The evolution of the Global Climate Action Agenda - Implications for universities

An excerpt from an article by Stephen Davison, Director of Strategy Cambridge Zero, University of Cambridge  

Earlier in July, the UN Climate Champions published the 2025 Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action (MPGCA) Work Programme. If you missed it, you’re not alone – it was a busy month for climate policy wonks. In addition to the usual summer activity of COP logistics, accommodation planning, and side event applications, the document was released just before a landmark climate ruling from the International Court of Justice - so it’s understandable that attention was elsewhere.

The truth is, even people familiar with the COP process often aren’t 100% clear on what the Marrakech Partnership is or what it does, and how it fits into the many related initiatives in the international arena. And for those who are aware of it, the Partnership’s shifting mix of actors and activities can make it feel somewhat opaque.

But for those of us engaged in non-state climate action — including those working in or with the higher education sector — this document matters. It gives a sense of where the Champions are focusing their efforts, how non-state actors are expected to contribute to global goals, and where the opportunities lie for greater collaboration.

Currently, universities remain on the periphery of the Marrakech Partnership, with limited engagement at the leadership level. The 2025 Work Programme could provide an opportunity for greater involvement and impact. But realising this potential requires a clearer understanding of the sector’s broad contribution, more formalised recognition and integration within the Partnership framework.

The beginning of the partnership

The Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action (MPCA) is the formal UNFCCC framework that recognises, mobilises and supports climate action by non-state-actors (NSAs) – such as cities, businesses and civil society organisations. Its purpose is to create a structured link between the formal negotiations and immediate real-world action, helping to turn pledges into progress through collaboration, accountability, and visibility.

The Partnership itself was set up under the French COP21 Presidency in 2015 and developed by the Morocco COP22 Presidency in 2016 (hence the name). However, it is very much a child of the Lima Climate Action Agenda – a broad-based campaign launched at COP20 to showcase and mobilise climate action across the full spectrum of state and non-state actors. In fact, these landmark initiatives have a much longer backstory, with NSAs engaging and working with the UNFCCC since its very beginning, more than 30 years ago.

At COP21, the role of NSAs was formally recognised within the Paris deal, and the High-Level Champions (HLCs) created to provide leadership for this work area. Non-state actors played a crucial role in building the momentum that led to the Paris Agreement, and the Marrakech Partnership was designed to keep that momentum alive and convert it into action. In its early years it focused on showcasing initiatives, encouraging inclusive participation, and building coalitions across sectors and regions. Universities weren’t directly referenced, but education was included as a cross-cutting theme.