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Climate Citizen Assembly

Join us for a captivating exploration of citizen assemblies and their vital role in addressing pressing environmental concerns during this seminar at VU's Sustainability Day on 10 October.

In an age where the world is confronted with the undeniable urgency of environmental challenges, it is imperative that we harness the collective wisdom and insights of ordinary citizens. Citizen assemblies have emerged as a powerful tool for inclusive policymaking, ensuring that the voices of the people are heard and considered in shaping the future of our communities.

Programme

2:00 pm - 3:30 pm  @ New University Building | Theatre 2 

  • 13:45 pm: Walk-in
  • 14:00 pm: Introduction
  • 14:05 pm: Lecture by prof. dr. Graham Smith (University of Westminster), about democratic innovations, deliberative mini-publics and citizen assemblies
  • 14:25 pm: Lecture by dr. Willemine Willems (Athena Institute, VU), about climate assemblies in the Netherlands and climate science dialogues with citizens
  • 14:50 pm: Mini climate assembly: experience taking part in a climate assembly
  • 15:30 pm: Closing

The seminar will be hosted by dr. Sjoerd Kluiving and Camille Venier Cambron. 

Explore the potential of climate assemblies
During this session on the climate assembly, we aim to shed light on the remarkable potential of citizen assemblies and specifically, how they can be applied to the local context of VU. Our goal is to foster awareness and a deep understanding of this innovative approach to decision-making, which is instrumental in tackling climate-related issues.

A climate assembly, a distinct form of citizen assembly with a specific focus on environmental matters, allows participants from diverse backgrounds to engage in deliberative and constructive dialogues, collectively grappling with the intricacies of environmental challenges and exploring multifaceted solutions to address complex societal issues. The power of Climate Assemblies lies in their ability to facilitate informed discussions and generate practical recommendations for decision-makers, tapping into the collective intelligence of our community, and harnessing their insights, ideas, and experiences to craft effective policies that will shape our sustainable future. We invite you to be part of this transformative journey as we delve into the world of citizen assemblies, spotlighting climate assemblies. Join us on Sustainability Day to gain valuable insights, discover the potential of citizen engagement and envision how a climate assembly could make a significant impact within the VU community.

Register
You can register for this seminar via the registration form

Speakers

About prof. dr. Graham Smith
Graham is a Professor of Politics at the Centre for the Study of Democracy (CSD) in the School of Social Sciences. Currently, he is dedicating much of his time to his role as the founding Chair of the Knowledge Network on Climate Assemblies (KNOCA), which is funded by the European Climate Foundation. His primary research interests revolve around democratic theory and practice, specifically focusing on democratic innovations and participatory democratic institutions and their connection to climate governance and other enduring political challenges.

About dr. Willemine Willems
Willemine is an assistant professor currently engaged in projects related to science communication and public engagement with science, technology, and complex issues. Her research interests encompass inquiries into democratization, science communication during times of crisis, and the concept of transdisciplinarity. At the Athena Institute, Willemine collaborating on a project about a dialogical approach to science communication, focusing on the climate crisis, with the goal of aligning with citizens' perspectives through citizens' assemblies. This innovative approach aims to mend the strained science-society relationship and mitigate polarization. Learn more about it here

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