Assembly Meetings

Weekend 1 Agenda

Saturday

Aim: to give the Assembly members an introduction to climate change.

The first day included an introduction to climate change and a discussion about the urgency of addressing this global issue. Assembly members were also introduced to some of the causes and impacts as well as ideas and opportunities for change as we move into the future.

Sunday

Aim: to explore what climate change means for us and barriers to change.

On the second day of the first Assembly weekend, the concepts of ‘mitigation’ (how we can reduce our contribution to climate change) and ‘adaptation’ (how we live with climate change) were introduced.

Members were also introduced to the context for needing to take climate action including a discussion on what factors should be considered when tackling climate change.

Weekend 2 Agenda

This weekend Assembly members heard evidence to start learning about:

• Scotland's climate emissions: where do they come from and how can we reduce them;
• Adapting to climate change: what are we doing and could we do to reduce the impact of climate change in Scotland

Saturday

Aim: to give the Assembly members an introduction to where Scotland's climate emissions come from and what negative emissions are.

The first day the group learned how Scotland generates and uses energy and where our electricity comes from as well as who has the power to take action to tackle climate change and what is already being done.

In the afternoon session, members were asked to start thinking more about mitigation (how we reduce emissions) specifically in the key areas of:

• Work
• Travel
• Lifestyle
• Diet and Land Use

Sunday

Aim: to explore more about what it means to adapt to the impacts of climate change in a fair and effective way.

On the second day of Weekend 2 members started thinking more about adaptation specifically looking at how Scotland is reacting to the impacts of climate change and thinking about what more we can do to adapt to the changing climate and the impacts in Scotland. There also were discussions about how we can incentivise adaptation measures.

In the afternoon, the Assembly members considered the overall question, "How should Scotland change to tackle the climate emergency in a fair and effective way?" thinking more about specifically what is meant by 'fair and effective'.

Weekend 3 Agenda

For Weekends 3 and 4, Assembly Members were divided into three streams to enable in-depth discussions of specific topics. Over the course of the two weekends, each stream explored four key challenges. The streams were:

•    Diet and Lifestyle
•    Homes and Communities
•    Work and Travel

Each group heard presentations from both informants and advocates. Informants set the context for each challenge and explained the range of views or options that exist on the topic. Advocates presented their personal opinion, or the opinion of the organisation they work for.

Saturday AM

Aim: to consider what we mean by effective change

To start the weekend, members convened as a whole Assembly. To help members think about how change can happen and who is involved in bringing about change, the Assembly members heard four fictional stories exploring possible future scenarios.
•    Techno optimism
•    Climate mobilisation
•    Community collaboration
•    Civic provision and regulation

The stories depict different routes we could take to achieve net zero and illustrate how change happens at different levels and paces.

Saturday PM

Aim: to explore how we can change our diet, our existing homes and the way we travel to tackle climate change 

In the afternoon session, members were divided into three groups: diet & land, homes and travel. Each group considered a key challenge to help guide deliberations.

Homes: How should Scotland change its existing homes to tackle the climate emergency in an effective and fair way?
Diet & Land: How should Scotland rebalance its diet to tackle the climate emergency in an effective and fair way?
Travel: How should Scotland change how it travels by land to tackle the climate emergency in an effective and fair way?

Sunday AM

Aim: to explore how we can change how we build new homes, how we use land and how we fly to tackle climate change

Remaining in the same groups from Saturday’s afternoon session (diet & land, homes and travel) members will explore a new key challenge.

Homes: How should Scotland change how it builds new homes to tackle the climate emergency in an effective and fair way?
Diet & Land: How should Scotland change how it uses its land to tackle the climate emergency in an effective and fair way?
Travel: How should Scotland change how it travels by air to tackle the climate emergency in an effective and fair way?

Sunday PM

Aim: to agree the process for developing recommendations and propose priority areas based on the evidence heard so far

Assembly members began to make provisional recommendations in their groups considering what types of action are being suggested and what levels the recommendations are targeted at. Importantly, members were reminded to consider what they think is fair and effective.

Weekend 4 Agenda

For Weekend 4, Assembly Members remained divided into three streams (diet & lifestyle, homes & communities, work & travel) to enable in-depth discussions of specific topics. Over the course of the weekend, each stream explored two new key challenges. Groups heard presentations from both informants and advocates. Informants set the context for each challenge and explained the range of views or options that exist on the topic. Advocates presented their personal opinion, or the opinion of the organisation they work for.

Saturday

Aim: to explore how we can change our buying habits, our community planning and our working practices to tackle climate change.

Members were divided into three groups: lifestyle, communities and work. Each group considered a key challenge to help guide deliberations.

Lifestyle: How should Scotland change how it buys things to tackle the climate emergency in a fair and effective way?

Communities: How should Scotland change how it plans its communities to tackle the climate emergency in an effective and fair way?

Work: How should Scotland change its working practices to tackle the climate emergency in an effective and fair way?

In the afternoon, members revisited the propositions on fairness they proposed in Weekend 2 and voted on which they felt were the most important for the Assembly to consider when developing and evaluating potential recommendations.

Sunday

Aim: to explore how we can change how we manage our materials & resources, how we deliver community services and how we can support people to change work to tackle climate change.

Remaining in the same groups members explored a new key challenge.

Lifestyle: How should Scotland manage its materials and resources  to tackle the climate emergency in an effective and fair way?

Communities: How should Scotland change how it delivers community services to tackle the climate emergency in an effective and fair way?

Work: How should Scotland support people to change work and tackle the climate emergency in an effective and fair way?

Weekend 5 Agenda

Weekend 5, Assembly Members will remain divided into three streams (diet & lifestyle, homes & communities, work & travel) to enable in-depth discussions of specific topics. This weekend will be focused on members having time to review the proposed areas for recommendation on the questions they discussed in their facilitated discussions in Weekends 3 & 4.

Saturday

Aim: to begin the prioritisation of recommendations and consider costs and ambitions.

Members were still divided into the same three groups that they had previously been working in for Weekends 3 & 4: diet & lifestyle, homes & communities, work & travel. The morning began with an initial review of the proposed draft recommendations after which members spent most of the morning session in their facilitated discussion groups.

During the facilitated breakout groups, expert leads were rotated through each of the discussion groups to answer questions by members so that they could be confident in their recommendations.

In the afternoon, the full Assembly regrouped to hear some information about the costs, financial levers and trade-offs, and scope (ambitions and incentives) of the Assembly presented by Chris Stark as well as to have time for a Q&A session with Chris Stark.

Sunday

Aim: considering what the Climate Change Plan update means for recommendations and what areas the Assembly members should be focussing their recommendations on; agreement of recommendations from each group.

Members were once again divided into the same three groups that they had previously been working in for Weekends 3 & 4: diet & lifestyle, homes & communities, work & travel. They remained in these three groups for the entire day (morning and afternoon sessions). The morning session focused on informing members about some initiatives that were already included in the Climate Change Plan update. Members then discussed what this means for their recommendations in their facilitated breakout groups.

During the facilitated breakout groups, expert leads were again rotated through each of the discussion groups to answer questions by members so that they could be confident in their recommendations.

In the afternoon, the Assembly members for each group agreed what recommendations from their area (diet & lifestyle, homes & communities, work & travel) they would like to bring back to present to the full Assembly during Weekend 6.

Weekend 6 Agenda

Weekend 6 took place on the weekend of 6 & 7 March. Assembly Members came together as a full Assembly after being divided into three streams (diet & lifestyle, homes & communities, work & travel) for the past three weekends.

This weekend was focused on members from the three different streams sharing and discussing their proposed recommendations which they deliberated on in their facilitated discussion groups throughout Weekends 3, 4 & 5.

Saturday

Throughout the Saturday morning and afternoon sessions as members continued their discussions about the proposed recommendations from each of the three streams, the members were shown three introductory videos about some examples of community climate action that are already taking place right here in Scotland. You can watch these videos below.

Sunday

Similarly to Saturday's sessions, on Sunday members spent most of the morning and afternoon sessions continuing their in depth discussions of the proposed recommendations drafted in Weekend 5. Members spent the majority of both Sunday sessions (morning and afternoon) in their facilitated discussions groups. As always, these facilitated discussion groups were not be open for observers or made publicly available.

On Sunday, the members saw a fourth and final video from the Children's Parliament whose young investigators have been hard at work on their own climate change learning journey. You can watch this videos below.

Weekend 7 Agenda

The Assembly came together for the final weekend on 20 & 21 March. The focus was on finalising the overarching statements of ambition, addressing any gaps and developing supporting declarations for each recommendation. 

In between Weekends 6 and 7, Assembly members voted on the goals. After Weekend 7, members voted on the recommendations, thereby concluding Scotland’s Climate Assembly.

Saturday

To begin the weekend, Assembly Members who attended the Children's Parliament meeting on Sunday 14th March provided short reflections on the session. Members then reviewed the consolidated statements of ambition they drafted in Weekend 6. 

After lunch, there was an opportunity for the Assembly to discuss any gaps and adopt any additional recommendations for the final ballot. For the remainder of the session, Assembly Members developed supporting statements for the recommendations explaining why they have been included, why they are effective and why they are fair.

Sunday

On Sunday, Assembly members will spend the majority of their time in their facilitated discussions groups continuing to develop the supporting statements for the recommendations. In the morning, Assembly members will see a fictitious story describing how their goals and recommendations could shape Scotland by the year 2026. The Assembly will close with messages of thanks from all the leaders of parties represented at Holyrood, who will address the Assembly by video.

Weekend 8 Agenda

This was Scotland’s Climate Assembly’s final meeting and enabled Assembly members to catch up with each other, to discuss the Scottish Government’s response to their recommendations, and to agree on a statement.

Friday Evening

Aim: to provide an update of what has happened since Assembly members last met, to report on changes in the context of the climate emergency, and to catch up informally.

Assembly members were updated on what has happened internationally and what some members have been involved in since the Assembly last convened. This update included contributions from Assembly members who participated in events at COP 26 in Glasgow, Ministerial meetings and other engagement opportunities.

Evidence Group member Professor Iain Stewart reported on significant changes in the context of the climate emergency.

Friday evening’s meeting was also a chance for Assembly members to catch up in an informal setting and share what they have been doing to take climate action in their own lives and communities

Saturday

Aim: to present an expert assessment of the Scottish Government’s response to Assembly recommendations and to determine Assembly members’ reactions to it.

The Assembly’s Evidence Group presented their assessment of how well the Government’s response aligns with the Assembly’s recommendations, and of how impactful the policies outlined in the response paper could be.

Assembly members also discussed with members of the Children’s Parliament how they feel about the Government’s response.

Over the remainder of the weekend, members together agreed their response to the Scottish Government’s report.

Sunday

Aim: to meet with a Ministerial panel to discuss the Government's response, and to develop a statement.

In the morning, Assembly members had time to prepare their questions for the Ministerial panel. The virtual panel will then took place, giving members a chance to raise questions and concerns with Scottish Government directly.

In the central activity of the day, members developed their statement, sharing and refining their ideas both in smaller groups and together as a whole Assembly.

Finally, Assembly members explored and established self-directed ways to remain engaged in the period after the official Assembly process will have concluded.