Citizens’ assemblies, amongst all the methodologies utilising citizen participation, may be the most potent for making real dialogue and community deliberation possible, giving a sense of collective decision-making.
That is particularly needed these days, when our societies are increasingly burdened with divisions, inequalities and an ever-growing gap between citizens and politicians. These result in the decrease of public trust towards our political system and public institutions and have a harmful impact on our communities’ resilience in responding to global crises such as climate change. This is why we at DemNet think it’s become crucially important to create space for substantial and effective dialogue between citizens and decision makers, making it possible to start acting together for a sustainable world.
For decades, researchers and civil society have been experimenting with methodologies to involve citizens in decision making. A citizens’ assembly (CA) can do just that: it provides space for citizens’ dialogue, joint reflection and deliberation based on information, scientific facts and differing views presented by a variety of experts and stakeholders.
In September 2020 a group of randomly chosen local residents met at the Budapest city hall: this was the city’s first official citizens’ assembly. The assembly participants had gathered together to answer a question that affects us all:
How should Budapest tackle the climate emergency?
The event took place as a result of months long planning and a partnership between DemNet and the Council of Budapest, with the valuable contribution of several climate experts, volunteers, facilitators, and other CSOs, such as the UK based Sortition Foundation.
In mid-August, ten thousand randomly selected Budapest residents received an invitation to participate in the climate assembly. From the 333 people who responded to the invitation, we randomly chose 50 individuals, looking to ensure that they reflect the adult population in Budapest in terms of age, sex, level of education and place of residence.
The citizens’ assembly took place over two weekends for a total of four days. During the first weekend, the participants listened to experts from various fields related to climate change as well as other stakeholders and activists in order to get a better understanding of the scientific facts about climate change and the impact climate change has on our lives. Assisted by trained facilitators, the participants worked collaboratively in small groups to continuously process the information they had just heard.
How to mitigate the climate emergency?
The final day was spent discussing 8 proposals – their pros, their cons, and additional considerations to take into account when making a decision – and finally voting on each of them. There was clear super-majority support for a few key proposals, such as funding for making the buildings of Budapest energy efficient and increasing green space in the city.
The full list of recommendations proposed by the CA:
- Financial scheme for energy modernization of buildings (97% supported)
A financial fund should be set up for the energy modernization of residential buildings, providing at least a 30% grant and a 0% loan (the latter possibly through partner institutions). In addition, the city should set up an expert group and advisory, consultancy office to carry out the free audits, advice and calculation on the planned investments.
- Increase of green space in the city (94% supported)
Increasing green areas along roadsides by lawn and greening lanes and spaces with native or non-invasive varieties. Increasing the downtown green space by reducing parking spaces while offering compensation in return.
- Improved agglomeration traffic (91% supported)
Development of public transport, a unified ticketing system, carpooling, bus lanes, and for the greater the Budapest area, also focusing on coordinating routes, P+R and B+R car parks, and employer mobility programs.
- Launch of a media and education campaign (90% supported)
A media campaign about climate change, and what actions the individuals and communities can take to combat it. The campaign can take place on city owned advertising spaces, with the involvement of local artists. It can also be supplemented with the education of children on a theoretical and practical level: climate books, an interactive climate adventure park.
- Creation of streets of the future (90% supported)
Climate-friendly pilot-streets for showcasing the city of the future, tangible examples of lifestyle, environmental, energy consumption and transportation conditions desirable in the future of Budapest.
- Restrictions and incentives on downtown car traffic decrease and vehicle usage (88% supported)
Decrease of the inner-city vehicle traffic, through traffic management, infrastructural and pricing tools. Incentivize the use of alternate mobility solutions to substitute car usage.
- Rainwater usage and runoff water retention incentives (85% supported)
Retention, reuse and run-off speed mitigation of rainwater based on local capabilities to decrease the risk of flash-floods and overall sewage system workload and to reuse rainwater in order to save potable water, and to improve local microclimates.
- Cancelling projects that damage the climate, integrating climate protection into the authorization process for projects (75% supported)
Immediate cancellation of projects that are harmful to the climate. An independent body of experts should review these projects. Impact assessments and the integration of climate protection standards and emissions estimates are necessary during the authorization of projects. It’s important for the introduction of climate protection regulations to be predictable and fair, and to fully respect democratic processes and human rights.
First one, but hopefully not the last one
The first Citizens’ Assembly of Budapest proved two things: not only that the methodology can not only be successfully applied in Hungary, but that there is also an urgent need for it.
For our part, we are therefore committed to promoting the concept of participation and the methodology of citizens’ assemblies as widely as possible. Because we believe that better involvement of citizens not only brings qualitative improvements to democratic decision-making, but also a sense of collective ownership of those decisions.
The full report of the event is available (in Hungarian) here.
Check out DemNet’s minisite dedicated to the concept of citizens’ assembly and participatory democracy.[:en]Citizens’ assemblies, amongst all the methodologies utilising citizen participation, may be the most potent for making real dialogue and community deliberation possible, giving a sense of collective decision-making.