IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/climat/v168y2021i1d10.1007_s10584-021-03218-6.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Are citizen juries and assemblies on climate change driving democratic climate policymaking? An exploration of two case studies in the UK

Author

Listed:
  • Rebecca Wells

    (Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change, London School of Economics and Political Sciences)

  • Candice Howarth

    (Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change, London School of Economics and Political Sciences)

  • Lina I. Brand-Correa

    (University of Leeds)

Abstract

In light of increasing pressure to deliver climate action targets and the growing role of citizens in raising the importance of the issue, deliberative democratic processes (e.g. citizen juries and citizen assemblies) on climate change are increasingly being used to provide a voice to citizens in climate change decision-making. Through a comparative case study of two processes that ran in the UK in 2019 (the Leeds Climate Change Citizens’ Jury and the Oxford Citizens’ Assembly on Climate Change), this paper investigates how far citizen assemblies and juries are increasing citizen engagement on climate change and creating more citizen-centred climate policymaking. Interviews were conducted with policymakers, councillors, professional facilitators and others involved in running these processes to assess motivations for conducting these, their structure and the impact and influence they had. The findings suggest the impact of these processes is not uniform: they have an indirect impact on policy making by creating momentum around climate action and supporting the introduction of pre-planned or pre-existing policies rather than a direct impact by truly being citizen-centred policy making processes or conducive to new climate policy. We conclude with reflections on how these processes give elected representatives a public mandate on climate change, that they help to identify more nuanced and in-depth public opinions in a fair and informed way, yet it can be challenging to embed citizen juries and assemblies in wider democratic processes.

Suggested Citation

  • Rebecca Wells & Candice Howarth & Lina I. Brand-Correa, 2021. "Are citizen juries and assemblies on climate change driving democratic climate policymaking? An exploration of two case studies in the UK," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 168(1), pages 1-22, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:climat:v:168:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1007_s10584-021-03218-6
    DOI: 10.1007/s10584-021-03218-6
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10584-021-03218-6
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10584-021-03218-6?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Rebecca Sandover & Alice Moseley & Patrick Devine-Wright, 2021. "Contrasting Views of Citizens’ Assemblies: Stakeholder Perceptions of Public Deliberation on Climate Change," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 9(2), pages 76-86.
    2. Jason Chilvers & Rob Bellamy & Helen Pallett & Tom Hargreaves, 2021. "A systemic approach to mapping participation with low-carbon energy transitions," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 6(3), pages 250-259, March.
    3. Graham Smith & Corinne Wales, 2000. "Citizens' Juries and Deliberative Democracy," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 48(1), pages 51-65, March.
    4. Jason Chilvers & Rob Bellamy & Helen Pallett & Tom Hargreaves, 2021. "Publisher Correction: A systemic approach to mapping participation with low-carbon energy transitions," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 6(7), pages 764-764, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Stephen Elstub & Jayne Carrick & David M. Farrell & Patricia Mockler, 2021. "The Scope of Climate Assemblies: Lessons from the Climate Assembly UK," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-17, October.
    2. Lisette Beek & Niek Mouter & Peter Pelzer & Maarten Hajer & Detlef Vuuren, 2024. "Experts and expertise in practices of citizen engagement in climate policy: a comparative analysis of two contrasting cases," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 177(1), pages 1-22, January.
    3. Pancho Lewis & Jacob Ainscough & Rachel Coxcoon & Rebecca Willis, 2023. "The messy politics of local climate assemblies," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 176(6), pages 1-10, June.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Gordon, Joel A. & Balta-Ozkan, Nazmiye & Nabavi, Seyed Ali, 2022. "Beyond the triangle of renewable energy acceptance: The five dimensions of domestic hydrogen acceptance," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 324(C).
    2. Charitopoulos, V. & Fajardy, M. & Chyong, C. K. & Reiner, D., 2022. "The case of 100% electrification of domestic heat in Great Britain," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 2210, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge.
    3. Park, Seona & Yun, Sun-Jin & Cho, Kongjang, 2022. "Public dialogue as a collaborative planning process for offshore wind energy projects: Implications from a text analysis of a South Korean case," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    4. Zhou, Yuekuan & Lund, Peter D., 2023. "Peer-to-peer energy sharing and trading of renewable energy in smart communities ─ trading pricing models, decision-making and agent-based collaboration," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 207(C), pages 177-193.
    5. Colvin, R.M. & Przybyszewski, E., 2022. "Local residents' policy preferences in an energy contested region – The Upper Hunter, Australia," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    6. József Kádár & Martina Pilloni & Tareq Abu Hamed, 2023. "A Survey of Renewable Energy, Climate Change, and Policy Awareness in Israel: The Long Path for Citizen Participation in the National Renewable Energy Transition," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-16, February.
    7. repec:spo:wpecon:info:hdl:2441/5405 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. Hugh Ward & Aletta Norval & Todd Landman & Jules Pretty, 2003. "Open Citizens’ Juries and the Politics of Sustainability," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 51(2), pages 282-299, June.
    9. Robert E. Goodin & Simon J. Niemeyer, 2003. "When Does Deliberation Begin? Internal Reflection versus Public Discussion in Deliberative Democracy," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 51(4), pages 627-649, December.
    10. Maria Cerreta & Gaia Daldanise & Ludovica La Rocca & Simona Panaro, 2021. "Triggering Active Communities for Cultural Creative Cities: The “Hack the City” Play ReCH Mission in the Salerno Historic Centre (Italy)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-22, October.
    11. Carlos Rico Motos, 2019. "‘Let the Citizens Fix This Mess!’ Podemos’ Claim for Participatory Democracy in Spain," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 7(2), pages 187-197.
    12. Ufel, Wojciech, 2022. "I Wrocławski Panel Obywatelski jako przykład zastosowania praktyki deliberacyjnej," Studia z Polityki Publicznej / Public Policy Studies, Warsaw School of Economics, vol. 9(4), pages 1-20, December.
    13. Anna R. Davies & Vanesa Castán Broto & Stephan Hügel, 2021. "Editorial: Is There a New Climate Politics?," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 9(2), pages 1-7.
    14. Zenonas Turskis & Violeta Keršulienė, 2024. "SHARDA–ARAS: A Methodology for Prioritising Project Managers in Sustainable Development," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-23, January.
    15. Musolino, Monica & Maggio, Gaetano & D'Aleo, Erika & Nicita, Agatino, 2023. "Three case studies to explore relevant features of emerging renewable energy communities in Italy," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 210(C), pages 540-555.
    16. Hilal Erkuş & Yavuz Selim Alkan & Gülşah Tırış, 2024. "Deliberative Democracy and Making Sustainable and Legitimate Development Plans: The Case of the Antalya Kırcami Agrihood," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-29, March.
    17. Ana Yetano & Sonia Royo & Basisilo Acerete, 2009. "What is driving the increasing presence of citizen participation initiatives?," Documentos de Trabajo dt2009-02, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales, Universidad de Zaragoza.
    18. Lisette Beek & Niek Mouter & Peter Pelzer & Maarten Hajer & Detlef Vuuren, 2024. "Experts and expertise in practices of citizen engagement in climate policy: a comparative analysis of two contrasting cases," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 177(1), pages 1-22, January.
    19. Azad Singh Bali & Michael Howlett & Jenny M Lewis & M Ramesh, 2021. "Procedural policy tools in theory and practice [The stick, the carrot, and other strategies: A theoretical analysis of governmental intervention]," Policy and Society, Darryl S. Jarvis and M. Ramesh, vol. 40(3), pages 295-311.
    20. Ruth Wouters & Bieke De Fraine & Maarten Simons, 2019. "What is at Stake in Deliberative Inquiry? A Review About a Deliberative Practice," Systemic Practice and Action Research, Springer, vol. 32(2), pages 193-217, April.
    21. Stephen Elstub & Jayne Carrick & David M. Farrell & Patricia Mockler, 2021. "The Scope of Climate Assemblies: Lessons from the Climate Assembly UK," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-17, October.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:climat:v:168:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1007_s10584-021-03218-6. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.