Report – Al Bawsala

Climate Governance under Constraint: Austerity and climate Policies in Tunisia

root — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 08:35:33 +0000

In Tunisia, the fight against climate change cannot be separated from the realities of austerity, inequality, and external dependency and weak democratic governance.

This study explores how Tunisia’s climate governance is shaped by the intersection of global environmental frameworks and domestic austerity policies. It argues that international climate agendas, often framed as neutral and technical, actually reproduce global inequalities and market logics that constrain national sovereignty and social justice. In Tunisia, austerity has become more than an economic strategy; it is a political paradigm that limits public investment, weakens state institutions, and deepens vulnerability in key sectors such as health and environment. By situating Tunisia within the broader dynamics of global climate governance, the research reveals how external pressures, market-based instruments, and shrinking state capacities intersect to shape the country’s response to ecological crises. Ultimately, it calls for a rethinking of climate action : one that centers equity, sovereignty, freedom, and transformative change rather than technocratic and market-driven solutions.