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Would a citizens’ climate assembly work for East Devon – or even the Sid Valley?

How can we plan for reducing our impact on the climate – in a local, concrete way?

EDDC ACTION PLAN:

The East Devon district council has published its climate emergency action plan – which sets out the priority actions they will take as a council to work towards their pledge of being carbon neutral by 2040:

Beer, East Devon, Red Zeppelin (@redzeppelin) | Unsplash Photo Community

We have an ambition to reduce our carbon use at every opportunity and work towards the Think Globally – Act Locally aspiration that is still relevant today. Action Plan – East Devon

Of course, this is to be welcomed – but as they say, it is limited to what the council can do to reduce its own carbon footprint – although its Action Plan will also be used to encourage others to adopt a similar approach. Service Climate actions 24_25

CITIZENS’ ASSEMBLIES:

France and Britain have both had citizens’ assemblies to look at climate change mitigation:

The UK’s climate assembly took place next to the motorway in the Birmingham Park Regis hotel in 2020; despite having David Attenborough in attendance, the event was barely noticed by the general public. Citizens’ assemblies could work wonders for Labour and Britain – but only if they’re more than a talking shop | Richard Wilson | The Guardian

But we might be getting something more substantial from the new government: Citizens’ assemblies could work wonders for Labour and Britain – but only if they’re more than a talking shop | Richard Wilson | The Guardian

In the meantime, Britain’s local authorities are doing their own climate assemblies: Climate Assembly September 2024 | Stratford-on-Avon District Council and Citizens Climate Assembly – recommendations | Westminster City Council and Southampton Citizens’ Climate Assembly

If Exeter had put together such a process, it might have avoided the debacle over its Low Traffic Neighbourhood: BREAKING: Exeter LTN scrapped – Vision Group for Sidmouth

Would a citizens’ climate assembly work for East Devon – or even the Sid Valley?