Climate change is one of the defining challenges of our time that will determine the fate of coming generations on our planet. Climate action since the 2015 Paris Agreement shows that while solutions are available, neither ambition nor implementation are progressing at the required pace. Democratic institutions must adapt to the cause not only to protect the climate but also since climate change poses an existential risk to democracy. Democracy will struggle to remain a credible and legitimate political system if it does not identify effective solutions to the climate crisis. 

Climate assemblies are examples of innovation that includes citizens directly in developing climate policy, which can raise climate ambition and strengthen the legitimacy of the difficult policy choices involved in the transition towards net zero. Climate assemblies can potentially turn protest demands into actionable recommendations and help build social mandates for change. This Report examines lessons learned from the first wave of climate assemblies and discusses how deliberative practices may help build more ambitious and citizen-owned climate agendas.