This article assesses the state of efforts to integrate citizen engagement into climate change adaptation by focusing on the learning cycle of knowledge: how knowledge is developed, shared and implemented. The authors base their insights on 1) analysis of academic and institutional literatures; 2) mapping of the efforts of online knowledge-sharing platforms and the practices of individual citizen engagement initiatives; and 3) synthesis of findings from online workshops and interviews with experts in citizen engagement initiatives and European practitioners seeking to implement such initiatives. 

While the authors identify a positive trend in integrating citizen engagement into climate adaptation, they find that the use of good practices is hindered by several factors. Among these are knowledge development that primarily relies on academic sources; limited transparency of whether knowledge-sharing platforms are up to date; challenges with tailoring general knowledge to individual and local contexts; institutional barriers; and a lack of societal normalization of citizen engagement.

The authors reaffirm the need for citizen participation in fostering climate-resilient communities. They conclude that, while citizen engagement initiatives have raised public awareness and enhanced adaptive capacities, a gap remains between good practices in theory and in real-world implementation. They argue that if citizen engagement is to effectively contribute to climate resilience, it will be  essential to bridge this gap.