The Communicative Potential of Deliberation for Correcting Climate Misperception

• In Event: Reimagining Climate Governance: Are Climate Assemblies Reshaping Climate Policy?

Abstract

Climate action stands as one of the paramount challenges in contemporary society. A significant impediment lies in the prevalence of misperceptions, notably the dissemination of narratives that either endorse delay or outright denial, often perpetuated by vested interests. The World Economic Forum, recognizing the gravity of this issue, has underscored "misinformation and disinformation" as the preeminent global risk in the coming biennium. Noteworthy among these misperceptions are instances of technological utopianism fostering delay and outright denial.

Existing scholarly literature posits that deliberative forums, commonly referred to as mini-publics, can contribute to mitigating such misperceptions while ensuring democratic legitimacy (Muradova et al., 2023). However, the efficacy of these mini-publics is contingent upon intricate institutional dynamics, including mechanisms integral to their functioning. Furthermore, the effective dissemination of assembly findings to the broader public emerges as a critical component in their potential success.

This paper endeavors to scrutinize whether climate assemblies, when communicated, can diminish the impact of misperceptions, particularly those associated with delay and denial narratives. In doing so, it seeks to elucidate the mechanisms through which such attenuation is realized, specifically examining the roles of representation, competence, and voice. This empirical inquiry is situated within the framework of a survey experiment conducted across five European countries in May 2023.

Authors

• Jane Suiter, Dublin City University

• Kevin Saude, University of Limerick