How do we transform our economies and societies for a climate safe world?
Our vision is for a climate community that moves through difficult political economy terrain with robust analysis, insight and tools, that cooperates through networks to build strategies and influence, and that acts powerfully to make smart, sustained interventions to create transformational change.
Our Approach
What Future Will We Shape Together?
Our Methodology
The Political Economy Mapping Methodology (PEMM) splits a country into three core components that cover the different dimensions of a country’s political economy: national conditions, political system and external dynamics.
The three core components are split into fourteen sub-components that provide an analytical framework for the research and a structure for communicating findings.
Over 280 indicators are compiled during an initial quantitative research phase. Qualitative desk-based research and extensive in-country interviews and testing are carried out to make sense of the data and to answer a range of political economy research questions across the sub-components. The PEMM allows us the ability to challenge assumptions and reach key judgements on critical issues through extensive review, stress-testing and collective assessment with in-country partners and stakeholders.
Example Research Questions
- How does the country position itself in the world?
- What are the country’s foreign policy priorities?
- How does the country engage with other countries?
Indicators
- Global Diplomacy Index
Rank - Soft Power Index
Rank - International Overseas Investment in Fossil Fuels
% - Official Development Aid (ODA) Contribution
% of gross national income
Example Research Questions
- What are the country’s international climate commitments?
- How does the country position itself within international climate negotiations?
- How aligned are climate diplomacy activities with domestic climate decision-making?
Indicators
- UNFCCC Party Type
Descriptive - UNFCCC Alliance
Descriptive - Paris Agreement Ratification
Year - GHG Emissions Reduction Target
% GHG reductions - UNFCCC Party Type
Descriptive - UNFCCC Alliance
Descriptive - Paris Agreement Ratification
Year - UNFCCC Alliance
Descriptive - Paris Agreement Ratification
Year - GHG Emissions Reduction Target
% GHG reductions
Example Research Questions
- What are the key dynamics and developments across the current government and key opposition parties?
- Who leads and what are their top priorities? What drives these priorities?
- What is the government’s position on climate change and/or the net zero transition?
Indicators
- Frequency of Government changes
Descriptive - Frequency of elections
Descriptive - Voter Turnout
% of population
Example Research Questions
- What kind of legal system do they have?
- What is the state of the rule of law and what factors have affected this?
- What accountability and transparency mechanisms are in place and how do these function in practice?
Indicators
- Corruption Perception
Score (100 = best) - Control of Corruption
Percentile rank (100 = best) - Government Effectiveness
Percentile rank (100 = best) - Political Stability & Absence of Violence & Terrorism
Percentile rank (100 = best) - Regulatory Quality
Percentile rank (100 = best) - Rule of Law
Percentile rank (100 = best) - Voice & Accountability
Percentile rank (100 = best) - Civic Space Index
Index - Rule of Law Index
Rank - Good Governance
Score - Sustainable Policies
Score - Governance Index
Rank - Environmental Ministry
Manual Ranking/Coding - Unitary or Federal System of Government
Manual Ranking/Coding - Proportional or Majoritarian Election System
Manual Ranking/Coding - Civil Service Effectiveness
Rank
Example Research Questions
- What is the balance of political engagement of high and low emissions industry within the economy?
- Which types of businesses or sectors are perceived as most valuable to the economy due to employment and/or GDP contribution?
- Are there political ties between low and high carbon businesses and the government? Is there an ability to organise/influence government? How do these actors operate, interact and negotiate their powers in practice?
Indicators
- Number of State-Owned Enterprises
Total Number - Value Added of State-Owned Enterprises
% of GDP - Number of Small & Medium Sized Enterprises
% of total - Value Added of Small & Medium Sized Enterprises
$GBP billions - Energy Intensive Industry Share of GDP
% of GDP
Example Research Questions
- What is the role of civil society, media and other non-state actors (e.g., academia, trade unions, faith organisations) in the political system?
- How is media characterised in terms of level of openness, independence and ownership?
- How developed is civil society and what is their role in determining the public narrative and influencing government policy more broadly and on climate?
Indicators
- Press Freedom Index
Rank - Green Party in Legislator
0 if not; 1 if in parliament - Right Wing Climate Denialist/Sceptic Populist Party in Legislator
1 if not; 1 if in parliament - Human Freedom Index
Rank - Freedom of Assembly
Score (10=best) - Government Censorship
Score (10=best) - Internet Censorship
Score (10=best) - Riots and Protests
Number of Events - Social Media Usage
% of internet users - Most Popular Social Network
Descriptive - Country Media Profile
Descriptive - Climate Litigation Cases
Descriptive - Civic Space Index
Index - Climate Protest Tracker
Descriptive
Example Research Questions
- What energy resources does the country have and how are they used?
- What are the country’s key energy security concerns and how is it responding?
- What capacity does the country have to withstand external shocks?
Indicators
- Energy Imports
% of total energy use - Coal Imports and Exports
Mtoe - Oil Imports and Exports
Mtoe - Gas Imports and Exports
Mtoe - Fossil Fuel Import Dependency
% of total energy imports - Electricity Imports and Exports
Ktoe - Biofuels and Waste Imports and Exports
Ktoe - Fossil Fuel Reserves
Million tonnes - Renewable Energy Potential
GW or DNI - Total Electricity Access
% of total population - Urban Electricity Access
% of urban population - Rural Electricity Access
% of rural population - Access to Clean Cooking Facilities
% of total population - Energy Trade Partners, Coal
Descriptive - Energy Trade Partners, Oil
Descriptive - Energy Trade Partners, Gas
Descriptive - Energy Trade Partners, Electricity
Descriptive - Energy Trade Partners, Biomass
Descriptive
Example Research Questions
- What progress has been made on the transition to a low carbon energy system?
- If a transition is taking place, how is it characterised in terms of focus areas, magnitude and direction?
- Are targets and policies supported by credible financing plans and delivery mechanisms?
Indicators
- RISE Sustainable Energy Index
score/ 100 - Energy Supply Carbon Intensity
t CO2/toe - Energy Intensity of the Economy
toe/ thousand 2015 USD - Renewable Energy Consumption
% of total energy consumption - Fossil Fuel Consumption
% of total energy consumption - Total Final Energy Consumption
Mtoe - Final Energy Consumption by Sector
Mtoe - Final Energy Consumption by Type
Mtoe - Total Primary Energy Production
Mtoe - Total Primary Energy Production by Type
Mtoe - Total Electricity Generation
GWh - Renewable Electricity Generation
GWh - Renewable Share of Electricity Generation
% of total electricity generation - Renewable Electricity Generation by Type
GWh - Total Fossil Fuel Electricity Generation
GWh - Fossil Fuel Share of Electricity Generation
% of total electricity generation - Fossil Fuel Electricity Generation by Type
GWh - Total Renewable Energy Capacity
MW - Total Renewable Energy Capacity by Type
MW - Total Coal Capacity
MW - Total Electric Vehicles Registration
Total, thousands - Electric Vehicles Market Share
% of total - Energy Research, Development and Demonstration (RD&D)
$US Billions - National Renewable Energy Target
% - Local Renewable Energy Targets
% - National Energy Efficiency Target
% - Renewable Energy Existing Employment
- Renewable Energy Projected Employment
- Fossil Fuel Existing Employment
- Fossil Fuel Projected Employment
- Government Fossil Fuel Subsidies
Example Research Questions
- What are the existing impacts of climate change and potential risks?
- How is the country responding to its climate vulnerability and is it sufficient?
- What are the social and security risks of climate impacts?
Indicators
- World Risk Index
Rank - Natural Disaster Risks
Descriptive - Natural Disasters Economic Losses
Average, US$ - Global Climate Risk Index
Rank - Climate Change Economic Losses
Total, US$ million - Total Migration Inflow
Total - Climate Change Impacts
Descriptive - Sectors at Risk of Climate Impacts
Descriptive - Recent Climate Events
Descriptive - Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) policies and plans
Descriptive - Climate policies and plans integrated within DRR
Descriptive - ND GAIN Country Index
Rank - Water Vulnerability Index
Score - Food Security Index
Score - Average Insurance Premium
Ratio
Example Research Questions
- How advanced are technology and innovation capabilities and how is this characterised?
- Are governance and regulatory institutions and frameworks in place that support the growth of low carbon tech and innovation?
- Does the country have a clean innovation strategy and how is approach to innovation integrated across government and economy?
Indicators
- High Technology Exports
% of manufactured exports - Patent Applications, Residents
Total - Trademark Applications, Direct Resident
Total - Global Intellectual Property Index
Rank - Global Innovation Index
Rank - ICT Service Exports
% of service exports, BoP - ICT Goods Exports
% of total goods exports - Individuals using the Internet
% of pop - Investment in ICT with Private Participation
Current US$ - Public Private Partnerships Investment in ICT
Current US$ - R&D Expenditure
% of GDP - Researchers in R&D
Number per million people - Scientific and Technical Journal Articles
Total - Top Ranking Education
Rank - University & Industry Research Collaboration
Rank - GERD Financed by Business Enterprise
% of GERD - Environment-related Technology Patents
Descriptive - Global Energy Innovation Index
Rank - Investment in Low Carbon Research & Development
Descriptive - Patent Publications by Technology
- Global Cities Leaders
Descriptive
Example Research Questions
- How developed is the finance sector and how important is it to the economy?
- Who are the key actors in the finance sector?
- How aligned is the finance sector with green and/or sustainable finance initiatives?
Indicators
- Financial Development Index
Rank - Finance and Insurance Value Added
% value added - Finance and Insurance Services Exports
% of commercial service exports - Country Credit Rating
(S&P) Rating - Soundness of Banks
Score (7 = best) - Non-Performing Loans
Ratio - External Debt Stock
Current $US - External Debt to Exports
% - Net Official Development Aid (ODA) Received and Provided
% of GNI - Foreign Direct Investment Net Inflows
% of GDP - Foreign Direct Investment Confidence
Rank - Foreign Direct Investment Restrictiveness
Score (0 = open, 1 = closed) - Stock Exchange Market Capitalisation
$USD – LSEG - Financial Centre Competitiveness
(London) Ranking - Financial Centre – Green Market Depth
Rank - Financial Centre – Green Market Quality
Rank - Stock Exchange GHG Disclosure
% - Financial Secrecy Index
Rank - Climate Aligned Bonds
$US Bn - Domestic Credit to Private Sector by Banks
% of GDP - Domestic Credit to Private Sector by Financial Sector
% of GDP - Firms using Banks to Finance Investment
% of firms - Loans Portfolio Carbon Intensity
TonsCO2/millionUS$ - UNPRI Signatories
Number of signatories - Estimated Value of Government Fossil Fuel Subsidies
% of GDP - Foreign Direct Investment in Fossil Fuels
- Net Zero Investment Gap
- Private Fossil Fuel Investment
- Private Renewable Energy Investment
- Public Renewable Energy Investment
- Private Credit Relative to GDP
% of GDP - Total Non-Bank Financial Institutions Assets to GDP
% of GDP - Outstanding Volume of Private Debt Securities to GDP
% of GDP - GDP Change over 5 Year Period
% - Government Revenue
% of GDP - Government Expenditure
% of GDP - Primary Balance
% of GDP - Fiscal Balance
% of GDP - Public Debt Ratio
% of GDP - External Debt
% of GDP - External Reserves
Months of imports
Example Research Questions
- How are public goods and services perceived in the country and what does the public value most?
- Which issues are the public most concerned about? What issues spur protest?
- How much is public spending on key public goods and services (e.g., social benefits, health, education, etc.)?
Indicators
- Central Government expenditure
% GDP - Total Health Expenditure
% GDP - Government Health Expenditure
% GDP - Life Expectancy
Years - Government Education Spending
% GDP - Literacy Rate
% of 15+ years - Basic Drinking Water Service Provision
% population - Safely Managed Drinking Water Services
% population - Safely Managed Sanitation Services
% population - Water Quality Satisfaction
% of population - Air Pollution
% pop exposed - Climate Change Perception
% of respondents - Trust in Government
Ratio - Social Capital
- Governmental Environmental Protection Spending
% of GDP
Example Research Questions
- How is the economy characterised? What is the structure of the economy and what is the role of primary, secondary and tertiary industry?
- Which industries or sectors are perceived as the most valuable to the economy due to employment, trade and GDP contribution?
- Does the country have a clean growth strategy for industry and how robust are these plans?
Indicators
- Export Share of GDP
% of GDP - Import Share of GDP
% of GDP - Top 3 Exports
Descriptive - Top 3 Imports
Descriptive - Trade in Services
% of GDP - Manufacturing Exports
% of total merchandise exports - High Technology Exports
% of manufactured exports - Ore and Metals Exports
% of merchandise exports - Agricultural Raw Materials Exports
% of merchandise exports - Agricultural Export Value
$US (in billions) - CO2 Emissions Embodied in International Trade
Various - Trade in Value Added
Various - Services Share of GDP
% of GDP - Industry Share of GDP
% of GDP - Manufacturing share of GDP
% of GDP - Chemicals Share of Manufacturing Value Added
% of GDP - Employment Share of Agriculture
% of Total Employment - Employment Share of Industry
% of Total Employment - Global Competitiveness Index
Rank - Industrial Recycling
To be inserted - Secondary Steel Production
To be inserted - Overall Recycling Rate
To be inserted - Municipal Waste
Tonnes, thousands - Food Waste
To be inserted - Industrial Waste
To be inserted - Co2 Emissions Embodied in Domestic Final Demand
To be inserted - Trade in Environmental Goods
To be inserted - UNPRI Signatories
Number of Signatories - Government Fossil Fuel Subsidies (explicit and implicit)
% of GDP - Foreign Direct Investment in Fossil Fuels
To be inserted - Co2 Emissions in Value Added
To be inserted - Co2 Emissions in Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF) (already included elsewhere?)
To be inserted
Example Research Questions
- What are the land and marine use trends and what drives these?
- What is the extent of land-centred development?
- How exploited are natural resources? What factors drive this and what have been the core impacts?
Indicators
- Land Area
Square km - Agricultural Land Area
Square km - Forest Land Area
Square km - Primary Forest
Square km - Planted Forest
Square km - Cropland
Square km - Land Under Permanent Meadows and Pastures
Square km - Agricultural Area under Organic Agriculture
Square km - Carbon Stock in Living Biomass Forest Land
Million tonnes - Soil Quality
% in weight - Fertiliser Consumption
kilograms per ha of arable land - Pesticide Use
Tonnes - Forest Loss
Hectares (thousands) - Forest Gain
Hectares (thousands) - Agricultural Water Withdraw
% of total water withdrawl - Water Stress
% - Number of Protected Areas
Total - Protected Terrestrial Areas
% of total land - Protected Marine Areas
% of territorial waters - Threatened Animal Species
Total - Threatened Plants Species
Total - Meat Consumption per Capita
kg/capita - Seafood Consumption per Capita
kg/capita - Total Fisheries Production
Metric tons - Aquaculture Production
Metric tons - Capture Fisheries Production
Metric tons - Ocean Health
Rank - Global Coral Reef Share
% of world total - Adult Population who Feel Insecure in their Land and Property
% - Global Food Security Index
Rank
In some cases, indicators shown here are umbrella indicators that cover several additional indicators in the methodology, which are not all visible in the graphic.
Turning Analysis Into Actions
How to Use Political Economy Analysis
Galvanising Partners to Build Strategies for a Climate-Safe World
The Climate Transformation Hub’s online platform provides the climate community with political economy analysis on countries that must be key sites of action if we are to secure a climate safe world. Through access to up-to-date climate focused political economy insights, the climate community can develop and implement better strategies for climate action and secure stronger outcomes. We work with partners to connect analysis to action, convene key coalitions and actors, and identify critical interventions for transformative change.
Building Spheres of Influence and Impact
The Hub scales strategic support to key decision makers and influencers by providing a targeted briefing and advice service to better inform government, diplomatic and institutional action to secure climate cooperation and change. It is a source of thought leadership, insight and debate around key political economy issues in the context of climate action.
Growing Capability, Networks and Learning
The hub helps to embed political economy analysis capacity across its network and through its community of practice by sharing lessons with and between partners, and equipping them with the necessary tools for effective research and action. Our online knowledge platform is a hub of key resources and training materials.
We are leading the transitions required for a climate-safe world and building a global climate community to influence transformational climate action.
Get Involved
Training
The PEMM training package provides a roadmap for undertaking political economy analysis of the climate transition, illustrating how analysis is conducted and the subsequent outputs that can be created. Case studies provide real-world examples of how political economy analysis has fed into engagement and coalition building. For more information on training, please contact us below.