Relational processes for transformative climate justice policymaking: insights from a Western Australian community of practice

This article explores how relational approaches to policymaking across multiple levels and sectors of society might enable transformative climate justice. It draws on a unique case study from the state of Western Australia (WA), where climate justice is thwarted by the coloniality of climate politics and the hegemony of the fossil fuel industry. It examines the relational processes of a climate and health community of practice (CoP) in WA that involves people across the health sector, public service, non-government, and community. The CoP had an important role in enabling the WA Government’s public inquiry into climate change and health in 2019–2020, which stimulated a range of new policies, strategies, and inquiries in the state’s climate policy subsystem where meaningful climate action was previously lacking. To understand how relational processes and practices may have enabled the Inquiry, and their transformative potential, a participatory action research study was undertaken. This article reports on findings from interviews and collective analysis with co-researchers including advocates, public servants, and practitioners working at the intersection of climate and health in WA. The Inquiry was in part enabled by relational practices and processes, demonstrated through a Community of Practice, relational organizing, and diverse advocacy coalitions. The article then applies an Intersectionality-Based Policy Analysis to assess the transformative potential of a relational approach to climate-responsive policymaking. The analysis reveals persistent inequities concerning recognitional and procedural climate justice and suggests ways that diverse actors involved in policymaking can use a relational approach to address them.Key policy insights Recognitional and procedural injustices need to be addressed for climate-responsive policymaking in complex, multi-issue settings to be effective.A relational approach to policymaking through communities of practice can foster critical awareness, trust, care, solidarity, and accountability, but require time, skilled labour and resourcing to create and sustain.Relational organizing and care are forms of labour vital to transformative climate justice policymaking, yet are often overlooked, unremunerated, or under-valued.Justice-oriented boundary agents can advocate for and demonstrate relational approaches within advocacy coalitions and policy subsystems to enhance the transformative potential of climate-responsive policy.