Research meets practice: Climate action, AI guidance, and impact data
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3 powerful climate action initiatives from Brazil, Nigeria & Canada
From climate assemblies in the Amazon cities of Brazil, to the Climate Reality Project in Canada, to participatory climate change adaptation in Nigeria, read how organizations and communities are leading climate action around the world. In our new article, we reflect on the coalitions of climate justice organizations and policymakers we’ve supported through the Climate Democracy Accelerator.
New Resource: Updated impact data on how participatory budgeting is transforming societies
We just updated our compilation of impact data on participatory budgeting (PB)! We summarized dozens of studies with clear evidence-based recommendations so you don't have to start from scratch when advocating, organizing, or designing your own PB initiative. Here’s what’s new:
We compiled 19 key findings on PB’s impacts on people, communities, and governments
A new interactive Airtable database
An updated research brief compiling over 50 resources
What governments should know about digital participation & AI
As digital participation and AI gain importance in participatory processes, governments and organizations need guidance to navigate this space, especially to select and use the right digital tools for their context. In February, we released our latest digital participation ratings, in which we evaluated 30 digital participation tools and profiled an additional 17 AI-powered tools.
In this post, we share insights and trends from our research and ratings, including how the platforms integrate AI and what governments should consider when approaching this new technology.
Accountability Lab is launching a partnership service for nonprofits that are looking to start new initiatives or find a new home for their work.
The Global Citizens’ Assembly Network (GloCAN) is compiling resources and reports on other global and transnational citizens’ assemblies.
Reema Patel has published a new framework and self-assessment workbook on including public voices in AI development.
DemNet is using citizens’ assemblies to enhance women’s engagement in two Budapest districts.
Nets4Dem published its annual report, which features our collective effort to advance democractic innovations in Europe and beyond
May 9: Using Participation to Strengthen Democracy (Berlin)
May 21–23: International Observatory on Participatory Democracy conference (Córdoba, Argentina)
June 10–11: TICTeC 2025 (Machelen and online)
October 7–9: Open Government Partnership Global Summit (Spain)
October 15–16: 2025 Democracy R&D Conference: Democracy at a Crossroads (Belgium)
This month, our Resource Center highlights resources featured in our new impact data for participatory budgeting and citizens’ assemblies:
Deliberation, Polarization, and Emotion: A Deliberative Process about Climate Change with Young Participants: A field study of the role of emotions in deliberative processes about climate change, conducted with young children.
Feeling excluded? Why ethnic minorities (do not) engage in participatory budgeting: This article examines the drivers and barriers of engagement of ethnic minorities in participatory budgeting through a case study of PB in Romania.
Understanding the Impact of the French Climate Citizens’ Convention: This KNOCA briefing collates the existing literature to build a comprehensive review of the impacts resulting from the French Climate Citizens’ Convention.
Boston Globe: It’s time for a fourth branch of government by Josh Lerner and Marjan Ehsassi
Nets4Dem and Demos Helsinki: Governing with citizens: Embedding democratic innovations into societies
Modern Diplomacy: The End of an Era: Reimagining Democracy Support for a New World by Soheila Comninos and Scott Warren
Involve: Getting deliberate about social cohesion by Alison Chisholm
European Endowment for Democracy: Funding for local democracy organizations in the Eastern Partnership, Middle East and North Africa, the Western Balkans and Turkey. (Rolling deadline)
Multitudes Foundation: Open call for incubation and scaling grants for organizations building more inclusive politics in Europe (Rolling deadline)
