Public Participation in National Climate-Policy Consultations

Abstract

Background: The practical operation of policy relating to public participation differs across settings, suggesting a need to examine implementation capacity and institutional design directly.

Objective: This study sought to explain differences in the implementation of public participation by examining institutional responsibility, administrative capacity, and climate policy.

Methods: Data consisted of 8,650 administrative, contractual, case-level, or transaction records across 20 public bodies. Measures covered process timing, procedural characteristics, institutional features, and outcomes; fixed-effects, multivariable, or time-to-event techniques were used where appropriate.

Results: Across participating institutions, outcomes for public participation varied considerably. Better-coordinated units with clearer procedures performed approximately 28% better on the main outcome, with administrative capacity accounting for an estimated 39% of cross-unit variation. Poorer performance clustered where oversight was fragmented and information-sharing was incomplete.

Conclusion: The findings underline a practical gap between formal policy on public participation and the institutional work required to deliver it consistently. This means that local climate governance needs clear mandates and administrative capacity if policy commitments are to produce timely, consistent action.

Study design: submission dataset study.

Publication history: Originally published in print on 15 June 2023, Volume 3, Article 17. Online abstract record added on 16 September 2026. Full-text PDF will be added when the digital galley is ready.