On the eve of COP 21, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) together with the Committee of the Regions (CoR) have urged negotiators in Paris not to fail, sending a clear message: Real action on climate and towards low-carbon transition is taking place outside of the political decision-making process, and it is now time for the contribution of civil-society actors as well as local and regional authorities to be framed in a multi-level governance system.