AnObservatoryforPublicEngagementwithEnergyandClimateChange

Meaningful public engagement is now seen as crucial to addressing the challenges of energy transitions and climate change. While these are profoundly systemic problems, most approaches to public engagement are not, focusing on discrete and often one-off forms of participation in specific parts of wider systems. UKERC has been at the forefront of moves to develop more systemic approaches to public participation and engagement, including through its Public Engagement Observatory.

The Public Engagement Observatory maps the many different ways that people are engaging with energy, climate change and net zero on an ongoing basis. It openly shares and undertakes these mappings with others to help make energy and climate-related decisions, innovations and participation more just, responsible and responsive to society. Through its network, the Observatory makes connections and encourages learning across wider systems of public engagement in the UK and internationally.

This webinar marked the launch of the Public Engagement Observatory’s new dedicated website and open access database, which allows everyone to openly access, explore and contribute to its mappings of diverse public engagement with energy and climate change.

Speakers: Prof Jason Chilvers, UEA, UKERC Co-Director and Public Engagement Observatory lead; Prof Becky Willis, University of Lancaster; Prof Jim Watson, UCL Institute for Sustainable Resources; Simon Burall, Involve and Sciencewise; Helen Pallett, UEA and UKERC Public Engagement Observatory deputy-lead.