Citizens’ Assemblies with Linda Doyle The Extinction Rebellion movement that started in the UK in late 2018 and spread across the world has brought attention to the problem of climate change in a way that has only been achieved by the school strike movement. XR’s huge outdoor assemblies and performances, road and bridge closures, their acts of non-violent civil resistance and disobedience and willingness to be arrested are meant to compel governments to finally act to end the use of fossil fuel by 2025 to prevent the collapse of the world’s ecosystems.
Among their top three demand is for governments to tell the truth and to set up Citizens’ Assemblies that are chosen at random to represent the population in class, gender and race. The assemblies address a specific task, interview experts and scientist, deliberate and vote on what action to take.
Even though the idea of citizens’ assemblies goes back to Athenian democracy they have come into use again across the world. The most famous modern day citizen’s assembly was set up in Ireland in 2016 and debated the issue of abortion. The Irish constitution had criminalized abortion – but the deliberations of the Citizens’ assembly led to a referendum and the repeal of the abortion ban.
Linda Doyle of Extinction Rebellion, UK, explains the details. A video of her presentation can be found on Youtube
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