Citizens’ assembly with local residents next week
A citizens’ assembly hosted by Hackney Council on 3 March will mark the next step of engagement with local residents on plans to tackle the climate crisis over the next 20 years.
The assembly follows a green recovery engagement event in the autumn, and will feature a group of residents drawn from the Council’s Hackney Matters panel - aimed at being as representative as possible to reflect the diverse interests of residents.
Participants will first hear about the makeup of emissions in Hackney, before exploring how residents and the Council can work together to reduce emissions in areas where they can have a significant impact on climate change, such as the things we buy - like food, clothes and electricals - and the heating and electricity used in homes.
While the Council is committed to becoming zero carbon by 2040, it only has direct control over five per cent of the borough’s emissions, and influence over a third, and wants to listen to local people’s priorities for tackling climate change.
Many measures, like investment in green jobs across the borough, tree planting and energy efficiency, will have direct benefits for the borough, creating cleaner air, healthier lives and better neighbourhoods for residents.
From the ban on the sale of petrol and diesel cars to the switch away from gas boilers, the response to the climate crisis will have far-reaching impacts on all of our lives.
We want to make sure that residents know how they can influence our plans, hold us to account, get in touch with us with thoughts and ideas, and do their bit - however big or small - to tackle the climate crisis. This citizens’ assembly - a pledge we made when we declared a climate emergency - marks the next step in developing a long-term conversation on the climate crisis
The involvement of residents is key to kickstarting a long-term conversation on the climate crisis, especially when we know the kind of changes in behaviour we all need to make if we’re to reach stretching zero carbon targets.
We started that process with our green recovery event last year, and we want to build on this in the coming years - hearing about residents' hopes and aspirations for tackling the climate crisis and building a greener borough together
The Council is set to consult on draft climate action plans this year, and will be carrying out focus groups with local residents after the citizens assembly to further understand any thoughts, ideas or issues raised during the event.
The citizens assembly will take place on Thursday 3 March. Find out more about the Council’s work to rebuild a greener Hackney at: hackney.gov.uk/rebuilding-greener.