People or Experts? A Study on Public Preferences for Participatory Democracy and Expert Governance in the Context of Climate Policymaking in Sweden

ABSTRACT The failure of governments worldwide to meet the climate targets of the Paris Agreement has sparked a debate about different decision‐making practices. While some scholars advocate participatory practices, others argue for greater involvement of scientific experts. Less is known about public preferences for these decision‐making practices and their potential to generate policy legitimacy in the context of climate policymaking. Also, few studies have explored preferences across individuals with different political orientations, levels of trust, and attitudes to climate action. Drawing on a survey conducted in 2023 in Sweden, this study presents novel insights on public preferences for participatory democracy and technocracy with decision‐making authority within climate policymaking. The study finds that expert governance is not only the preferred model but also that it garners support across groups with diverse political views and among individuals unconcerned about climate change. The preferences may reflect growing frustration with insufficient climate action, but perhaps also the complexity and urgency of the issue. Under the assumptions about policy legitimacy presented in this study, expert governance appears to have greater potential than participatory democracy to foster consensus across political cleavages and to build acceptance among individuals who are typically skeptical of climate policies.