As a country, the United Kingdom remains committed to achieving net-zero by 2050. Meeting this goal will require choices, adaptations and changes throughout our society and economy. Whilst politicians, business and industry are influencing the big decisions on how we get there, citizens have had little say.

The UK Climate Change Committee and the UK government’s independent review of net-zero stressed an urgent need for the public to have a much larger role in net-zero.

They recommended that government publish a public engagement strategy on climate change. This policy briefing presents tangible ideas for how this strategy could be implemented.

It makes the case for why public participation is critical to achieving a sustainable future and explains how government can be re-engineered to bring citizen participation into the heart of national decision making – for climate policy and beyond.