Integration Beyond the Mainstream: Recent Innovations in Public Participation in Climate Policy Integration in Ireland

Normally, Environmental Policy Integration is regarded as a state-centric idea, however, Dreissen and Runhaar (2014) have argued that that an enlargement of the concept is required. This paper builds on a H2020 project –ENRTUST (Energy System Transition Through Stakeholder Activation, Education and Skills Development) to suggest, following Chivers and Longhurst (2016) that public engagement can take place through a variety of modalities. Using Ireland as a test case we argue that despite an historic deficit with regard to public participation in Climate Policy Integration that recent developments in the political opportunity structure, namely the notion of Energy Citizens’ (in the 2016 Energy White Paper) and in the cultural opportunity structure (with the call for a ‘Citizens’ Convention on a Post Carbon Ireland’ by leading Irish academics). Although these are very much emergent conditions, we suggest that even tentative lessons may have relevance to the recent renaissance of an idea.