Engaging a broad public in climate sciences is crucial for educating and motivating action. In turn, assessing communication initiatives can contribute to improving these activities for all involved. Through a systematic literature review, the authors emphasise the scarcity of peer-reviewed publications evaluating the outcomes of scientists' science communication efforts. The paper underscores the need to transparently assess these activities, whether successful or not, in order to advance the field. Although the focus of this paper is on public engagement in climate science, the implications extend to various geoscience domains.