Deliberative approaches to the climate crisis: Adapting Climathons for rural communities

Abstract

This paper reflects on adapting the Climathon method as a novel deliberative approach for place-based climate governance, with a focus on agri-food climate solutions. We consider the interrelated governance concepts of deliberative democracy and just transitions, with attention to liberal and agonistic perspectives. The paper draws on two Climathons organised in rural English communities in early 2022: one in Cumbria and one in Cornwall. It uses semi-structured interviews, evaluative data and researcher reflections to analyse alignment (or not) with components of deliberative discussion, principles of deliberative democracy, and factors that increase perceptions of procedural justice. We found it was possible to create conditions for conscientious and informed deliberation. However, some aspects of the Climathon methodology made deliberation challenging, particularly the ‘balanced’ component, as time pressure led to a focus on achieving consensus rather than exploring all arguments. Climathons can be a valuable deliberative tool, as part of a range of options including citizens' assemblies. We recommend co-designing events with local stakeholders, aligning with existing local initiatives, and mapping a clear pathway for solutions to feed into policy and practice.