The Global Climate Assembly: A new global deliberative space?

Abstract

While some argue that a challenge as urgent as climate change requires putting democracy aside, others propose that deliberative democracy may be the most efffective approach for tackling a socio-ecological problem of such complexity and lament the democratic deficit in existing global governance institutions. This paper contributes to discussions on democratising climate governance by examining the 2021 Global Citizens’ Assembly on Climate Change –a pioneering democratic innovation. This assembly, comprising 100 participants worldwide, aimed to amplify citizen voices in global climate governance, a realm where they are typically absent. Our methodology draws on the concept of deliberative capacity, defined as the extent to which a system allows for deliberation that is authentic, inclusive, and consequential. Findings reveal both the assembly’s innovative contributions and its limitations. We conclude with reflections about the shortcomings and possibilities demonstrated by the Global Climate Assembly and how this learning may inform the development of new global spaces for citizen deliberation and climate action.