Catching up on the climate citizens' assembly via @CarbonBrief's excellent long-read summary

https://www.carbonbrief.org/qa-how-the-climate-assembly-says-the-uk-should-reach-net-zero

It is an amazing thing that just happened. A massive, unprecedented step forward for public engagement on climate change.

A few thoughts...

1 - this was (in the neutral sense of the word) an 'establishment' undertaking. This is reflected in the tone of the conversations & scope/ambition of the recommendations. It wasn't the 'climate emergency' huddle that XR & many others had in mind

2 - Despite this there is some pretty exciting stuff in there. People get how important communication, community engagement & talking to people about climate change is (not just doing it 'behind closed doors')

3 - The social mandate for a frequent flyer levee is the beginning of the right direction on aviation. Big positive that this came through so strongly

4 - Fairness is so central to everything - you see this in prev deliberative work from people like @DrCDemski & @DrKAParkhill on energy transitions. Climate policies have to be fair & be seen to be fair if they are to be not just accepted but owned & fought for

5 - Disappointing not to see 2050 being strongly challenged as the target date for net zero. Look at the US west coast on fire & the ice melting in the Arctic and its hard to swallow 30 years before we put the genie back in the bottle

6 - covid is impacting on perceptions of climate change - recent @CAST_Centre research showed concern went up not down during lockdown & in the the Assembly there's strong support for Gov making green lifestyles easier as lockdown eases (although not much evidence they are?)

7-Big Q now is what happens with recommendation, in terms of the policy link but also how campaigners & local communities can use the social mandate the findings provide in their work with local public groups. Loads of scope to build on the findings not leave them on the shelf