The role of experts in climate assemblies: recruitment and inclusion

Hannah Salamon; Ruth Lightbody; Jennifer J. Roberts; Stefanie Reher; Marco Reggiani

doi:10.1515/9783111328393-008

The role of experts in climate assemblies: recruitment and inclusion

Hannah Salamon
, Ruth Lightbody
, Jennifer J. Roberts
, Stefanie Reher
, Marco Reggiani

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter

5 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Experts often play a crucial role in the governance and delivery of mini-publics like climate assemblies by occupying advisory roles or contributing to the giving and sharing of information and perspectives in order to support assembly participants’ understanding of the issue at hand. While equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) of climate assembly participants is universally paid great attention, we ask: do climate assemblies consider EDI when recruiting and accommodating experts? In this chapter, we theoretically explore why EDI for experts in climate assemblies should be prioritised. We then analyse 23 mini-publics on climate change held in the UK since 2019 and find that there is little to suggest that EDI considerations are taken in practice with respect to the recruitment and inclusion of experts. We outline why this is particularly problematic for assemblies focusing on climate change and offer suggestions for both the practitioner and academic communities.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Climate Assemblies
Subtitle of host publication	New Civic Institutions for a Climate-changed World
Editors	Oliver Escobar, Stephen Elstub
Place of Publication	Berlin
Chapter	4
Pages	65-82
Number of pages	18
ISBN (Electronic)	9783111328393
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1515/9783111328393-008
Publication status	Published - 28 Aug 2025

Funding

This research received funding from the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Re search Council (EPSRC) STEM Equals project (EP/S012133/1) and the IGNITE Network+ grant (EP/W033747/1), the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) Discipline Hopping for Environmental Solutions award 2021 – 2022, as well as research support funds from the University of Strathclyde and Glasgow Caledonian University. Any opin ions, findings, and recommendations expressed in this paper are those of the authors.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 13 Climate Action

Keywords

climate assemblies
equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI)
expert witness

Access to Document

10.1515/9783111328393-008Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Salamon-etal-2025-The-role-of-experts-in-climate-assembliesFinal published version, 364 KBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

1 Finished

Discipline Hopping for Environmental Solutions
White, C. (Principal Investigator)
NERC (Natural Environment Research Council)
1/01/22 → 31/03/22
Project: Research

1 Policy Briefing/Paper

Inclusion and diversity among expert witnesses in deliberative mini-publics
Roberts, J. J., Salamon, H., Reggiani, M., Lightbody, R., Reher, S. & Pirie, C., 15 Nov 2022, Glasgow: University of Strathclyde. 27 p.
Research output: Book/Report › Policy Briefing/Paper › peer-review

Open Access
File

Cite this

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abstract = "Experts often play a crucial role in the governance and delivery of mini-publics like climate assemblies by occupying advisory roles or contributing to the giving and sharing of information and perspectives in order to support assembly participants{\textquoteright} understanding of the issue at hand. While equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) of climate assembly participants is universally paid great attention, we ask: do climate assemblies consider EDI when recruiting and accommodating experts? In this chapter, we theoretically explore why EDI for experts in climate assemblies should be prioritised. We then analyse 23 mini-publics on climate change held in the UK since 2019 and find that there is little to suggest that EDI considerations are taken in practice with respect to the recruitment and inclusion of experts. We outline why this is particularly problematic for assemblies focusing on climate change and offer suggestions for both the practitioner and academic communities.",

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The role of experts in climate assemblies: recruitment and inclusion

Abstract

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Projects

Discipline Hopping for Environmental Solutions

Research output

Inclusion and diversity among expert witnesses in deliberative mini-publics

Cite this