Using Public Deliberation and Environmental Issues Forums to Achieve the 2030 Goals for Sustainable Development: A Case Study in Missouri, USA

The majority of Climate Scientists agree that mean global temperatures have risen since pre-1800 levels and that this change is human caused. However, public opinion polling in the United States suggests many are not convinced, questioning the scientific consensus about climate change. To achieve the 2030 sustainable development goals, active participation of citizens, universities, and governments is necessary to move toward a climate-friendly, socially resilient and economically viable society. In collaboration with the Kettering Foundation, the North American Association for Environmental Education developed the—Environmental Issues Forums (EIF). The goal is to test EIF as a model for enhancing public deliberation and understanding on climate change, water, and energy. We conducted six forums at three study sites: the Columbia Public Library, the Calvary Episcopal Church, and the University of Missouri. This study addressed three research priorities: (1) participants’ motivations for and perceptions of community-based forums focusing on climate change, (2) the effects of EIF forums and deliberation on fostering community-based solutions and sense of hope, and (3) what actions participants value to mitigate and adapt to climate change. The results suggest that participation in an EIF deliberative forum was an effective model to build a constructive conversation around community-based solutions.