The citizens assembly was originally planned to take place in Spring 2020 and we collected lots of ideas from residents across 5 months through Common Place to provide evidence for the assembly. Due to coronavirus restrictions, we migrated online and spent significant time with independent organisers, Traverse, to ensure an inclusive and engaging process.
The assembly was made up of 50 randomly selected Lambeth citizens, who were representative of the population on a range of demographic characteristics. Traverse has made sure the assembly hears evidence from different groups, including climate experts, local campaigns and most affected groups.
Participants answered the question: ‘We are facing a climate crisis. How can we work together in Lambeth to address climate change and its causes fairly, effectively and quickly’?
The main objectives were to:
- To understand the priority areas for citizens in reducing carbon emissions
- To explore the trade-offs involved in reducing carbon emissions and how this might affect support for carbon reduction measures, and the principles we should apply to developing carbon reduction policy
- To develop a set of recommendations for the borough to reduce carbon emissions to net zero, to be built into a Climate Action Plan by the end of 2021.