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A tax on frequent fliers, the phasing out of polluting SUVs, and a ban on cars in city centers are some of the solutions to climate change that the public has come up with.
An assembly of citizens, of 108 people from all walks of life, published its report after weeks of discussions.
They suggested limits for road construction and using the pandemic to reduce emissions.
MPs said the report offered a “unique perspective,” but Extinction Rebellion activists said it didn’t go far enough.
The report says the government must show leadership on climate change and insists that climate policies must be fair for everyone, especially the poorest in society.
His sweeping conclusions may provide political cover for ministers who are often nervous about a public backlash against policies that affect lifestyles.
What is the citizen assembly?
The group, or citizens’ assembly, was created by six select government committees, groups of parliamentarians who analyze what the government is doing and examine policies.
Members of the assembly were chosen to represent a spectrum of views from across the UK and spent 60 hours of their time studying and debating climate change.
They met over six weekends and were asked how to come up with ideas to help the UK achieve net zero emissions by 2050. Their findings have been published in a more than 550 page report.
What have they said
Members said it was “imperative that there is strong and clear leadership from the government” to address climate change.
One member, Sue, from Bath, said: “Even with the country still reeling from the coronavirus, it is clear that most of us believe that prioritizing the net zero policy is not only important, but achievable.”
Hamish, a software engineer from rural Aberdeenshire, told BBC News that the government needed to “develop a long-term strategy to help us.”
A key theme of the report is education. Ibrahim, a GP from Surrey, said: “The media have a role to play, the schools too. We may need to look at the curriculum.
“You can’t go to someone and say ‘you need to switch to the hydrogen boiler because it has low CO2’, but they have no idea [about it]. You are more likely to gain acceptance from people when they know about problems. “
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Members said the government should begin to phase out the sale of polluting new vehicles, such as SUVs, and clamp down on advertisements for highly polluting products.
Another central message is the need for policies to be fair. Amanda from Kent said: “Electric cars have to be more affordable for everyone, not just people who make enough money.”
They also supported higher taxes on frequent fliers and investment in clean aviation technology.
Tracey, a mother from Northern Ireland, said: “I would be a frequent traveler too, so I would say there has to be something there to prevent us from taking so many flights, to reduce our emissions.”
On what we eat and how we use the land, the assembly called for a voluntary cut of 20-40% in the consumption of red meat.
“The government can’t legislate against red meat consumption,” Amanda told us, “but with education, advertising and labeling I think we can change their attitudes towards red meat consumption, as we did with tobacco.”
They also said:
- Companies must make products using less energy and materials.
- People should repair goods and share more, instead of owning all their appliances.
- The UK should get more energy from offshore and onshore wind and solar power
- New developments must have good access to facilities on foot and by bicycle.
Most of the members weren’t very interested in nuclear energy, or burning wood in power plants, and most did not trust carbon capture and storage.
They believe the government should take advantage of the Covid crisis to limit support for high-carbon industries.
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What has been the reaction?
MPs behind the assembly said the report “provides a unique insight into the thinking of an informed public on the compensations and changes needed to help meet the goal that parliament has agreed to.” They said, “Your work deserves action.”
Crispin Truman of the rural charity CPRE said it shows that “the public appetite to end the UK’s contribution to the climate emergency has far outstripped government action.”
And Tom Burke, from the think tank on climate change, e3g, added: “This is an amazing tribute to the common sense of the British public. There is a clear lesson for politicians and editors from across the political spectrum about the role our citizens are capable of playing in shaping public policy. “
However, radical environmental group Extinction Rebellion (XR) condemned the proposals as too timid to comply with internationally agreed proposals limiting the global temperature rise to 1.5 ° C. They warned that the report could get buried in the government bureaucracy.
What happens now?
The committees behind the report have asked Prime Minister Boris Johnson to respond before the end of the year.
This can be challenging as, according to a recent report from the Institute of Government, Covid and Brexit have forced climate change onto the government’s priority list, a claim the government denies.
A government spokesman said he would study the report.
The organizers of the assembly have requested that only the names of the members be used in the media.
Follow Roger on Twitter @rharrabin
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