Civic Space 2040 Initiative

PUBLISHED: MARCH 2020

Climate change and the response to the climate and ecological crisis is set to disrupt and transform the global economy, politics, and society by 2040. This briefing explores how states’ responses to the climate crisis over the next two decades will affect civic space for a range of established and new civic actors.

Over the next two decades, environmental, technological, and demographic trends will dramatically change how we live our lives. A vibrant civic space is essential to ensure everyone can fully participate in shaping this future. ICNL launched Civic Space 2040 — a futurist initiative to craft a positive vision for civic space and map strategies to make it a reality. The initiative explores trends that will radically transform the future and discusses ways in which these trends will affect civic space. This briefing, authored by Poonam Joshi, is one in a series commissioned by ICNL to help inform civic space advocates about the opportunities and challenges ahead.