Policy Proposals

Policy proposals serve as a backbone for the energy transition, and are developed, lobbied for or against, and modified by many stakeholders before the policy is passed or declined by decision-makers in government. From the local to international level, governments have already or are being pushed to adopt policies to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Due to the complexity of climate change, there are many possible policy options with different costs, benefits, and time-frames. Understanding how policy options are developed is important for members of the public, and for young people in particular, as influencing the policy development process can be one of the most effective ways to take action to transform the energy system.

Policy proposals typically consist of a written document, of varying complexity. Despite common misconceptions that policy documents are all complex and lengthy, there are many examples of short proposals that still spark widespread discussion and carry significant political weight. (For example, the Green New Deal Resolution proposed in the United States is a proposal that is under 15 pages long.) ¹

A policy proposal is the realization and quantification of political ambition via time-bound milestones. The International Centre for Policy Advocacy (ICPA), a non-profit focused on capacity building of young policy advocates and researchers, defines a policy proposal as a document that “details the rationale for and a proposed approach to the investigation of a specific policy problem”. Here are some of the key elements a policy proposal often contains: ²

• An outline of what the policy is, its scope (geographic reach, time-frame, actors it will impact)
• A synthesis of the research and evidence that supports the policy outline and intended impact
• A synthesis of the consultation and engagement process, or evidence of widespread public support, that prove that the policy is timely and necessary
• Sometimes, policy proposals include several alternative policy options in addition to the main recommendation

Public participation in the formation of policy proposals

A policy proposal is officially announced or released by the governing party or cabinet in the government of a democratic nation; however, it is not legally binding at that stage. It is a specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time-bound and—most importantly— inclusive set of suggestions or guidelines for drafting of a future legislation or a law. It usually invites public consultation prior to its passage as a bill or translation into a law. This is where we can participate and voice out our perspective. Feedback from the general public, hence, plays a crucial role in the crystallization of a law from a policy proposal. It upholds the spirit of participatory governance.

Other reasons policy proposals may be developed:

• Reactions to civil society protests to reassert legitimacy of the government.
• Fiscal motivation for the private sector and foreign investors to invest in development and implementation of renewable energy technologies or breakthrough technologies that pave the way for decarbonization.
• A ‘first-mover advantage’ against other countries at policy advocacy forums such as the Climate Action Summit 2019 in New York, USA and the COP25 in Madrid, Spain.
• Pathways for potential strategic partnerships or cooperation agreements with other countries, and thereby deterministic of the country’s foreign policy: in this case climate diplomacy.

In the context of climate change, policy proposals can act as stepping stones for political ambition to legalize an institutional framework that would accelerate the energy transition. ³

Most policy proposals are documents that seek to strengthen existing frameworks towards fulfilling political ambition through consideration of various factors. Policy proposals are thus litmus tests to measure the respective government’s commitments at the national and global level.