IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/climat/v178y2025i6d10.1007_s10584-025-03932-5.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Public engagement in climate assessment: lessons and opportunities

Author

Listed:
  • Allyza R. Lustig

    (ICF)

  • Aaron Grade

    (ICF)

  • Zena N. Grecni

    (Arizona State University)

  • Jeremy S. Hoffman

    (Groundwork USA
    University of Richmond)

  • Neil Matouka

    (Conservation Strategy Group)

  • Danielle Meeker

    (University of Alaska Fairbanks)

  • Rachael Novak

    (Forest Service)

  • Adam Parris

    (ICF)

  • Allison Crimmins

    (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)

Abstract

Cyclical and sustained engagement throughout and beyond individual climate assessment cycles ensures that assessments (1) meet the user need of the moment; (2) reach the broadest possible decision-making community; and (3) evolve from cycle to cycle, building on feedback in each iteration. In short, engagement is critical for the creation of an assessment that is useful, usable, and used. There is a vast range of modes and methods of engagement, from highly interactive, to more passive forms—all of which, when implemented strategically, can contribute to a user-informed assessment. Public engagement can help assessments to grow as a process that brings people together in a “network of networks” that spans disciplines, geographies, and demographics. This paper draws on the experience of engagement specialists from several assessments across geographic scales (national, regional, state, Tribal, and local), highlighting key lessons learned and making recommendations for future assessors.

Suggested Citation

  • Allyza R. Lustig & Aaron Grade & Zena N. Grecni & Jeremy S. Hoffman & Neil Matouka & Danielle Meeker & Rachael Novak & Adam Parris & Allison Crimmins, 2025. "Public engagement in climate assessment: lessons and opportunities," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 178(6), pages 1-23, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:climat:v:178:y:2025:i:6:d:10.1007_s10584-025-03932-5
    DOI: 10.1007/s10584-025-03932-5
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10584-025-03932-5
    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/s10584-025-03932-5?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

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Eric K. Chu & Gillian Bowser & Abby G. Frazier & Alyssa Quintyne & Linda Shi & Pamela McElwee, 2025. "Broadening diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion in the process and development of climate assessments," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 178(4), pages 1-11, April.
    2. Allyza R. Lustig & Allison R. Crimmins & Michael O. Snyder & Laura Tanner & Ian Coller, 2025. "Bringing art and science together to address climate change," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 178(3), pages 1-12, March.
    3. James D. Ford & Laura Cameron & Jennifer Rubis & Michelle Maillet & Douglas Nakashima & Ashlee Cunsolo Willox & Tristan Pearce, 2016. "Including indigenous knowledge and experience in IPCC assessment reports," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 6(4), pages 349-353, April.
    4. Lauren A. Dent & Jamie Donatuto & Larry Campbell & Marnie Boardman & Jeremy J. Hess & Nicole A. Errett, 2023. "Incorporating Indigenous voices in regional climate change adaptation: opportunities and challenges in the U.S. Pacific Northwest," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 176(3), pages 1-22, March.
    5. Nicole Klenk & Anna Fiume & Katie Meehan & Cerian Gibbes, 2017. "Local knowledge in climate adaptation research: moving knowledge frameworks from extraction to co‐production," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 8(5), September.
    6. Christopher W. Avery & Allison R. Crimmins & Allyza R. Lustig & April D. Lamb & Isabel J. Fuller & Ciara Lemery & Aaron Grade & Daniel Barrie, 2025. "Navigating complex waters: Designing a process for the development of the National Climate Assessment," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 178(3), pages 1-24, March.
    7. Julia Bentz, 2020. "Learning about climate change in, with and through art," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 162(3), pages 1595-1612, October.
    8. Michael Méndez & Sameer H. Shah & Cynthia Golembeski & Louise Bedsworth & J. Mijin Cha & Leo Goldsmith & Tisha J. Holmes & Julie Maldonado & Beth Rose Middleton Manning & Linda Estelí Méndez-Barriento, 2025. "Centering environmental justice in United States (U.S.) National Climate Assessments (NCAs): a historical and contemporary analysis," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 178(5), pages 1-21, May.
    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. Neil Matouka & Samantha Basile, 2025. "Incorporating research gap identification processes into climate change assessments: a California case study for localized research and knowledge," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 178(4), pages 1-14, April.

    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. Abby G. Frazier & Allyza R. Lustig & Michael Chang & Emile H. Elias & Renee A. McPherson & Victoria W. Keener & Zena N. Grecni & Henry P. Huntington & Ellen L. Mecray & Kimberly M. Wood & Kathie D. De, 2025. "Reflections on preparing regional chapters for NCA5," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 178(4), pages 1-23, April.
    2. Emerson Conrad-Rooney & Christopher Avery & Gillian Bowser & Allison Crimmins & Aaron Grade & Pamela McElwee & Pamela Templer, 2025. "Analysis of nature-related themes and terminology in U.S. climate assessments," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 178(4), pages 1-21, April.
    3. Eric K. Chu & Gillian Bowser & Abby G. Frazier & Alyssa Quintyne & Linda Shi & Pamela McElwee, 2025. "Broadening diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion in the process and development of climate assessments," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 178(4), pages 1-11, April.
    4. Ritodhi Chakraborty & Pasang Yangjee Sherpa, 2021. "From climate adaptation to climate justice: Critical reflections on the IPCC and Himalayan climate knowledges," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 167(3), pages 1-14, August.
    5. Elsen, Maximilian & Tietze, Frank, 2024. "Contributions from low- and middle-income countries to the development of climate change adaptation technologies: A patent analysis," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 209(C).
    6. Puertas, Rosa & Guaita-Martinez, José M. & Marti, Luisa, 2023. "Analysis of the impact of university policies on society's environmental perception," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    7. Kaiza R. Kaganzi & Aida Cuni-Sanchez & Fatuma Mcharazo & Emanuel H. Martin & Robert A. Marchant & Jessica P. R. Thorn, 2021. "Local Perceptions of Climate Change and Adaptation Responses from Two Mountain Regions in Tanzania," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-22, September.
    8. Friederike Hartz, 2024. "“We are not droids”– IPCC participants’ senses of responsibility and affective experiences across the production, assessment, communication and enactment of climate science," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 177(6), pages 1-21, June.
    9. Muok, Benard Oula & Mosberg, Marianne & Eriksen, Siri Ellen Hallstrøm & Ong'ech, Dennis Onyango, 2021. "The politics of forest governance in a changing climate: Political reforms, conflict and socio-environmental changes in Laikipia, Kenya," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    10. Allyza R. Lustig & Allison R. Crimmins & Michael O. Snyder & Laura Tanner & Ian Coller, 2025. "Bringing art and science together to address climate change," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 178(3), pages 1-12, March.
    11. Chandni Singh & James Ford & Debora Ley & Amir Bazaz & Aromar Revi, 2020. "Assessing the feasibility of adaptation options: methodological advancements and directions for climate adaptation research and practice," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 162(2), pages 255-277, September.
    12. V. Savo & K. E. Kohfeld & J. Sillmann & C. Morton & J. Bailey & A. S. Haslerud & C. Le Quéré & D. Lepofsky, 2024. "Using human observations with instrument-based metrics to understand changing rainfall patterns," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.
    13. Pamela McElwee, 2025. "A tale of two panels: learning and coordinating across IPCC, IPBES, and other science-policy interfaces," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 178(3), pages 1-20, March.
    14. Eriksen, Siri & Schipper, E. Lisa F. & Scoville-Simonds, Morgan & Vincent, Katharine & Adam, Hans Nicolai & Brooks, Nick & Harding, Brian & Khatri, Dil & Lenaerts, Lutgart & Liverman, Diana & Mills-No, 2021. "Adaptation interventions and their effect on vulnerability in developing countries: Help, hindrance or irrelevance?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    15. Widad Othman & Vassilios Makrakis & Nelly Kostoulas-Makrakis & Zahari Hamidon & Oo Cheng Keat & Mohd Lokman Abdullah & Norazzila Shafie & Hamidah Mat, 2024. "Predictors of Motivation and Barriers to ICT-Enabling Education for Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-13, January.
    16. Nicole Klenk & Anna Fiume & Katie Meehan & Cerian Gibbes, 2017. "Local knowledge in climate adaptation research: moving knowledge frameworks from extraction to co‐production," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 8(5), September.
    17. Trisha Dalapati & Emily J Alway & Sneha Mantri & Phillip Mitchell & Ian A George & Samantha Kaplan & Kathryn M Andolsek & J Matthew Velkey & Jennifer Lawson & Andrew J Muzyk, 2024. "Development of a curricular thread to foster medical students’ critical reflection and promote action on climate change, health, and equity," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 19(5), pages 1-14, May.
    18. E. Lisa F. Schipper & Navroz K. Dubash & Yacob Mulugetta, 2021. "Climate change research and the search for solutions: rethinking interdisciplinarity," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 168(3), pages 1-11, October.
    19. Kandel, Matt & Anghileri, Daniela & Alare, Rahinatu S. & Lovett, Peter N. & Agaba, Genevieve & Addoah, Thomas & Schreckenberg, Kate, 2022. "Farmers’ perspectives and context are key for the success and sustainability of farmer-managed natural regeneration (FMNR) in northeastern Ghana," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    20. Paola A. Torres-Slimming & Carlee Wright & Cesar P. Carcamo & Patricia J. Garcia & IHACC Research Team & Sherilee L. Harper, 2019. "Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals: A Mixed Methods Study of Health-Related Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) for Indigenous Shawi in the Peruvian Amazon," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-17, July.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:178:y:2025:i:6:d:10.1007_s10584-025-03932-5. 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.