Deliberative democracy can be defined as a “school of thought in political theory that claims that political decisions should be the product of fair and reasonable discussion and debate among citizens” (Eagan, 2013). As environmental policy has a huge impact on the climate condition, a deliberative society becomes essential in today’s world. To encourage citizen deliberation, the first step should be taken in education. In ensuring that citizens make wise decisions, education also plays a crucial role. Combining these two: civic and environmental education is the key for a better future.
Civic education is needed to learn how to participate in constructive dialogue with decision-makers at various levels of government, strive for climate neutrality as a society, and change the market for the production of goods and services for the benefit of citizens. Meanwhile, climate education should include global education, as the challenge of climate change is indeed a global issue. Apart from that, the development of social skills is necessary for one to be active and aware when it comes to environmental policy.
Climate education is often perceived as identical to environmental education. In fact, climate education goes beyond notions of environmental protection and learning pro-environmental attitudes, as it focuses primarily on the planet’s climate, the impact of natural factors and human activities on its change, and the consequences of a potential climate catastrophe (Wyszkowski, 2021).
Finally, civil society – in which climate movements and organisations are included – plays an important role in addressing environmental issues by drawing the attention of decision-makers to the climate emergency, raising public awareness, promoting innovative ideas and approaches, and advocating for transparency and in environmental policies (Ismailov, 2017).
References
Eagan, J. L. (2013). Deliberative democracy | political theory. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved on September 9, 2022, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/deliberative-democracy
Wyszkowski K. (ed.) (2021) Edukacja klimatyczna w Polsce. Raport. Retrieved on September 9, 2022, from https://ungc.org.pl/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Raport-Edukacja-Klimatyczna-w-Polsce.pdf
Ismailov, M. (2017). Civil Society and Environmental Issues. In Social Capital Construction and Governance in Central Asia (pp. 117–131). https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-52233-7_6