Today's Public Participation Plan from the Government is a welcome recognition that we cannot reach Net Zero without the public. Time and again, our work demonstrates that when people are meaningfully included in climate policy, they support ambitious action and provide the practical insights needed to make implementation effective.
We are pleased to have contributed to the direction of this plan are particularly encouraged by the commitment to a standing Youth Climate and Nature Panel in 2026. We have advocated hard for this kind of embedded panel, and it represents a vital shift toward the progressive governance needed to tackle our biggest challenges.
Crucially, this must be matched by internal capacity. While we welcome a new internal Climate and Nature Participation Hub to help policymakers, this approach needs to go beyond guidance and become an embedded way of working for DESNZ.
While the plan highlights examples of effective engagement across the UK, detail on delivery remains light - making implementation the true test. To succeed, the Government must tap into the wealth of knowledge that already exists across the UK, and we look forward to supporting them on this journey. By putting the public at the heart of decision-making, we can unlock the momentum needed to achieve Net Zero.