidance and support to selected participants from the trainings to complete and implement the advocacy goals started in the workshop.
What did CSOs say about why the use climate change data?
Participants at the workshop learn how to access official data and integrate these to strengthen their messaging. They also learn how to improve how data are presented to enhance the campaign's impact and credibility.
Participants at the workshops came from diverse backgrounds, advocating for a range of issues including:
- Raising awareness about the waste management crisis contributing to the degradation of mangroves and advocating for stronger law enforcement action.
- Protecting the coral reefs by improving waste management practices that impact coral health.
- Enhancing water management and improving access to clean water.
- Highlighting the health effects caused by inadequate waste management, particularly in communities near dumpsites.
- Highlighting the health risks faced by communities, especially children, due to rising temperatures and stronger storms linked to climate change.
- The environmental and climate impact of material extraction targeting decision makers, mainly Ministry of Environment, municipal government, and neighborhood associations.
- Biodiversity loss due to wildfires.
- Raising awareness about the increasing presence of sargassum and its effects on marine biodiversity.
