The Dundee Climate Fund (DCF), which is launched by the Dundee City Council, is a participatory budgeting initiative in order to empower residents in directing funds toward local climate action projects.
Problems and Purpose
With reference to Sustainable Dundee, climate change will lead to more extreme weather events in Dundee, which undoubtedly impose devastating effects on the natural environment and society. There would be a wide range of adverse impacts, including damage to infrastructure, forestry, agriculture, and shortage of water resources and energy. Moreover, in the circumstance of sea level rise and increasing temperature, more flooding and frequent spread of pest diseases would occur. Thus, food and water availability would be threatened, the marine and natural environment would be harmed, and energy supply and infrastructure networks would be impaired. Accordingly, Dundee is determined to deal with this pressing issue, so as to address climate change and enhance a sustainable society, through reducing carbon emissions, enhancing biodiversity, promoting sustainable practices, and fostering community engagements.
At the third round of the DCF, both new projects and existing projects for continuation were welcomed and encouraged to apply. The key themes of DCF 3.0 are going in line with the purposes mentioned just now, which consist of energy, transport, waste, resilience and raising awareness. In terms of energy, reducing consumption, enhancing renewables and energy efficiency are promoted. With regard to transport, decarbonised transport systems are motivated. Regarding waste, minimizing waste, embracing recycling, and developing circularity are proposed. In regard to resilience, building more greenspaces, boosting biodiversity, and strengthening local food initiatives are mentioned. Lastly, concerning raising awareness, it aims to engage different community groups and inspire the next generations.
Background History and Context
The Dundee City Council has announced numerous strategic 2022 - 2027 council plans in regard to tackling climate change and attaining net zero by 2045, which is in accordance with the goal set by the Scottish government. Additionally, active community participation and capacity building are upheld. Those council plans include Dundee Climate Action Plan, Regional Transport Strategy Plan, Waste and Recycling Strategy Plan 2020 – 2025, and Dundee Biodiversity Action Plan 2020 – 2030. In addition, recognising the severity of climate change, huge projects of around 100 million pounds are being invested for the transition to a net-zero climate-resilient future. Partnerships, collaborations and other vital operations with different sectors are being adopted as well. Aside from these, in regard to community engagement, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) and the Scottish Government agreed to develop a framework, in which at least 1% of local government budgets will be used for the participatory budgeting, so as to enhance collective action and decision making of local citizens.
Thus, from the above key priority backgrounds and clear roadmaps, it can be seen that the Dundee City Council is ready and dedicated to tackling climate change and boosting community engagement, through taking bold and ambitious steps. It even sets a benchmark for other local governments, as the ‘pioneer’ of carrying out participatory budgeting in the United Kingdom. Dundee, as the fourth-largest city in Scotland with a population of around 150 thousand, is generally considered one of the most affordable places to live in the United Kingdom, since a balanced lifestyle, growth opportunities and a supportive community environment are provided. Apart from this, the Dundee City Council is controlled by the Scottish National Party. It is a left social democratic political party, which advocates a ‘Greener Scotland’ – tackling climate change through 100 per cent reduction in emissions as soon as possible and targeting a 50 per cent electricity from renewables. All the above factors provide a favourable context for Dundee to engage in CDF.
Dundee had experienced several times of successful participatory budgeting in history. The first one was the ‘Dundee Decides’, where citizens are empowered to make decisions regarding internal affairs, including infrastructure, pedestrian crossings, lighting, planting and play areas (and there is even a case study here). In the end, over 75% of the correspondents said that it was the first time for them to participate in community decisions, and hence paving the way for the DCF 1.0 and DCF 2.0. From the two rounds of DCF, 22 city projects were implemented, including developing gardens in the community, increasing electric transport and running educational sessions. There were 4376 and 4758 votes in DCF 1.0 and 2.0 respectively, and the total spending of share will be around 750,000 pounds, incorporating one-third of revenue and two-thirds of capital funding, for the creation of a greener, innovative and sustainable future.
Organising, Supporting, and Funding Entities
Regarding the funding entity, DCF 3.0 is primarily funded by the Scottish and Dundee governments. The financial grant of around 100,000 pounds will be used to fund the projects. Besides, concerning the organising entity, the Dundee City Council is mainly responsible for the monitoring of the whole participatory budgeting process. Aside from these, in regard to supporting entities, there are a host of them. Firstly, COSLA provides different advice and framework for the execution of participatory budgeting. Secondly, the government and city council offer policy guidance and funding support. Moreover, under the Local Community Planning Partnership Programme, local community groups and non-profit organizations provide support through engaging in the implementations of an array of projects. Besides, websites including ‘Sustainable Dundee’, and ‘Dundee’s Voice’ play a pivotal role, though providing informative description of the DCF 3.0 PB, such as the details of each shortlisted project, project timeline, voting guidelines and frequently asked questions. They also act as a platform for civic engagement and take part in coordination – as a bridge for communications of voices between stakeholders. Lastly, media and news agencies play a significant role to promote this momentous project through different reports.
Participant Recruitment and Selection
A host of rules was set concerning the recruitment of participants. To start with, candidates can apply for topics regarding energy, transport, waste, resilience and community engagement in Dundee. Next, in regard to eligibility, only not-for-profit, constituted groups will be able to submit proposals for consideration, but social enterprises, community interest companies and registered charities are welcomed to participate in the project. Also, there were some conditions, for example, individuals, sole traders and profit-maximising organisations were not accepted. Besides, the criteria of spending of funds was listed clearly, in which applications will be considered for both small projects (a minimum of £6,000 to a maximum of £25,000) and large projects (up to a maximum of £100,0000).
Apart from this, guidelines of selection of project proposals were stated clearly. Candidates had to ensure that their submitted proposals were feasible to deliver, together with an effective sustainable procurement execution, a commitment to public engagement, and a supportive long-term lifestyle change. Subsequently, the applications were vetted by a Review Panel. Each application would undergo an internal review process to ensure it meets the feasibility and eligibility criteria. Further selection restrictions include ethical and sustainable considerations, burdens on the Council, controversies, redundancies and health protections. Projects meeting these criteria would then be shared online for the public to vote on.
For unsuccessful applications, feedback would be provided through the application portal. On the other hand, for successful applicants, monitoring reports which can be accessed publicly, are required to submit twice a year. Consequently, a fair, transparent and sustainable institution can be facilitated for the recruitment and selection processes.
Methods and Tools Used
To ensure that the initiative of participatory budgeting is accessible to as many citizens in the community as possible, a wide variety of methods and tools were used so as to facilitate civic participation and enhance the overall representativeness. As mentioned above, different Dundee-based not-for-profit groups could apply for the project proposals. With regard to voting, it was conducted simultaneously and anonymously. Each Dundee citizen had one vote in this round. During the voting process, the entire budget with all available proposals was allocated for each citizen. Finally, funding will be received for the applications with the highest votes, in which funding will be awarded via public vote through CONSUL software, which is responsible for calculating the successful votes for the result announcement. Besides, concerning voting methods, both e-voting and in-person voting were accepted, in which citizens could choose to vote through online platforms like Facebook, Google, or ‘MyGovScot’ accounts, or choose to vote in-person at community libraries across the city. This is to facilitate the convenience, accessibility and inclusiveness of public participation.
What Went On: Process, Interaction, and Participation
There are six stages during the process of DCF 3.0. Firstly, from June 10, 2024 to October 01, 2024, the stage of recruitment and accepting projects were conducted. Applicants were strongly advised to align with the key themes, i.e. energy, transport, waste, resilience and raising awareness of building capacity, while planning their funding proposals. Applications were to be between 2,000 to 25,000 pounds, while evidence of continuation of the project had to be provided. Lastly, submitting the application form and other supplementary documents online.
After that, from October 02, 2024 to December 12, 2024, the stage of reviewing projects was operated. The Dundee Climate Fund review panel, which was formed of both internal and external experts, reviewed and assessed all the applications in terms of eligibility and feasibility (see section 4 for more details).
Subsequently, from December 13, 2024 to January 11, 2025, the stage of publishing project prices was conducted. Then, from January 13, 2025 to March 17, 2025, the stage of voting was operated. To show support, eligible voters could explore those 20 DCF Projects through online platforms, and then voted for the projects through a variety of methods mentioned in the previous section. To enhance interactions and effective participation, some candidates promoted their projects through social media platforms and websites in order to compel the Dundee residents. For instance, Dundee Science Centre, one of the candidates, explained the background issues, their proposed events and environmental benefits through their website. In addition, workshops, educational materials and public consultations were conducted in order to promote the event and gather different ideas.
Lastly, announcement of the winner took place from March 30, 2025 to April 29, 2025, after votes were calculated from March 18, 2025 to March 29, 2025. To succeed in receiving funding, projects are required a minimum vote of 150. Since then, the projects will be funded for the implementation phase by local communities.
Influence, Outcomes, and Effects
In general, the outcome was successful. Many took part in this empowering participatory budgeting project, in order to make positive environmental and social impacts collectively, such as decarbonisation projects and community engagements. Specific results are as follows (after two months of voting, total of ~ £95,000):
- Campy Growers’ Green Gazebo: A Place to Connect – £24,962;
- Creative Gardens – Connecting Community, Nature, and Art – £9,033;
- Scottish Action for Mental Health: Growing Chrysalis Dawson Park Community Garden – £24,464;
- ScrapAntics Resilience Worker - £19,333;
- Student-Led Farmers Market – Eastern Dundee Pupil Food Growing Initiative - £6,810;
- The Maxwell Centre: The Big Grow Dundee - £22,160.
Although the themes remain unchanged, i.e. energy, transport, waste, resilience and raising awareness of building capacity, the overall initiative was fantastic and meaningful. The approach where decisions are directly made by citizens, influences other town-based projects to imitate, so as to support a sustainable community. Moreover, more local groups and residents are being motivated to take part in community development, since they feel the positive effects to society, from the past three rounds of DCF. As a result, the DCF 3.0 further enhances the interactions and solidarity of the community, and active social networks are reinforced, in order to commit to contribute to the city’s sustainability and hence tackling climate change. This is beneficial and vital for the overall social innovation, progress and citizens’ livelihood. (More effects can be shown after the survey regarding citizens’ views on PB is reported.)
Analysis and Lessons Learned
Council leader of Dundee, Councillor John Alexander said: “This is an exciting development that would give Dundee the first Scottish Local Authority led green participatory budgeting initiative. As part of our city-wide drive to tackle these crucial issues, we need to engage with the city’s people and get them to support us through action. This fund is an innovative way to enthuse groups and inspire them to put projects in place. Ours has to be a city-wide effort as there are so many challenges that need to be met.” One of the challenges is that, the participating population accounts for only less than 1 per cent of the total population. Hence, does the DCF 3.0 enhance democratic innovation and participation? Can this framework be a role model for others? This will be analysed through six elements by Graham Smith (2009), namely inclusiveness, popular control, considered judgement, transparency, efficiency and transferability.
8.1 Inclusiveness
With reference to G. Smith (2009), “inclusiveness turns our attention to the way in which political equality is realised in at least two aspects of participation: presence and voice.” (p. 12). It can be seen that political equality should be upheld, and the engagement of different socio-economic classes and marginalized communities are underlined. DCF 3.0 had made huge efforts to broaden participation. Firstly, by allocating funds specifically for community-led climate projects, it encouraged the involvement of grassroots. Moreover, outreach initiatives, for instance, community workshops and partnerships with local organizations, aimed to engage climate issues with different underrepresented groups. Furthermore, strengthening promotions platforms and allowing both in-person and online voting successfully increased the rate of participation and inclusiveness. However, obstacles remain in achieving full inclusivity. Barriers such as digital divides, where some citizens might not always check project updates online; language differences, in which they did not know what was going on; and varying levels of awareness, can hinder participation from certain demographics. To further facilitate inclusiveness, DCF 3.0 could carry out more targeted strategies, like multilingual resources and more frequent offline promotions and engagement methods, so as to ensure a broader community representation and engagement. In addition, with reference to the case of Participatory Budgeting in Porto Alegre, residents of the disadvantaged and marginalised accounted for the largest percentage of the votes. Having said that, many barriers, including availability of information and level of awareness, hamper the inclusiveness of the participatory economic democracy.
8.2 Popular Control
According to G. Smith (2009), “popular control requires consideration of the degree to which participants are able to influence different aspects of the decision-making process.” (p. 12). It can be observed that, citizens are granted to participate in processes like setting agendas and executing outcomes. In DCF 3.0, residents had the opportunity to propose and vote on climate-related projects, thus granting them direct influences over the allocations of funds. This bottom-up approach empowers communities to deal with local environmental concerns. However, the degree of control could be affected by factors including the complexity of proposal requirements and the transparency of decision-making criteria. The decisions made by the reviewing panels were based on two factors – eligibility and feasibility. However, what these two words exactly mean is unknown. Thus, there should be more specific guidelines on the meaning of these two words. Ensuring that citizens obtain clear information and support throughout the process can enhance popular control, instead of making others feel that the decisions are just controlled by the reviewing panels and the City Council. Mechanisms such as feedback sessions and participatory planning meetings can further enhance citizen influence in DCF 3.0.
8.3 Considered Judgement
With reference to G. Smith (2009), “considered judgement entails inquiry into citizens’ understanding of both the technical details of the issue under consideration and the perspectives of other citizens.” (p. 12). It is deduced that citizens have the right to be informed, get a comprehensive understanding and reflection. DCF 3.0 enhanced considered judgment by providing informational sessions and resources about climate issues and their potential solutions. Moreover, workshops and consultations aimed to equip participants with the knowledge needed to make informed choices. Nevertheless, the depth of deliberation could vary depending on participants' prior knowledge, interests and the accessibility of information. In DCF 3.0, most information residents obtained was from websites or social media platforms, where face-to-face deliberation sessions were far from sufficient. To bolster considered judgment, DCF 3.0 could incorporate more frequent, supportive and structured deliberative forums, so as to allow more in-depth discussions and diverse perspectives to be shared before the voting period commences.
8.4 Transparency
According to G. Smith (2009), “transparency centres reflection on the openness of proceedings to both participants and the wider public” (p. 12). It is inferred that the boarder public are entitled the power to know the decisions made and the allocation of resources. DCF 3.0 maintained transparency by publicly sharing information about funding criteria, project proposals, and voting outcomes. Additionally, regular updates through official websites and community meetings kept stakeholders informed. Furthermore, for successful applications, monitoring reports which can be accessed publicly, are required to submit twice a year. This can enhance transparency, since the public can understand whether the council fund is used properly for the intended purposes. However, continuous efforts are needed to ensure that information is accessible and comprehensible to all community members, especially the details of the operation of the reviewing panels of DCF 3.0. Through utilizing multiple communication channels, including social media, local newsletters, and in-person briefings, transparency and trust during the process can be heightened.
8.5 Efficiency
As mentioned by G. Smith (2009), “efficiency demands that we attend to the costs that participation can place on both citizens and public authorities” (p. 13). We can see that it is of paramount importance to achieve a desired result with an optimal use of resources, in order to balance the costs and benefits. DCF 3.0 strived for efficiency by streamlining application processes and providing clear guidelines and criteria for project proposals. By leveraging existing community networks and different digital platforms, it lowered administrative burdens while accelerated decision-making. For instance, the use of digital platform – CONSUL software for calculation of votes, greatly reduced the time and manpower consumed. Also, the combination of online and physical methods minimized administrative burden. Nonetheless, ensuring that efficiency does not compromise inclusivity or deliberation is crucial. Besides, project delivery and terms & agreements with regard to funding still faced bureaucratic hurdles, like reporting and audits, hence lowering the overall efficiency. Thus, regular evaluations and feedback mechanisms can assist in identifying different areas of improvement, ensuring that the process remains both effective and responsive to a variety of community needs.
8.6 Transferability
As stated by G. Smith (2009), “transferability provides an occasion to evaluate whether designs can operate in different political contexts, understood in relation to scale, political system or type of issue” (p. 13). We can observe that transferability is significant to spread the principles of democratic innovation to other states. The design of DCF 3.0, focusing on community-led climate projects through participatory budgeting, offered a model that can be replicated in other municipalities. Its emphasis on local engagement, transparency, and well-structured decision-making provides a framework that is adaptable to various socio-political environments. Nevertheless, successful transfer requires consideration of different local contexts, including cultural norms, administrative capacities, and availability of various resources. Sharing best practices and lessons learned from DCF 3.0 can aid other regions in carrying out similar initiatives tailored to their unique contexts. Apart from this, according to the case of Participatory Budgeting in Porto Alegre, the case of a city or a town, can hardly applied to the context of a state, due to the vast difference in scale.
To conclude, in spite of the fact that there are some obstacles and limitations for the democratic innovation and participation in DCF 3.0, the performance could meet the requirements as stated by G. Smith. DCF 3.0 has a comprehensive initiative which serves as a model for integrating democratic practices into sustainability, climate governance and community engagement.
References
Marquetti, A., Campbell, A. & Schonerwald da Silva, C. E., 2012. Participatory Economic Democracy in Action: Participatory Budgeting in Porto Alegre, 1989–2004. Review of Radical Political Economics, 44(1), pp. 62-81.
Smith, G. (2009). Democratic Innovations. Cambridge University Press.
External Links
https://www.dundeecity.gov.uk/news/article?article_ref=4682
https://dundeecity.gov.uk/council-plan-2022-2027/our-key-priorities
https://www.snp.org/our-vision/environment/
https://www.sustainabledundee.co.uk/projects/dundee-climate-fund
https://dundeesvoice.communitychoices.scot/
https://dundeesvoice.communitychoices.scot/DCF3FAQ
https://dundeesvoice.communitychoices.scot/DundeeClimateFund
https://www.dundeesciencecentre.org.uk/inspiring-climate-action-through-play/
