Engaging effectively in climate diplomacy: policy pointers from the Gambia

This policy brief outlines best practices for least developed countries (LDCs) to engage effectively in climate diplomacy, drawing on the experience of the Gambia. It argues that successful international climate engagement requires establishing climate change as a core national interest, mainstreaming it into development planning, and strategically engaging with the media to build domestic and international credibility.

• Effective climate diplomacy requires that climate change be established as a core national interest with support from senior government officials. This domestic foundation provides diplomats with the authority to articulate national sentiments internationally and grants them external credibility by demonstrating that the nation is practicing its own recommendations.
• To improve diplomatic capacity, governments must move beyond technical knowledge of environmental law and policy. They need to reform internal strategic decision-making and reallocate resources to enable high-level officials to manage political trade-offs and balance competing goals related to energy, economics, and diplomacy.
• Mainstreaming climate change—integrating it into the decision-making processes of all national and sub-national sectors such as finance, health, and agriculture—is critical. This approach prevents climate policies from conflicting with poverty eradication and economic development goals, which could otherwise lead to maladaptation.
• The Gambia has implemented mainstreaming by integrating climate risks as a crosscutting theme in its Programme for Accelerated Growth and Employment (PAGE 2012–2015) and creating a Climate Change Priority Action Programme (CCPAP). The CCPAP aims to address climate data needs, integrate climate change into education curricula, and develop a national low-carbon strategy.
• Mainstreaming supports climate diplomacy by increasing the implementation of domestic policies and providing diplomats with a comprehensive knowledge base. This expertise allows them to better identify possible foreign policy concessions, form strategic alliances, and negotiate compromise packages.
• Strategic engagement with the media is essential for climate diplomacy to reduce confused messaging and ensure information is timed for maximum impact. In Africa, media coverage of climate change is limited due to a lack of editorial support and comprehension of terminology, leading to a reliance on international media corporations that may not prioritize the African climate justice agenda.
• Least developed countries (LDCs) often face significant barriers to climate diplomacy, including limited resources and a lack of capacity to marshal strategic information. These challenges are often exacerbated by fragmented institutional architectures where climate change is housed in multiple ministries with conflicting mandates.

APA

Jallow, B. P., & Craft, B. (2014). Engaging effectively in climate diplomacy: policy pointers from the Gambia. Climate and Development Knowledge Network. http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/17246IIED.pdf

Chicago

Jallow, Bubu Pateh, and Brianna Craft. Engaging effectively in climate diplomacy: policy pointers from the Gambia. Climate and Development Knowledge Network, 2014. http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/17246IIED.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Jallow |first1=Bubu Pateh |last2=Craft |first2=Brianna |title=Engaging effectively in climate diplomacy: policy pointers from the Gambia |publisher=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |date=August 2014 |url=http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/17246IIED.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{jallow2014engaging, author = {Jallow, Bubu Pateh and Craft, Brianna}, title = {{Engaging effectively in climate diplomacy: policy pointers from the Gambia}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2014}, month = aug, url = {http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/17246IIED.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }