News • Climate Change and Nature
New Citizens' Assembly to discuss climate crisis
The Esmée Fairbairn Foundation co-fund a Citizens’ Assembly initiative convened by MPs to take place in early 2020 on the UK’s climate response.
30,000 people have been contacted to take part in a Citizens'Assembly in Birmingham from January next year to debate the UK's best way to respond to the climate crisis. Over the 30,000 contacted 110 people will take part, who have been chosen to be demographically representative.
The £520,000 cost of Climate Assembly UK is being met partly by the House of Commons, providing £120,000, with the rest split between two philanthropic foundations, the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and the European Climate Foundation.
Kath Dalmeny, chief executive of Sustain, said:
“It is hugely impressive to see such influential funders stepping up to playing their part in tackling the climate and nature emergency. Increasingly, funders are becoming vocal advocates of change, so it is very heartening to see them stretching their muscles on the defining issues of our times – how we will design the systems, economics and good governance that will enable everyone to live well, within our planetary means.”
The Esmée Fairbairn Foundation's contribution the Citizens'Assembly is part of the Funder Commitment to Climate Change, whose signatories include:
Esmée Fairbairn Foundation
Solberga Foundation
Gower St
Frederick Mulder Foundation
Paul Hamlyn Foundation
Zennström Philanthropies
JA Clark Trust
Friends Provident Foundation
Local Trust
Lankelly Chase Foundation
Barrow Cadbury Trust
Arcadia
A charitable fund of Lisbet Rausing and Peter Baldwin
Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust
Thirty Percy
The Blagrave Trust
Heathrow Community Trust
Power to Change
David Brownlow Charitable Foundation
Polden-Puckham Charitable Foundation
Published Sunday 10 November 2019
Climate Change and Nature: Sustain has taken a keen interest in the rapidly accumulating evidence about the effect of food and farming on climate change and nature, as scientific evidence emerges that our food system is a very significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss.
