Devon Climate Assembly
Devon Climate Emergency are holding a citizens’ assembly to consider how Devon should meet the big challenges of climate change.
Why is the Devon Climate Assembly happening?
Many people in Devon have contributed to producing the Interim Devon Carbon Plan with actions to tackle climate change. But it identified some big challenges which require further discussion. Therefore, we are holding a citizens’ assembly to put the views of the general public at the centre of Devon’s action on climate change. A representative sample of Devon’s citizens from different social backgrounds, including young people over the age of 16 will form the Devon Climate Assembly.
The assembly will focus on transport, energy and land use which prior public consultation has said need further discussion. It will consider how we can create a Devon where people and nature thrive, including benefits such as warmer, more efficient homes, healthier and more active lifestyles, changing workplaces and emerging industries and ways to enhance wildlife in our urban and rural areas.
The Devon Climate Emergency partnership, which includes all Devon’s Local Authorities, will respond to each of the recommendations of the assembly to complete the Devon Carbon Plan.
What is a citizens’ assembly?
A citizens’ assembly brings together a group of people who learn about issues, discuss them with one another, and then make recommendations about what should happen and how things should change.
An assembly is typically made up of between 50 and 250 people who are randomly selected to reflect the wider population in terms of demographics (for example age, gender, ethnicity, level of deprivation) and sometimes relevant attitudes, such as their views on climate change.
Citizens’ assemblies give members of the public the time and opportunity to learn about and discuss a topic. Participants are presented with evidence by a wide range of specialists, for example, academics, researchers, people with direct experience of the issue, other stakeholders and campaigners. Through this process, they hear balanced evidence on the issue, before discussing what they have heard with one another and deciding what they think.
Citizens’ assemblies usually last for two or more weekends. Independent, expert facilitators are always present to help ensure everyone’s voice is heard. The conclusions of the citizens’ assembly are written up in a report that is presented to decision-makers and is made publicly available.
Citizens’ assemblies have been used at local and national levels since 2004 in countries such as Canada, Ireland, Australia, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and the UK. Find out more about how and where citizens’ assemblies have been used before in this report by the University of Exeter.
How are assembly members selected?
Citizens’ assemblies use a broadly representative sample of a specific population to create recommendations that have been informed by a wide variety of diverse backgrounds and experiences.
The Sortition Foundation will recruit assembly members using a process known as a ‘civic lottery.’ This is recognised internationally as the gold standard method for recruiting citizens’ assembly members.
Recruitment begins with inviting people from across Devon, Plymouth and Torbay to apply using a postal civic lottery. 14,000 letters inviting people to register their interest in taking part will be sent to randomly selected households. Any person aged 16 or over living in a household that receives an invitation will be able to reply by telephone or online to register their interest in participating in the assembly. Respondents will complete a form asking a number of questions that will help us to select members so that the whole assembly will be demographically representative of Devon.
In order to create an assembly that is broadly representative of Devon, members will be selected from the pool of respondents based on seven different criteria:
- Age
- Gender
- Ethnicity
- Levels of deprivation including income, education and health
- Geography (seven members will be selected from each of the 10 local authority areas)
- Rurality (which will include selecting residents from Dartmoor and Exmoor national parks)
- Disability
- Attitude towards climate change
What will the assembly be discussing?
Devon Climate Assembly will be discussing the important question:
How should Devon meet the big challenges of climate change?
The assembly will focus on transport, energy and land use which prior public consultation has said need further discussion. It will consider how we can create a Devon where people and nature thrive, including benefits such as warmer, more efficient homes, healthier and more active lifestyles, changing workplaces and emerging industries and ways to enhance wildlife in our urban and rural areas.
How will the assembly recommendations be used?
The recommendations from the Devon Climate Assembly will be considered by the Net-Zero Task Force and the Devon Climate Emergency Response Group and relevant actions will be incorporated into the Final Devon Carbon Plan. The Devon Carbon Plan is an evidence-led plan that sets out how Devon can reduce emissions to net-zero by 2050 at the latest.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply to take part in the assembly?
Assembly members will be selected using a process called a postal civic lottery. This process ensures that the assembly will be representative of the population of Devon, Plymouth and Torbay.
Because assembly members will be selected in this way, it is not possible to apply to take part if you have not received an invitation to apply in the mail. You can however still experience key parts of the assembly. We will publish all briefing materials created for assembly members on this website and recordings of the evidence sessions from the assembly will be available on our YouTube channel.
Can I speak at / give evidence to the assembly?
Organisations and individuals cannot apply to be a speaker at the assembly. The evidence that assembly members will hear is balanced, accurate and comprehensive.
Can I observe the assembly meetings?
All assembly meetings will take place online. All evidence sessions will be recorded, and they will be made available shortly after each weekend. If you’re interested you will be able to watch these sessions on our YouTube channel.
The deliberations between assembly members are private and it is not possible for observers to listen to or participate in those discussions.
Where can I see the final recommendations made by the assembly?
During the Assembly, members will use the information they have received to create recommendations that will be delivered to the Net-Zero Task Force and the Devon Climate Emergency Response Group to inform the Final Devon Carbon Plan. These recommendations will be made available to the public via this website in October 2021.
Developing a net-zero citizens’ assembly for Devon
In 2019 the University of Exeter reviewed the evidence and best practice for citizens’ assemblies, providing their recommendations to the Devon Climate Emergency Response Group. Following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic the University undertook further research into the viability of an online citizens’ assembly. You can read both reports in full here.
