The Use of Public Engagement in Tackling Climate Change
Experts in public engagement, participation and dialogue, Involve carries out research and delivers training to inspire citizens, communities and institutions to run and take part in high-quality public participation processes, consultations and community engagement. They believe passionately in a democracy where citizens are empowered to take and influence the decisions that affect their lives.
Their January 2012 briefing paper, The Use of Public Engagement in Tackling Climate Change, draws from compelling results and evaluation findings of a range of public dialogues around climate change and argues there is clear evidence that engaging people in a meaningful way has the potential to change attitudes and behaviors towards tackling climate change. In this way, public engagement can complement legislative changes that force change, as well as the government’s agenda of ‘nudge’. Only by involving the public in decision-making and in the design of projects will the government be able to bring about the changes in public attitudes and behavior of the scale that is required.
[Information taken from their website, www.involve.org.uk.]
January 29th, 2012 at 9:44 am
Thanks so much for posting this article. With the # of citizens doing scientific monitoring, it does seem like creating a meaningful for way for their data to be input into statuatory or oversight benchmarks is a good step forward and will build the kind of long term broad based support that this issue lacks.