In Defense of Democracy: A Call for Citizens’ Assemblies

Extinction Rebellion

(February 2, 2020) — In the UK, Extinction Rebellion’s third demand is that government must create and be led by the decisions of a citizens’ assembly on climate and ecological justice.

Decades of corporate lobbying and party politics have led to a climate and ecological emergency that poses an unprecedented existential threat to humanity and all life on Earth — “politics as usual” is no longer an option. 

A Citizens’ Assembly provides us, the people, with a way to decide what’s best for our future, even if that requires radical changes in the present. Moreover, because they are informed and democratic, the Citizens’ Assembly’s decisions will provide political cover and public pressure for politicians to set aside the usual politicking and do the right thing. 

Short film about Citizens’ Assemblies 

In “The Deliberate Rebellion” by All Hands On, we explain why we need a Citizens’ Assembly on Climate and Ecological Justice. 

Guide to Citizens’ Assemblies 

This is our guide on citizens’ assemblies  — what they look like, key examples from around the world and why we are confident that a citizens’ assembly would be a game-changer for the climate and ecological emergency. 

Download The Extinction Rebellion Guide To Citizens’ Assemblies

Citizens’ Assembly Talk

This 30-minute talk is a great introduction to Citizens’ Assemblies and XR’s third demand. Watch it online, see the talk live in your area, or learn to give it yourself and help spread the message. 

Watch The Citizens’ Assembly Talk OnlineFind A Talk Near YouBook The Talk In Your Area (UK Only)

Request training on how to give the talk from xr-citizensassembly@protonmail.com

Citizens’ Assembly Flyer

Download The Flyer

Request hard copy flyers from xr-citizensassembly@protonmail.com

FAQs

What is a citizens’ assembly?

Why is Extinction Rebellion demanding a citizens’ assembly on climate and ecological justice?

Is there public support for a citizens’ assembly on climate and ecological justice?

WHAT ABOUT LOCAL ASSEMBLIES?

WHY RANDOMLY SELECT CITIZENS FOR THE CITIZENS’ ASSEMBLY?

How do citizens’ assemblies differ from people’s assemblies?

Further Resources

Videos

• Democratic Innovations by Professor Graham Smith
• The Citizens’ Assembly on Social Care by Involve 
• The Citizens’ Assembly on Brexit by the Electoral Reform Society

Books

• Rebooting Democracy: A Citizen’s Guide to Reinventing Politics by Manuel Arriaga (freely available online)
• The End of Politicians: Time for a Real Democracy by Brett Hennig (available to order)
• Democratic Innovations: Designing Institutions for Citizen Participation by Graham Smith (available to download)
• When citizens decide: Lessons from citizen assemblies on electoral reform by Patrick Fournier, Henk Van Der Kolk, R. Kenneth Carty, André Blais, Jonathan Rose (available to download)

Articles

• A citizens’ assembly on climate change: how would it work? by Sarah Allan
• Beyond the ballot: How citizens can lead the climate change conversation by Pete Bryant and Dr Rebecca Willis
• Citizens’ Assemblies, Citizens’ Juries and Climate Change by Pete Bryant

Reports

• Citizens’ Assemblies: Guide to Democracy that Works by Marcin Gerwin
• Evidence vs Democracy: How ‘mini-publics’ can traverse the gap between citizens, experts, and evidence by Jonathan Breckon, Anna Hopkins, Ben Rickey (Alliance for Useful Evidence)
• Democracy Matters: Lessons from the 2015 Citizens’ Assemblies on English Devolution by Matthew Flinders, Katie Ghose, Will Jennings,  Edward Molloy, Brenton Prosser, Alan Renwick, Graham Smith, Paolo Spada
• Democracy Through Multi-Body Sortition: Athenian Lessons for the Modern Day by Terrill G. Bouricius

Websites

• Participedia
• Democracy R&D
• Involve
• The Democracy Society
• People’s Knowledge
• Citizens Juries
• Shared Future
• BritainThinks

Podcasts

• Citizens’ assembly webinar by Extinction Rebellion
• Can a citizens’ assembly tackle the climate emergency? By ResPossCast
• Citizens’ assembly podcast by Extinction Rebellion
• Designing & delivering deliberative mini-publics in the United Kingdom with Professor Graham Smith from Westminster University by Real Democracy Now!
• Legislature by Lots with John Gastil by Real Democracy Now!
• We need to talk about climate with Caroline Lucas and David Runciman  by RSA
• Interviews of members of a citizens’ assembly in Ireland by We The Citizens
• Democracy is like a garden, you need to always tend it, it is never done by Tend it like a Garden
• The Irish Citizens’ Assembly on Climate Change by RTÉ

Lecture by Justice Mary Laffoy, Chair of The Citizens’ Assembly by RTÉ