A Beginner's Guide to Community Building for Climate Adaptation
Part 2: Leveraging Citizen Assemblies for Climate Adaptation
In the face of rising populism and political polarization in countries such as the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Brazil, and India, ensuring inclusive and effective climate adaptation strategies is more critical than ever. Citizen assemblies provide a powerful platform for participatory governance across the political spectrum, fostering collective responsibility and mitigating political divides. This article explores how citizen assemblies work, with a focus on France’s Convention Citoyenne pour le Climat (Citizen Convention for the Climate) as a model that can be adapted to enhance citizen consensus around climate adaptation.
Why Citizen Assemblies?
Citizen assemblies address the shortcomings of current democratic systems, particularly in responding to urgent and long-term issues like climate change. By integrating citizens directly into the policymaking process, assemblies provide a complementary decision-making body to traditional parliamentary systems, free from electoral pressures.
Citizen assemblies empower ordinary citizens to deliberate on important issues, while providing them information from various experts and ensuring transparent, independent processes. This makes the decisions of assemblies less susceptible to influences from elites and lobby groups. Representativeness is ensured through random selection based on demographic criteria, making the assemblies truly reflective of the broader population. These assemblies offer an inclusive process where all voices are heard, with professional moderation and support for participants to ensure equal participation. This approach fosters trust, cohesion, and a renewed sense of democratic engagement.
Citizen Convention for the Climate
The Convention Citoyenne pour le Climat (Citizen Convention for the Climate) was an innovative initiative launched by the French government in 2019 and facilitated by Missions Publiques. It brought together 150 randomly selected citizens to deliberate on measures to reduce France’s greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030, in line with the Paris Agreement.
Key Features and Outcomes
Inclusivity and Diversity: The selection process ensured a diverse group of participants, reflecting different ages, genders, socio-economic backgrounds, and regions.
Expert Input: Participants received information and guidance from climate experts, economists, and legal advisors.
Deliberative Process: Over several months, participants engaged in structured discussions, working in thematic groups to develop proposals.
Recommendations: The convention produced 149 recommendations, covering areas such as transportation, housing, agriculture, and energy. Many were integrated into France’s national climate policy.
The Citizen Convention for the Climate was successful in several ways:
Policy Impact: A significant number of its 149 recommendations have been integrated into French national policies, influencing legislation and regulatory measures to meet climate goals.
Public Support: The process garnered widespread public support, enhancing the legitimacy and acceptance of climate policies among the French population.
Political Commitment: Despite some recommendations being diluted, the French government's commitment to considering the proposals “without a filter” was a noteworthy step towards inclusive governance.
Benefits of Citizen Assemblies for Climate Adaptation
Enhancing Legitimacy: Citizen assemblies enhance the legitimacy of climate policies by ensuring they reflect the public’s views and values.
Building Consensus: Through deliberation, participants can find common ground, reducing polarization and fostering social cohesion.
Empowering Communities: Engaging citizens in decision-making empowers them to take ownership of climate adaptation efforts.
Other Successful Case Studies
In the context of increasing political polarization in many countries, adapting the Citizen Convention for the Climate model can foster inclusive climate governance. By ensuring that diverse political views are represented and respected, citizen assemblies can reduce divisive rhetoric and build a more united front against climate challenges on the regional and local level. For instance, a city facing frequent flooding might convene a citizen assembly to develop flood resilience strategies. By involving residents, local businesses, and policymakers, the assembly can produce recommendations that are locally relevant and broadly supported.
Ireland - Citizen Assembly on Abortion and Same-Sex Marriage: Ireland successfully utilized citizen assemblies to address contentious social issues. The assembly's recommendations led to referendums legalizing same-sex marriage in 2015 and abortion in 2018. This process demonstrated the power of citizen assemblies in bridging polarized opinions and creating a mandate for legislative action.
United Kingdom - Climate Assembly UK: In 2020, the UK government commissioned the Climate Assembly UK, bringing together 108 citizens to discuss how the country should achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The assembly produced comprehensive recommendations covering energy, transportation, and agriculture, influencing national policy discussions.
Australia - South Australian Citizens' Jury: South Australia conducted a citizens' jury to deliberate on nuclear waste storage. Although the government ultimately decided against the proposal, the process highlighted the potential of citizen assemblies to inform public policy on complex and controversial issues.
Canada - British Columbia Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform: In 2004, British Columbia formed a citizens' assembly to evaluate and propose changes to the electoral system. The assembly recommended a switch to a single transferable vote system, which, although not implemented, set a precedent for citizen-driven electoral reform.
Takeaway Strategies for Implementing a Climate-focused Citizen Assembly Model
Identify Key Issues: Focus assemblies on specific climate adaptation challenges relevant to the community.
Ensure Representative Participation: Use stratified sampling to select a diverse group of participants.
Provide Clear Information: Ensure participants have access to accurate and comprehensive information from experts.
Facilitate Inclusive Discussions: Use skilled facilitators to manage discussions and ensure all voices are heard.
Develop Actionable Recommendations: Guide participants to develop clear, actionable recommendations for decision-makers.
Conclusion
The streets don’t have to be the only place that citizens’ voices are heard. Citizen assemblies provide a robust framework for participatory and democratic governance in climate adaptation. By engaging a diverse range of voices, fostering informed deliberation, and building consensus, these assemblies can enhance community resilience, reduce polarization, and ensure that climate policies are both effective and legitimate. Adapting this model to local contexts can empower communities to collaboratively address the complex challenges posed by climate change, even in the face of political turmoil.
