Effective public engagement on climate and implications for Scotland

Public engagement is a central component of the Scottish Government’s commitment to reaching net zero by 2045 and delivering on the ambitions of the updated Climate Change Plan.

This study is part of the mid-point review of the Scottish Government’s Public Engagement Strategy for Climate Change (PES). It sought to understand how well various aspects of the strategy have been working in practice so far and identify any lessons that could enhance the delivery of the PES going forward.

The research was carried out between September 2024 and January 2025. It involved three strands: a desk-based evidence review, stakeholder interviews and focus groups.

Findings

Aspects of the PES that already align with best practice:

• Having a clear strategy with multiple engagement approaches.
• Ensuring communication is inclusive, wide-reaching and targeted to the audience.
• Consideration of what makes a “trusted” messenger and use these to help convey relevant messages.
• Following best practice on participatory approaches and how to remove barriers to engagement.
• Tracking and evaluating effectiveness.

Areas for future consideration in the PES:

Communicating climate change

• Ensure that climate change messaging reflects the context of those it is aimed towards and is focussed on practical actions for individuals.
• Balance both positive and negative, or fear-based, messaging.
• Explore different approaches such as the use of visual communication and humour to convey information.
• In education settings, encourage and enable approaches that foster collaboration and co-design with learners.

Enabling participation in policy design

• Demonstrate that the public have been listened to and that action has been taken as a result of their participation.
• Think carefully about who is involved in deliberative, co-design and other participatory processes.
• Encourage active forms of participation to help engage people in different ways.
• Explore the use of creative activities.

Encouraging action

• Make climate change relevant to people’s lives and convey why their actions are important.
• Give people autonomy by supporting co-production and co-creation processes.
• Integrate public engagement into policy decision making.
• Take measures that help boost collective efficacy.

If you require the report in an alternative format, such as a Word document, please contact info@climatexchange.org.uk or 0131 651 4783.