Last chance to sign up for citizens' assembly to tackle climate change in Northumberland

Members will be able to help shape how the area responds to the threat of climate change

The deadline to apply to be part of the North of Tyne Climate Citizens’ Assembly is Tuesday, January 19.

The new assembly is due to meet for the first time in February, where ordinary people in the North East will help shape the region’s response to the climate crisis.

In December, 10,000 letters were sent out to randomly selected residents of the three council areas which make up the North of Tyne Combined Authority (NTCA) inviting them to take part in the assembly.

Of those who respond, 50 people who accurately represent the diversity of the region will then be chosen to sit on the panel, which has been set up by the NTCA to help come up with radical actions to slash the area’s carbon footprint.

The recipients of the letter can sign up using the link or ringing the freephone number, which are both provided on the letter.

No specific qualifications or skills are needed. All that is required is a willingness to share views and opinions and listen to those of other people.

It will be held between February and April, with around 30 hours of online meetings in which members will debate and hear expert evidence to answer the question: What should we do in the region to address climate change and its causes fairly, effectively and quickly?

At the end of the process, which will include testimonies from experts on climate change, the assembly will develop a set of recommendations for the NTCA to consider.

North of Tyne Mayor Jamie Driscoll said: “The climate emergency is real and urgent, but we need to take people with us if we are to tackle it effectively.

“A citizens’ assembly is a different way of doing things. It’s an opportunity to engage meaningfully with a representative sample of the public and listen to what they have to say.”

The citizens’ assembly will be run by the NTCA and Shared Future, a community interest company.

“Coronavirus has meant we’ve had to change our plans to do this face-to-face,” Mr Driscoll added. “With Shared Future, we’re confident that we’ve got the right team in place to do this digitally instead.”

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