Tunisia
A Beacon of Hope for Participatory and Inclusive Climate Approaches
Tunisia is highly urbanised, with the population mainly living along its coastline, vulnerable to rising sea levels as a result of climate change. The Tunisian coast is also where 70 percent of its economic activities take place, including tourism and agriculture. Climate change adds pressure on Tunisia’s water resources, with the increasing urban population and agricultural and industrial sectors and climate related factors such as desertification, drought and sea level rise resulting in increased rural to urban migration.
The Voices for Just Climate Action (VCA) programme in Tunisia has been a beacon of hope, fostering participatory and inclusive approaches to climate planning. Over the past years, the programme has empowered local communities and marginalised groups, including women, farmers, and fishermen, to actively participate in shaping their climate futures.
Our Impacts in Tunisia
26
Subcontracted Local Partner Organisations
13
Local Climate Solutions Supported
18
Initiatives Supported through the Next Level Grants Facility
4
Policies Influenced
The Tunisia Country Story
The impacts of climate change are becoming increasingly severe, with rising temperatures, prolonged droughts, and water scarcity threatening both urban and rural areas. The agricultural sector, a crucial part of Tunisia’s economy, is particularly vulnerable, affecting the livelihoods of farmers, fishermen, and rural communities. This situation underscores the need for inclusive and participatory climate action planning to ensure sustainable development and resilience.
Among the programme’s key achievements is the support to eleven municipalities
in establishing their local climate action plans. By employing participatory and inclusive approaches, the programme has ensured the meaningful participation of marginalised groups in the planning process. It has covered a significant number of territories (six governorates) in the country and reached the most marginalised localities, including Mednine, Kasserine, Kef, Jandouba and others.
Unified by Common Goals
The Voices for Just Climate Action programme in Tunisia has been instrumental in supporting local communities in accessing water. Additionally, it has made remarkable strides in empowering communities, fostering inclusive climate planning, and advocating for climate justice. By supporting local municipalities, building resilient knowledge systems, and shaping new narratives, the programme continues to pave the way for sustainable and community-driven climate action in Tunisia.
Striving for Change with our Local Partners
In Tunisia, partners have actively contributed to local climate action planning by developing practical guides to support municipalities in designing their climate action plans. These efforts have been positively received by the government, recognising civil society’s role in strengthening municipal capacities and advancing the implementation of Tunisia’s NDCs.
Local climate planning serves as a key approach to enhancing climate resilience, enabling communities to anticipate, prepare for, and respond to climate impacts in a structured and locally driven manner. By integrating climate considerations into municipal planning, this approach empowers local actors to develop context–specific strategies that align with national climate commitments while addressing the unique vulnerabilities of their communities.
In the Tunisia Project Profile publication, we highlight various innovative, locally-driven climate action initiatives led by our partners in Tunisia.
