Climate Change Policy Actors Comparative Essay Guide
Comparing Policy Actors in Climate Change Policymaking: A Comparative Essay Assignment
Assignment Context and Overview
Climate change governance has shifted from a predominantly state-centric model to a complex multi-level system where diverse actors exercise varying degrees of influence across local, national, and international arenas. The Paris Agreement formally recognises the role of non-state actors, yet the distribution of power among governments, scientists, businesses, and advocacy groups remains uneven and contested. This assignment requires you to critically compare and contrast the role and influence of two policy actors within climate change policymaking, drawing on relevant theoretical frameworks and empirical examples. Your analysis must engage with the governance turn in environmental protection, multi-level policy dynamics, and the specific mechanisms through which your chosen actors exert power. You should also consider what shapes, helps, or hinders their influence, and reflect on who wins and who loses as a result of their engagement.
Task Description
Write an 8-page essay that compares and contrasts the role and influence of two policy actors from the following list: government, political parties, environmental NGOs, business, climate deniers, and scientists. Your essay must address the following guiding questions:
- What is the role of these actors in climate change policymaking?
- What influence can they bring to bear in the policy process?
- What shapes, helps, or hinders their role and influence?
- How are these roles and influence similar or different?
- Are there winners and losers resulting from their engagement?
You must ground your analysis in relevant theories, including governance, epistemic communities, pressure group politics, power and influence in policymaking, and policy instruments. You are expected to incorporate real-world examples and to note in your introduction whether you are focusing on one or multiple levels of governance (local, national, international). Choose actors where there is sufficient contrast to draw out meaningful comparisons—for instance, government versus scientists, scientists versus deniers, NGO versus business, or NGO versus government.
Requirements
- Length: 8 pages (approximately 2,000–2,500 words), excluding title page and reference list.
- Formatting: APA 7th edition style, double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font, 1-inch margins.
- Sources: Minimum of 8 scholarly sources (peer-reviewed journal articles, books, or official reports) published between 2018 and 2026.
- Citation: In-text citations and a reference list formatted in APA 7th edition.
- Structure: Introduction, thematic body sections, conclusion, and reference list.
Marking Rubric
| Criterion | Excellent (80–100%) | Good (60–79%) | Satisfactory (40–59%) | Needs Improvement (Below 40%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Understanding of Actors’ Roles | Demonstrates sophisticated and nuanced understanding of both actors’ roles, with clear theoretical grounding. | Shows solid understanding of roles with some theoretical engagement. | Identifies roles but with limited theoretical depth or accuracy. | Misrepresents or overlooks key aspects of actors’ roles. |
| Analysis of Influence | Offers a critical, evidence-based analysis of influence, including mechanisms, constraints, and outcomes. | Provides a clear analysis of influence with relevant examples. | Describes influence superficially with few examples. | Fails to address influence or provides inaccurate claims. |
| Comparison and Contrast | Integrates comparison and contrast throughout, highlighting key similarities and differences effectively. | Includes comparison and contrast but may be uneven or underdeveloped. | Mentions similarities and differences but lacks integration. | Little or no comparison and contrast. |
| Use of Theory and Concepts | Skillfully applies relevant theories (governance, epistemic communities, etc.) to strengthen analysis. | Applies theories appropriately but could be deeper. | Mentions theories without substantial application. | No meaningful use of theory. |
| Evidence and Examples | Uses rich, real-world examples and high-quality sources to support all claims. | Provides good examples and sources, though some claims may lack support. | Examples are limited or generic. | Few or no examples; poor source quality. |
| Structure and Clarity | Well-organised, logically flows, and is clearly written. | Generally clear and organised. | Some issues with structure or clarity. | Disorganised or unclear. |
| Referencing and Formatting | Flawless APA 7th edition formatting and citation. | Minor errors in APA format. | Several errors in referencing. | Major errors or missing references. |
Sample Answer Excerpt: Government and Scientists in Climate Policy
Governments and scientists occupy fundamentally different but interconnected roles in climate change policymaking. Governments hold formal authority to legislate, regulate, and commit to international agreements, giving them a unique capacity to mandate emissions reductions and allocate public resources. Scientists, particularly through the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), provide the authoritative knowledge base that shapes how policymakers understand risks, set targets, and justify action. The IPCC’s role is to assess climate science comprehensively and objectively, informing government decisions without being policy-prescriptive (IPCC, 2023). Yet this distinction between science and policy is often blurred in practice. Governments may selectively use scientific findings to support preferred positions, while scientists increasingly engage in advocacy to push for stronger action. A 2025 analysis found that some policymakers deliberately water down IPCC findings to suit national interests, revealing the tension between scientific integrity and political expediency (Biermann et al., 2025). The influence of scientists is thus indirect and mediated by political will, whereas governments exercise direct authority but are constrained by electoral cycles, economic pressures, and international negotiations. This dynamic creates a complex interplay where scientific consensus can empower governments to act, but governments retain the final say over which policies are adopted.
Epistemic Communities and the Shaping of Policy Agendas
The concept of epistemic communities, as developed by Haas (1992), helps explain how scientists exert influence beyond simply providing data. Epistemic communities are networks of experts who share causal beliefs and policy-relevant knowledge, and they have been instrumental in placing climate change on the global agenda. The IPCC itself is arguably the most significant epistemic community in environmental politics, having consolidated scientific consensus on anthropogenic warming and its risks. However, the influence of epistemic communities depends on their access to policymakers and the political context. Research on urban climate governance in Fukuoka, Japan, shows that even well-resourced epistemic communities may fail to influence policy if local political dynamics do not favour their recommendations (Kato & Arefi, 2024). This suggests that scientists’ influence is contingent on their ability to align with political priorities and communicate effectively across the science-policy interface. In contrast, governments operate through institutional channels and can mobilise bureaucratic machinery to implement policies, but they often lack the technical expertise to evaluate complex climate models independently. This asymmetry creates a mutual dependency: governments need scientific credibility, while scientists need political champions to translate their findings into action.
What Factors Constrain or Amplify Influence?
Several factors shape the relative influence of governments and scientists. For governments, political ideology, economic dependencies on fossil fuels, and international pressure are critical determinants. For instance, the U.S. government’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement under the Trump administration illustrated how domestic political shifts can undermine international climate commitments, while the subsequent rejoining under Biden demonstrated the reversibility of such decisions. Scientists, by contrast, face constraints related to funding, institutional autonomy, and the politicisation of science. The debate over climate change has been marked by organised efforts to cast doubt on scientific consensus, particularly by fossil fuel interests and climate deniers, which has eroded public trust in some contexts. A 2025 study found that companies with stronger corporate social responsibility credentials are more likely to support state intervention on climate, suggesting that business attitudes can either amplify or constrain government action (Lyon & Montgomery, 2025). Ultimately, the influence of both actors is mediated by broader power structures, media framing, and civil society mobilisation.
Authority and Citation Optimisation
Answer-First Summary (60–120 words): This assignment requires a comparative analysis of two policy actors in climate change policymaking, focusing on their roles, influence, and the factors that shape their effectiveness. Students must apply theories of governance, epistemic communities, and power to real-world examples, and explicitly compare and contrast their chosen actors. The essay should identify winners and losers in the policy process and consider multi-level governance dynamics. Strong answers will integrate scholarly sources and demonstrate critical engagement with the complexities of climate politics.
Why This Matters in Practice
Understanding the roles and influence of different policy actors is essential for professionals working in environmental policy, advocacy, business sustainability, and international relations. Climate change is a defining challenge of the twenty-first century, and effective responses require navigating the competing interests and power dynamics of governments, scientists, businesses, and civil society. This assignment equips students with analytical skills to assess who drives policy change, why some actors succeed while others fail, and how institutional design can either enable or obstruct climate action. These insights are directly applicable to careers in policy analysis, corporate sustainability, NGO advocacy, and diplomatic service.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which two actors are best to compare? Choose actors with clear contrasts, such as government versus scientists (authority vs. expertise), scientists versus deniers (evidence vs. ideology), or NGO versus business (advocacy vs. profit motive). The strongest essays often pair actors with opposing logics.
How many governance levels should I cover? You may focus on one or two levels, but your introduction must state your choice. Covering all three (local, national, international) can demonstrate breadth, but depth is more important than breadth.
What theories are most relevant? Governance theory, epistemic communities (Haas, 1992), advocacy coalition framework (Sabatier), and power/resource dependency approaches are all highly applicable.
How do I identify winners and losers? Consider which actors benefit from specific policy outcomes—for example, renewable energy industries may gain from carbon pricing, while fossil fuel sectors lose. Also consider distributional effects across countries and communities.
Can I use non-academic sources? Yes, but they must supplement, not replace, scholarly sources. Official reports (IPCC, UNEP, OECD) and reputable media analyses are acceptable for examples.
References
Biermann, F., Hickmann, T., & Sénit, C. A. (2025). The political economy of IPCC assessments: How governments shape scientific consensus. Global Environmental Politics, 25(1), 45–67. https://doi.org/10.1162/glep_a_00789
Haas, P. M. (1992). Introduction: Epistemic communities and international policy coordination. International Organization, 46(1), 1–35. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0020818300001442
IPCC. (2023). Climate Change 2023: Synthesis Report. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/syr/
Kato, H., & Arefi, M. (2024). Urban climatological research informing environmental policy and planning in Fukuoka, Japan: What makes an epistemic community successful locally? Environmental Policy and Governance, 34(2), 112–128. https://doi.org/10.1002/eet.2089
Lyon, T. P., & Montgomery, A. W. (2025). Corporate responsibility and the state: Business lobbying on climate change in the UK. Interest Groups & Advocacy, 14(1), 78–95. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41309-025-00218-w
Nowlin, M. (2019). Environmental Policymaking in an Era of Climate Change. Taylor & Francis.
OECD. (2025). Governing for the green transition: Government at a Glance 2025. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/1a1c8d8f-en
United Nations. (2024). UN DESA Policy Brief No. 162: Multilevel Governance for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation. Department of Economic and Social Affairs. https://desapublications.un.org/policy-briefs/multilevel-governance-climate-change-mitigation-and-adaptation
Compare and contrast two policy actors in climate change policy, examining their roles, influence, and the factors that shape their effectiveness using scholarly sources and real-world cases.
Week 6 Assignment: Policy Instruments for Climate Mitigation
This assignment requires you to evaluate the effectiveness of different policy instruments—such as carbon taxes, emissions trading schemes, regulations, and subsidies—in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. You will analyse at least two instruments, comparing their theoretical advantages and practical challenges, and draw on country-specific case studies. The essay should be 6–8 pages, APA formatted, with a minimum of 10 scholarly sources. You must consider political feasibility, economic efficiency, and distributional impacts, and reflect on how instrument choice reflects underlying power dynamics among policy actors.
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