Organize a citizens’ assembly

Citizens’ assemblies (or juries) are one method of direct democracy. They involve a randomly selected group of local residents who deliberate on key issues and generate policy recommendations. Citizens’ assemblies are being designed and implemented in many places to address urgent issues like the climate emergency. 

Take action

• Citizens’ Assemblies: Guide to Democracy that Works is a comprehensive guide to the rationale, organization and impacts of citizens’ assemblies.
• Learn about citizens’ climate assemblies and juries and how to design, facilitate and implement them with the Extinction Rebellion Guide to Citizens’ Assemblies for activists.
• UK-based Shared Future created this guide to climate assemblies, specifically aimed at local governments.  
• Another UK-based guide for local governments on running a citizens’ assembly was created by the Royal Society for the Arts and several British ministries.
• For a deep dive into the why and how of citizens’ assemblies – both in general and as applied to the climate crisis – check out this amazing set of resources – books, articles, reports, videos, websites and podcasts – curated by Extinction Rebellion NYC, and this set by Extinction Rebellion UK.
   

Get inspired

• The Leeds (UK) Climate Change Citizens’ Jury met in 2019 and developed a set of robust recommendations to the Leeds city council.
• Scotland’s Climate assembly met to discuss “How should Scotland change to tackle the climate emergency in an effective and fair way?” They have created an interim report.
• The UK Climate Assembly was formed of “100+ people from all walks of life and shades of opinion” who met over six weekends to discuss the UK’s climate goals. Their report was issued in September 2020.