Environment: Society: News: Hankyoreh Mobile

“We are not experts, but we are citizens who represent the diversity of society. We have the power to make a difference in society.” It is contained in the preface of the report published on January 29 by the Convention Citoyenne pour le Climat (CCC) of France. French President Emmanuel Macron organized the Gifu Citizens’ Council in 2019 to respond to the’yellow vest’ protests that began in protest against the government’s measures to raise fuel taxes. He has shown a willingness to fight climate change while serving as a direct policy supporter. 150 citizen lawmakers selected by random lottery reflecting population representativeness such as gender, age, and region discussed ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% compared to the 1990s by 2030 for about 9 months until June of last year. The French government allocated a budget of 7.2 billion won with our money and paid 110,000 won a day to the selected citizens. Additional allowances of 14,000 won and 24,000 won per hour were paid to people who work on weekends and parents with children, respectively, and accommodation and transportation expenses were provided to citizens from distant regions. Their 460-page report contained 149 proposals. Among them, the government must take action such as introducing a border tax on imported products with high carbon emissions, reducing the VAT rate on train tickets from 10% to 5.5% to encourage the use of public transportation, and limiting the speed of highway passage from 130 km/h to 110 km/h. From policies to reduce meat consumption and food waste, and to use bicycles and carpools for commuting and commuting, it also contains suggestions that citizens can directly implement. According to the French Climate Action Network in June of last year, a poll of 1,000 French citizens revealed that 7 out of 10 citizens heard about the proposal of the Climate Citizens’ Council, and most of them supported the activities of the citizens’ assembly. It was also said that the policies proposed by the Citizens’ Assembly drew great attention to the extent that they were up and down the French breakfast table as a topic for conversation. On the 16th of last month, thanks to strong support from citizens, the French House of Representatives added a clause in Article 1 of the Constitution stating that responding to climate change is a state duty:’The state guarantees biodiversity and environmental preservation and fights climate change’. Also passed. This provision was also proposed by the citizens’ council.

At the same time in England, the Climate Citizens’ Council was formed. The British Parliament convened the’Climate Assembly UK’ (CAUK) in response to the proposal to form a Citizens Council of the environmental movement group’Resistance to Extinction’. Like France, 108 citizens were selected through a random lottery that reflects the population representation. It is characterized by including those who are not interested in climate change by putting the question’How much are you interested in climate change?’ in the selection criteria. Climate change is interpreted as a phenomenon that no one can avoid, regardless of whether they are interested or not. They discussed how the UK could achieve carbon neutrality (net zero: reducing net carbon emissions to zero) by 2050 through online and offline meetings for four months from January to May last year. Rep. Mark, 46, from Newcastle said, “I felt like I won the lottery after receiving the result of the lottery. I want to take the lead in making the necessary changes for our future with the right to speak,” said Rep. Ellie, 21, from Buckinghamshire, “I think I’m more special as a young citizen. “My activities will have a great impact on the future of the young generation and the children to be born.” The 556-page report proposed by citizen lawmakers contained more than 50 proposals, including what to eat, write, and buy, such as alternatives citizens can take to reduce carbon emissions in their daily lives, and government support measures. There were also proposals to impose taxes on passengers who frequently use aircraft with high carbon emissions and travel farther, or to encourage the consumption of local products and agricultural products to establish a virtuous circle in the community and prevent environmental pollution. Citizens’ Assembly is a place where ordinary citizens can be reborn as active citizens through the process of taking an interest in social issues and making judgments. The civic council, which imitates the ancient Athenian democracy, does not represent the interests of either side because it consists of citizen representatives selected by random lottery rather than election. They grow together as they debate and learn to come up with good alternatives for all of the people.

The movement to respond to the climate crisis by preparing a forum for such discussions has been spreading beyond France and Britain to Scotland, Germany, and Spain. Scotland has formed a parliament based on the revised Climate Change Act in 2019 by randomly drawing 105 citizens over the age of 16. An interim report was released on the 24th of last month, containing a draft proposal of a ’20-minute community’ that enables all activities such as work, education, and shopping within the region, and offers customized vocational training and volunteer opportunities to realize carbon neutrality. In May, a final report containing parliamentary recommendations will be released. By law, the Scottish government must respond within six months of the release of the report. In Scotland, children are also highly affected by the climate crisis, and the Children’s Climate Council has been created, consisting of about 100 children recruited from 10 schools. The children’s council also works in cooperative relations with the civic council. A member of the Fife region in central Scotland (11) said in a report made by his fellow children’s lawmakers, “I am very excited and proud that I can make a difference in Scotland by sharing opinions with others.” ) Said “children have the right to know what’s going on, and they have the right to get answers from adults.” Children’s legislators have been through the process of learning about climate change and discussing with others for five months since October last year, and organized 42 priority proposals through three surveys and votes. The proposal included a ban on the development of animal habitats to protect wildlife, a policy to lower or rent electric vehicles so that people can purchase electric vehicles, and provide education on eco-friendly diets to children. As a result of the survey, more than half of the children who participated in Congress said it was an opportunity to learn about climate change and children’s rights. What is the reason why interest in the Citizens’ Council of Climate is so increasing in Europe? Claire Melier, a researcher who worked as a facilitator for the Climate Citizens Council in the UK, said, “Citizens come up with alternatives directly because there is a lack of public trust in the existing policies prepared by the government or parliament to respond to climate change, and the actual effect is insignificant. I am very interested in the Citizens’ Council of Climate,” he wrote to the Belgian think tank “Carnegie Europe”. He added, “Of course, it is still difficult to judge the aspect of effectiveness, but as a result of long-term study and discussion among ordinary citizens, we have created a policy that is much more ambitious and life tangible than that promoted by politicians.” So, what about Korea’s current response to the climate crisis? Last year, the National Assembly adopted a’climate crisis emergency resolution’, and the government announced the ‘2021 Carbon Neutral Implementation Plan’ this year following the Green New Deal Comprehensive Plan. In addition to voices of criticism that specific targets and methods for reducing carbon emissions were omitted, there are many evaluations that the voices of citizens, who are direct stakeholders of the climate crisis, are missing in a scenario designed only around the government, the parliament, and the business world. Researcher Yoo-jin Lee of Green Transformation Research Institute pointed out that “citizens should no longer be considered as targets of the climate crisis campaign,” and then “the government, parliament, and citizens should have a place for bilateral communication from planning to suggesting alternatives, and make appropriate judgments. We also need to give permission to access relevant information and data so that we can do it.” “Blue Asia” Executive Director Ogi-chul Ogi criticized “The Korean government’s policy to respond to the climate crisis is a way that the government decides unilaterally and demands that citizens follow it.” “With British and French citizens coming out, the climate crisis agenda has a national impact, and the policies they have proposed have a strong executive power in the government and parliament,” he said. It is an example that we should try at least once.” Hyebin Seo, Researcher at the Hankyoreh Institute for Economics and Social Affairs [email protected]