From cutting carbon emissions to protecting jobs and preparing for extreme weather, governments around the world are increasingly using Citizens' Climate Assemblies to help shape climate policy.
These assemblies, such as the World Climate Change and Global Warming conference, in Denmark, on July 23-25; or Climate Week, in NYC, on Sept 20-27; or the big one, COP31, in Türkiye, on Nov 9-20, bring together ordinary members of the public to hear evidence from experts, debate possible solutions and recommend actions for governments to take.
New research from Loughborough University has found that people are more likely to support – and trust – these assemblies when they include people whose lives are affected most by climate change or by the policies designed to tackle it.
The findings challenge a long-held assumption that citizens' assemblies are seen as fairest when everyone has an equal chance of taking part.
Instead, the study suggests many people believe those with the greatest stake in the outcome deserve a stronger voice.
Dr Anthony Kevins, from Loughborough University, who led the study, said: "Climate change doesn't affect everyone equally.
“Some communities will experience its impacts more severely, while others will be more affected by the transition to a low-carbon economy.
“Our findings suggest the public recognises this and sees value in making sure those voices are heard.
“Understanding this could help governments design future climate assemblies in ways that build greater public confidence and encourage wider acceptance of difficult climate decisions.”
The researchers surveyed around 3,000 people across the UK, asking them how much authority they thought climate assemblies should have.
Some participants were told assembly members would be chosen entirely at random.
Others were told that while half would be selected randomly, the remaining places would be reserved for people most affected by climate change or climate policies, such as young people or workers in the energy industry.
“We expected the targeted approach would seem less fair,” said Dr Kevins. “Instead, we found the opposite.
“People consistently viewed assemblies that deliberately included those most affected as being more legitimate than assemblies chosen entirely through random selection.
“The findings are significant because Citizens' Climate Assemblies are becoming an increasingly popular way for governments to tackle controversial issues.”
More than 100 climate assemblies have been held in over 25 countries, giving ordinary citizens the opportunity to learn about climate science, question experts and develop recommendations on issues ranging from reducing emissions to adapting to rising temperatures.
Read the full journal article: Is sortition the ideal? Examining public reactions to climate assemblies
Dr Kevins is available for media interviews and can explain the politics behind climate action, including why Citizens' Climate Assemblies are spreading around the world, how governments can win public support for difficult environmental decisions, and what this means for global climate summits such as COP31.
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