City residents to give views on climate change ahead of summit

A citizens’ assembly is being planned in Glasgow before COP26 to make recommendations on tackling the climate emergency.

Market research company Ipsos MORI is set to organise and host the assembly, recruiting a representative sample of Glaswegians.

It would be held during August, with world leaders expected to arrive in Glasgow in November for the major climate conference.

Glasgow City Council hopes the assembly would help to “shape” the legacy of COP26.

Council leader Susan Aitken said: “If we are going to secure a just transition to a low carbon economy, people and communities need to be at the heart of what we do – so engagement is so important to how we tackle the climate emergency.

“Hosting COP has added weight to this work and gives a great opportunity to create a two-way conversation with our citizens about what matters most to them in relation to climate change.”

Ipsos MORI has hosted citizens’ assemblies on the climate emergency for other UK councils.

The Glasgow assembly would meet over several sessions to learn about the challenge of the climate emergency, discuss it and decide on priorities and recommendations.

Aitken said: “We want to know where they feel that we can meaningfully work together to effect the change needed and most importantly their views on making sure that social justice and equity are embedded in all of this.

“The citizens’ assembly will be one of several ways in which we are engaging with people having already carried out several consultations, including on our climate emergency implementation plan.”

The city council has also asked questions about the legacy of COP26 in its spring 2021 household survey while education services are arranging engagement with young people.

Outcomes from the assembly would feed into local decision making and a report on the priorities is set to be presented to councillors before COP26 begins.

Story by local democracy reporter Drew Sandelands