Climate change is already affecting Dorset. Each year, we’re seeing extreme weather, flooding, and coastal erosion become more common. To help our county respond and prepare for the future, we need to understand what matters most to local people.
That’s why we created the Dorset Citizens’ Climate Panel with the help of Involve, a charity specialising in public participation.
The panel brought together 20 residents from different backgrounds, ages and views. Members were chosen by lottery to reflect the population of Dorset.
That’s why we created the Dorset Citizens’ Climate Panel with the help of Involve, a charity specialising in public participation.
The panel brought together 20 residents from different backgrounds, ages and views. Members were chosen by lottery to reflect the population of Dorset.
Read the panel's recommendations
Dive into the final report to explore the panel’s recommendations and learn how they can help our county prepare for climate change.
How the panel worked
Over several weeks, panel members heard from independent experts, learned about local climate impacts, and discussed practical ways Dorset can adapt to a changing climate.They explored issues such as:
- protecting homes, businesses and infrastructure
- improving flood management
- supporting communities during extreme weather
- safeguarding our natural environment
- ensuring decisions are fair and take account of people most affected by climate change
Hear from the panel
These short videos show what it was like to take part.Catherine’s story
Discover how Catherine hopes the panel’s recommendations will be used.Jonny’s story
Find out why Jonny thinks a climate panel will help Dorset prepare for the future.Emily’s story
Hear from Emily on her experience of being part of a panel.Tim’s story
Learn how Tim’s views have changed after being part of the panel.Kiran’s story
Find out what Kiran has learnt from his time on the panel.What the panel recommended
Across four full days of learning and discussion, the panel considered two key questions:- What do you imagine Dorset would look like if it was ready for climate change?
- How can we make that happen in a way that is fair to people and nature?
- a vision for a Dorset that is ready for climate change
- guidelines for navigating difficult trade-offs that Dorset may face in preparing for climate change
- a set of ambitions for how Dorset should prepare for climate change in the four areas that panel members identified as being of greatest concern to them
What happens next
The panel’s recommendations will be an important part of the evidence Dorset Council uses as it develops, alongside partners, a new Climate Adaptation Strategy for the county.This strategy will be shaped over the next 12 months. It will set out how Dorset can prepare for future climate impacts, including heavier rainfall and flooding and hotter, drier summers.
It will identify what action is needed to keep people safe, protect local services and support Dorset’s economy and natural environment.
Who was involved
The panel was delivered by public participation charity Involve as part of Innovate UK’s Net Zero Living programme.Recruitment was managed by the Sortition Foundation, specialists in fair and representative selection.
The advisory group supported the work, made up of representatives from:
- Dorset National Landscape
- Met Office
- Dorset CAN (Climate Action Network)
- Volunteer Centre Dorset
- Dorset Youth
- Dorset Race Equality Council
- Wessex Water
- Environment Agency
- Dorset Local Resilience Forum
- Dorset Local Nature Partnership
- London School of Economics - Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change the Environment
- Dorset Coast Forum
- Dorset Council
How panel members were selected
A letter was sent to 6,600 randomly selected households from the Royal Mail database, inviting residents to express interest in joining the panel.From those who responded, 22 individuals were selected by democratic lottery to reflect Dorset’s diversity in terms of:
- demographics
- geography
- attitudes toward climate change