Key components of good governance
Governance encompasses the institutions, processes and actors — both governmental and non-governmental — that influence how decisions are made, resources are allocated and services are delivered across society.
It includes legal frameworks that define the rights, responsibilities and limitations of government, civil society and the private sector; structures for coordination within and across levels of government; and the financial, technical and human capacities required to implement policies effectively. Governance is also shaped by the distribution of power across society, through formal laws and informal social norms, networks and relationships between key actors and political constituencies.
In other words, who holds the power to shape policies related to climate, nature and sustainable development — and who is excluded? Do communities have enforceable rights and protections? What checks and balances prevent elites from exploiting public resources for personal gain? Are there systems in place to promote policy coherence and coordinated implementation, and if implementation goes awry, who has the power to hold government or industry accountable?
Understanding governance in the context of climate, nature and social equity
The 2023 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) progress report called for “equipping governance and institutions for sustainable and inclusive transformation,” as one of the three major breakthroughs needed to accelerate SDG implementation. For example, the recognition and enforcement of land tenure and rights has been widely recognized as a critical enabler of efforts to halt deforestation.
Similarly, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s 2023 Synthesis Report emphasizes that successful climate action depends on strong political will, coordinated governance across levels and robust institutional frameworks. Effective and just governance therefore underpins all the transformations needed to limit climate change, preserve biodiversity and promote equity.
Climate change and loss of ecosystems, habitat and biodiversity will have adverse impacts across human systems, but disparate impacts on groups with fewer economic, social or political resources. As such, we assess not only governance quality, but also the political commitment to deliver on objectives related to nature, people and planet. At the same time, it is important to recognize that these values may not be universal, and political priorities and incentives are more likely to change than underlying governance dimensions.
The current state of governance is inadequate to drive systemic change
Governance in most countries is inadequate to drive the systemic changes needed across climate, nature and sustainable development. This has broadly deteriorated over the past decade, and in many areas, the situation is still worsening.
The indicators in this system show that much of the world’s population is living in countries where rights are not consistently upheld. For example, only 59% of 198 countries assessed in 2024 adequately protected their citizens’ freedoms of expression, association and assembly. In many countries, systems of checks and balances can be readily overridden. In 2024, just 50% of 179 surveyed countries had an executive branch that respected the constitution and faced consequences for constitutional violations, down from 52% in 2016.
Anti-corruption measures are also largely insufficient across the board. In 2023, of the 143 countries with available data, only 21% made conflict of interest disclosures by public officials accessible. In many parts of the world, citizens have little to no say in how their government spends money. At the same time, governments often lack the basic capacity to coordinate and implement policies effectively.
Nevertheless, there have been some signs of progress. Analysis from 2023 shows a greater global recognition of community and Indigenous land tenure, alongside a trend of more governments making their public procurement decisions — amounting to trillions of dollars annually — more transparent to public scrutiny.
Creating pathways for governance transformation
Many countries have failed to advance ambitious climate and nature policies due to the political power of vested interests — and multiple global indices demonstrate increased legal, physical and digital attacks on advocates who challenge the status quo. This includes those who seek to report facts: a recent UNESCO report found that, out of 900 environmental journalists across 129 countries, 70% had faced physical violence, detention, arrest, online harassment or legal attacks.
Yet just transitions and ambitious policies for nature and climate will require all members of society to effectively participate and challenge bad actors or poor implementation. Freedoms of expression, association, press and speech deliver the greatest benefits to those with the least resources, ensuring they have a voice in a just transition.
Equally critical are effective mechanisms that promote transparency and integrity in government. The effective delivery of finance and public procurement for vast energy, transport, housing and other infrastructure needs requires transparent, participatory and accountable processes to limit corruption and build public trust.
Stronger legal frameworks are also necessary to clarify rights and obligations around information sharing, open budgeting processes and inclusive policymaking. Establishing governance institutions that support long-term action on people, nature and climate — such as through laws, budgeting processes and independent oversight where citizens are engaged and understand what is at stake — can help build more resilient and equitable societies.
Importantly, sustained breakthroughs in political ambition on climate change are more likely when policymaking processes are inclusive and transparent, and when legal and institutional frameworks are paired with policies that deliver visible benefits. This both lowers the costs of climate action and makes repeal more politically challenging.
Improving governance for effective action on climate, nature and social equity
In the governance system, we identified six shifts that would lead to human rights-based, transparent, participatory and accountable governance, underpinned by credible institutions with the capacity to deliver.
These shifts assess the state of legally established civil liberties and rights; transparency and access to information; access to justice; accountability and anti-corruption measures; mechanisms to ensure inclusive citizen participation; and capacity to implement commitments fairly and effectively. Together, these shifts pave the way for governance that prioritizes equity, accountability and civil liberties — enabling the systems change needed for a more just and sustainable future.
Governance indicators rarely, if ever, include time-bound targets. This reflects the complex reality by which governance outcomes are shaped, including institutional strength, cultural norms and economic conditions. In this context, rather than presenting specific targets, we indicate the directional trend of the indicator over time in relation to the maximum possible score in the data source.