The effects of public deliberation on attitude change toward net-zero pathway: Generational differences in Taiwan

Abstract

Deliberative democracy researchers argue that democratic deliberation is the key to addressing problems posed by polarisation and post-truth politics. Decarbonisation toward net zero has become a key topic of public deliberation worldwide in the face of our climate emergency. This article explores generational differences in the effects of deliberation on changes in attitudes toward policies. The empirical analysis conducted in the present study was based on a nationwide online deliberation polling experiment in which a random sample of 91 citizens was gathered in July 2022 to deliberate on Taiwan's pathway to net-zero emissions with consideration of social divisions and barriers to the implementation of long-term energy policies. The findings revealed that deliberation resulted in significant increases in the feasibility of the 2050 Net-Zero Pathway and the support of citizens for several policy proposals, such as the target of 60–70 % renewable energy in the energy mix. The effects of deliberation on changes in attitudes toward certain policy proposals between two generations (aged <40 years and >41 years) varied significantly. The results showed five ways of generational policy attitude change. These findings suggest that public deliberation promotes knowledge expansion, collective learning, and reflection on Taiwan's Net-Zero Pathway plan.