Blackpool climate assembly brought together 40 randomly selected residents from across the Blackpool city region between January and February 2021, to figure out how to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2030.
Problems and Purpose
Background History and Context
In June 2019, Blackpool Council declared a climate emergency and committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2030. In 2020, FutureGov was engaged to help the Blackpool Council design and co-deliver the Blackpool Climate Assembly. This partnership will enable the citizens living in the town to recommend new environmental activities and initiatives that help achieve a more sustainable future
Organizing, Supporting, and Funding Entities
Future gov
Sortition foundation
Participant Recruitment and Selection
The people who take part in an assembly are chosen at random to represent the wider community. Everyone in Blackpool had an equal chance of being invited to take part. Invitations were sent out in November to around 8,000 randomly selected Blackpool households. The invitations provided information about how people in those households could apply to take part.
Methods and Tools Used
What Went On: Process, Interaction, and Participation
Session 1 was focused on introductions, getting participants comfortable with the assembly format, introducing members to the idea of a climate emergency, hearing about solutions, and creating a long list of principles to guide the assembly’s recommendations.
The aim of session 2 was to recap on the presentations from session 1, review the draft principles, understand how local government, businesses, and residents can take action to combat climate change, and develop a long list of issues that participants think the assembly should focus on.
The aim of this session was to recap the presentations and discussions from session 2, review the compiled list of issues participants said the assembly should focus on, agree on the issues the assembly wants to prioritise, and start identifying problems and formulating recommendations.
The aim of this session was to give participants the opportunity to finalise the assembly's recommendations, communicate the report writing process, thank the participants for taking part, and let them know how they can stay in touch with Blackpool Council’s climate action following the assembly.
Influence, Outcomes, and Effects
Analysis and Lessons Learned
See Also
References
External Links
https://wearefuturegov.com/
https://www.sortitionfoundation.org/
https://wearefuturegov.com/clients/blackpool-council
https://democracy.blackpool.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=364&MId=6354&Ver=4