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Civil Society and G8Stakeholder engagement and consultation process for G8 2005A project of Chatham House in partnership with the Montreal International Forum, University of Glasgow, G8 Research Group University of Toronto, the Green Globe Network, LEAD International and the Climate Action Network. All rights reserved. No copying without author's consent. 24.02.05 1. Overview The UK Presidency of G8 provides a unique opportunity for a fundamental shift in the approach civil society and governments should adopt in G8 stakeholder consultations, as has been demonstrated through the ongoing consultations initiated by HMG in Climate Change and the Commission for Africa, consultations in which stakeholders play a vital role. This Chatham House project will provide a process and framework that will enhance stakeholder consultation for the Gleneagles summit and will establish an ongoing broad civil society consultation as a part of the G8 processes. The project will build on previous work undertaken by the G8 Research Group University of Toronto and FIM - the Montreal International Forum, organisations that have convened previous G8 stakeholder dialogues, consultations and conferences. The G8 Research Group have hosted Pre-summit academic conferences in G8 host countries since 1995, and in 2005 partner with the University of Glasgow in hosting a Pre-Summit conference on 27/28 June. FIM have focused on bringing the voice of southern stakeholders and networks to the G8 process and have led stakeholder/Sherpa consultations during the Canadian and French Presidencies. Both FIM and the G8 Research Group are key partners in this project and will bring considerable experience in G8 policy and process. In addition FIM will ensure strong southern participation at the Sherpa consultations and in the other activities described in this document. Chatham House will endeavour to ensure that the process remains focused, substantive and relevant. All meeting and conference outputs will inform the ongoing process through reports and recommendations. At the end of the year Chatham House will publish a report, 2005 G8 Stakeholder Consultation - Process, Perspectives & Recommendations. 2005 G8 Stakeholder Consultation - Process, Perspectives & Recommendations will look back at previous summits and stakeholder engagement; provide an analysis of the 2005 consultation process and its effectiveness in influencing the Gleneagles summit outcomes. It will address the role of stakeholders in the implementation of G8 agreements and stakeholder expectations and opportunities for 2006 and the Russian Presidency. 2. Background The UK Presidency of the G8 starts on 1 January 2005 and lasts one year. The main event will be the G8 summit, scheduled to take place in Gleneagles, Scotland in July 2005. This will involve the Heads of State or government of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the USA and the UK and the President of the European Commission. Leaders from Africa and from the largest developing economies are expected to attend parts of the summit. G8 governments, civil society organisations, business and others are already undertaking extensive consultations on the G8 summit themes of Climate Change and Africa. A number of these consultations are led by HMG, such as the Green Globe Network/Defra climate change process and the Commission for Africa (DfID) and will be concluding their reports in the coming months. A number of development and charitable organisations have formed alliances focused on poverty and development such as Make Poverty History and the Global Call to Action Against Poverty. These groups are already consulting with governments and are organising high profile public events in the lead up to and during the summit. A number of business initiatives such as the Corporate Leaders Group on Climate Change and the Business and Poverty dialogues are also informing the process. In addition the Prime Minister and other G8 leaders are undertaking their own direct consultations with development and environment organisations, business & industry and other stakeholder groups. Note will be taken of other significant processes such as the WTO Hong Kong ministerial. This project will draw on the existing G8 thematic and regional consultations, dialogues and their outputs. These outputs will inform the activities described in this document. In addition Chatham House will ensure representation from broad civil society in outreaching to all stakeholder groups internationally - women, children and youth, indigenous people, non-governmental organisations, local authorities, workers and trade unions, business and industry, scientific and technological communities and farmers. In addition to these agenda 21 recognised groups we will also engage with consumer groups, co-operatives, religious and faith groups and representatives from the education and health communities. A small advisory group will be formed that will help shape the activities and guide the preparatory process for the Sherpa stakeholder consultations and other activities, providing legitimacy and transparency for the process. The activities described will provide a framework of linked activities, supporting substantive engagement at various levels between stakeholder groups and governments, focused on the G8 summit themes and the agreements reached by G8 governments at Gleneagles. Continuity of participation and meeting/conference outputs will influence the shape of ongoing activities and will enhance and strengthen this process. 3. Objectives * To establish a process and a framework of activities whereby all stakeholder groups (including those already active in consultations and dialogues with G8 governments on the Gleneagles themes) will be drawn together and consult as a group - UK networks and international networks, thematic/issue based groups on Africa and Climate Change. * To follow up the Gleneagles summit with further consultations on the G8 outcomes and linkages to the MDG+5 summit outcomes and the role of stakeholders in the implementation of the G8 agreements. To build a network of organisations that will seek to support the development of an ongoing stakeholder consultation process for G8 Presidencies and future summits. 4. Purpose of Stakeholder Consultation * To complement existing stakeholder-government dialogues, drawing together issue based work in Climate Change and Africa and various sectoral and business dialogues. * To engage stakeholder groups who have not been active in G8 stakeholder consultations. * To engage with southern stakeholder groups and networks and provide an opportunity for those stakeholders to engage in G8 stakeholder consultations at the highest level. * To provide for stakeholder - stakeholder consultation at a high level that will bring together development NGOs, environment organisations with the other recognised major groups. This process will allow integrated stakeholder views to emerge, highlighting the interlinkages between the issues. * To identify areas of agreement and potential co-operation among stakeholder groups and set out civil society views regarding the challenges and opportunities presented by the G8 process. 5. Activities Stakeholder consultation preparatory process -January/February/March * Outreach to networks and leaders of stakeholder groups in the UK, other G8 national networks and international networks and identify current initiatives/partnerships and potential participants and speakers. * Use existing meetings, conferences, UK government, and other national government consultations to inform the process. * Identify organisations that can consult within the various stakeholder networks. * Convene a small (10 persons) advisory group to help guide the process, the structure and format of consultations, including the selection of stakeholder representatives and the drafting of the advance meeting note for the Sherpa consultation. * The advisory group will comprise representatives from stakeholder groups to be identified. The group will meet as necessary using telephone conference calls. Advice will be sought throughout the project life on G8 process, the Gleneagles themes and multi stakeholder process. * Draft a meeting note briefing on questions and concerns that will be raised by stakeholders during the Sherpa consultation; this will include background information on the participating stakeholders and will be made available to the Sherpas prior to the consultation. * A stakeholder preparatory meeting will be held at Chatham House on the morning of 23 March, allowing for final briefing before the G8 Sherpa consultation. G8 Sherpa consultation - London 24 March * The G8 Sherpas will hold their second meeting on March 23 and 24. Chatham House, the Montreal International Forum and the Green Globe Network propose to convene a meeting on the afternoon of March 24 between 15 key stakeholders and the G8 Sherpas. * The organisers will seek to engage a dynamic, informed chair for the meeting. * The substantive dialogue will be focused on the two summit themes of Climate Change and Africa and crosscutting themes of importance to both issues. * As the first in the series of meetings and conferences scheduled for 2005 this Sherpa consultation provides an opportunity to ensure that the stakeholder process going forward is both focused and relevant. Stakeholder Meeting with PM - London late June/early July * A continuation of the HeadsÒ meetings with stakeholders. A meeting is expected with the PM; HMG should seek to involve other G8 Leaders in the meeting. * Ensure continuity of participation of stakeholders. MDG+5 civil society consultation - New York July * An opportunity to inform a broader stakeholder constituency of the G8 stakeholder consultation, and the stakeholder view of the Gleneagles G8 agreements. * Linking the G8 outcomes on Climate Change and Africa to the Millennium Development Goals and the upcoming MDG+5 summit. * Engage with existing United Nations stakeholder processes. A presentation by key stakeholders who participated in the G8 consultations, to be scheduled in New York, late July. Implementation Conference - Chatham House October/November * Convening organisations that have an interest in the follow up and implementation of the Gleneagles agreements. Participants will assess the agreements and outputs from the G8 Gleneagles summit, the MDG+5 summit, the linkages and possible outcomes. * Assess the stakeholder role in the implementation of these agreements. * The conference would aim to deliver an action plan, containing conditional commitments and partnerships. Workshops and roundtable breakout sessions will facilitate these deliverables. G8 Sherpa consultation - London October/November * The Implementation conference will coincide with the final G8 Sherpa meeting in London and will provide an opportunity to present stakeholder assessments and recommendations to the G8 Sherpas. * A publication with contributions from key figures in G8 process, issues and implementation strategies. * A historical perspective of previous summits and stakeholder engagement. * An analysis of the 2005 consultation process and its effectiveness in influencing the Gleneagles summit outcomes. * The role of stakeholders in the implementation of G8 agreements and the MDG. * The ongoing role of stakeholder consultations and expectations and opportunities for 2006 and the Russian Presidency. 6. Outputs * Network of participant organisations that wish to engage with an on going stakeholder consultation process with the G8 ÑsystemÒ. * Material published on Internet website. * Exhibition material. * TV and radio programming, newspaper articles. * Implementation conference action plan * 2005 G8 Stakeholder Consultation - Process Perspectives and Recommendations. 7. Indicative Timeline January/February/March: * Key collaborating institution agreements * Funding proposal to potential donors. * Research - participants, best practice, and current initiatives. * Steering Group formed. * Conference and meeting venues, hotel accommodation and transport. * Broad consultation (complementing existing processes). March * Draft agenda/meeting notes/potential recommendations. * Sherpa stakeholder consultation preparatory meeting, Chatham House. * Sherpa consultation, London June * PM stakeholders meeting July * G8 Week * MDG+5 civil society consultation, New York October/November * Stakeholder implementation conference * Second Sherpa consultation January * 2005 G8 Stakeholder Consultation - Process Perspectives and Recommendations. 8. Indicators * Increased dialogue and consultation with all stakeholder groups at the highest level with G8 governments. * An understanding of the role of stakeholders in the follow up and implementation of the agreements reached by governments at the G8 Gleneagles Summit. * Mechanisms (that may include multistakeholder partnerships) in place to facilitate the role of stakeholder groups in the follow up and implementation of Summit agreements. * Implementation of Conference Action Plan * An ongoing G8 stakeholder consultation process. 9. Important Assumptions * Stakeholder groups see an advantage in working together to establish high-level consultations with G8 governments involving all stakeholder groups and importantly southern groups and networks. * Governments and stakeholders are willing to participate in discussions on the key summit themes concerns problems and solutions. * Governments and stakeholders are willing to participate in discussions focused on the role of stakeholders in the follow up and implementation of agreements. * Willingness from governments to recognise the roles of stakeholder groups in the follow up and implementation of the Summit agreements. * Stakeholders have a key role in advising governments in the follow up of G8 agreements and can play an active role in the implementation of these agreements. 10. Collaborating Institutions * Chatham House. * Montreal International Forum. * Green Globe Network. * LEAD International * Climate Action Network * University of Glasgow. * University of Toronto - G8 Research Group. * Other organisationÒs that may be identified as the project is developed. 11. Project Delivery * Chatham House will act as the project manager, in close consultation with the partner organisations. * Chatham House, the Green Globe Network and the Montreal International Forum will be responsible for outreach to stakeholder groups. * Chatham House, the Green Globe Network and the Montreal International Forum will convene the advisory group. Peter Ritchie |
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