Sarah Allan, Involve: Introduction to weekend two

Sarah Allan: Good morning, everybody. I hope you slept well. I hope you enjoyed breakfast. Welcome to the first full day of the second weekend. We're going to start this morning with a very quick recap of some of the key information about the assembly and also an introduction to what we're doing this weekend and today. So about Climate Assembly UK, then. So just a recap on why this assembly's happening. So in June last year, the UK government and Parliament agreed on a new climate change target to the UK so getting to net-zero emissions by 2050. And later that same month, six select committees of the Houses of Parliament called Climate Assembly UK to get your preferences, the public's preferences on how we should meet that target. And they did that because decisions about how we get to that target are going to have an impact on all our lives.

Now we said this last weekend, but just to recap a select committee is a cross-party group of MPs and they focus on particular themes. So you have the Select Committee on Transport, for example, the Select Committee on Science and Technology, and they do a large amount of the work of Parliament, including holding government to account. And we have one of the chairs of the select committees is coming in to talk to you this morning. So just to really emphasise and the question that we're looking at in Climate Assembly UK is how should the UK meet its new climate change target of net-zero emissions by 2050? So you heard this from lots of people last weekend. But just to recap what net-zero means. So net-zero means that there is no increase in the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. So by 2050 the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, we're aiming for that not to be increasing. And to achieve that, we need to do two things. So, first of all, we need to stop putting as much greenhouse gas into the atmosphere in the first place. And then secondly, for the smaller amount of greenhouse gas that we're still putting in, we need to be taking out the same amount. And that could be by growing trees through technology. And you're gonna hear a lot more about that in Weekend 4.

So what will happen to what you decide as an Assembly? So first of all, we're going to write it into a report which we'll present to Parliament and that will be made public. And just to say again that that report will be fully anonymous. So it'll say, the Assembly said this or some Assembly members felt that, it won't say X Person said this. Secondly, then the Select Committees who commissioned the Assembly are very clear that they want to use what you say, to help them in their work holding government to account about how it seeks to get to net-zero by 2050 and also in their own detailed work on that topic. And while it was commissioned by the select committees, that is interesting what you're saying from other places. So we've had a key government minister saying that they're very keen to see what you conclude. You saw Chris Stark last weekend, one of our expert leads who heads up the government's official advisory body, the Committee on Climate Change, saying he was very interested as well.

So about this weekend, then. So, firstly, how does this fit in? So last weekend, we looked at what climate changes and some overarching themes and questions. This weekend, we get a lot more specific, and it's all about solutions. So you're going to hear evidence about how to tackle climate change, looking at 4 to 5 specific topics. So it is speakers again this weekend, but it's very differently focused. It's all about solutions.

Next weekend, then, is completely different. So we have no speakers next weekend at all. It's all about you discussing and reaching conclusions on what you heard and the expert leads will be on hand in case you want any of the information recapped. But there's no speakers as such. And Weekend 4 a bit of a mixture. On the Saturday morning, you'll hear speakers. The last set of evidence that you'll hear and the rest of that weekend is then discussion and decision making. So by the time you've got to the end of this weekend, you've pretty much heard the majority of speakers that you're going to hear as part of the Assembly.

So the topics for this weekend then. So this morning we're going to be starting off with an introduction on to issues around where our energy comes from. So that's the topic that we're going to be looking at in detail and Weekend 4. So it's just a introduction to that this morning. And then we're gonna -at lunchtime, we're going to split into three groups, and each group is going to look at a different topic or topics. So one group is going to look at how we travel. One group is going to look at what we do in our homes, particularly on how we use energy and heat. And the last group is going to look at two different topics, so around what we buy and around food, farming and land use.

So how did we split even to groups then? So we did it in exactly the same way that we recruited you to be in the Assembly in the first place. So it's through what's called random stratified sampling. So, as you know in this room, you're representative of the UK population in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, your educational qualification, where in the UK you live, whether you live in an urban or rural area and how concerned you are if it all about climate change. And it's really important that when we split you into three groups, that remains the case that each of those groups is the same. So we've done it randomly to meet these criteria. So what about the other themes I hear you thinking? So what about if I'm really interested in this theme, and I'm actually in the room for another one? So there's a few things to say about that.

So first of all, the topics are genuinely interesting and I mean that because I've had to go through all the slides to putting together these presentations for you. So even things I thought might be a bit less interesting are actually interesting. And one of the things reasons for that is because all the topics are about things that we all do. So we all eat food. We all use transport. We all use electricity in the home, for example. But, we did want to make sure that just because you're in one group doesn't mean that you don't hear about the other topics and get a chance to feed in your views to those other topics as well. So there will be chances to do it. So you're going to hear an introduction to the other topics that you're not in over dinner this evening and there will be a chance for you to feed in your views on the other topics next weekend too. In addition to that, if you want more detail, this is optional. But all- we're recording all the presentations in all the rooms. And you will be able to listen to them back on the website, we'll send you all the links, all the slides and so on if you want to do that. There will also be a short written briefing a bit like the introduction to climate change one that we gave you last weekend for all topics that will be available next weekend. And you're welcome to have the briefings for all the topics, Not just the ones that you're in.

So about today, then. So our aims for today. So, first of all, is to get a feel for issues around where our energy comes from. As I said, you'll hear the detail on that in Weekend 4. But just to get a bit of a feel for it today. Then as an Assembly, you're going to hear it, explore information about 4 to 5 topics in detail. You're gonna have some of your key questions answered. Find out more about each other's views. And as usual, we are hoping that it's fun, so hoping you have a good time.

What that looks like in terms of an agenda. So the introduction to the weekend, that's what I'm doing now. We'll then give you a chance to introduce yourselves at your tables. Then we'll have a short panel on the introduction to where our energy comes from. It is just short. It's just two speakers because it is just an introduction. You'll then prepare for that Q&A, we'll take a break. We'll have the Q&A with that panel, and then we have the chair of one of the select committees, as I said, the MP, Rachel Reeves, coming in to speak to you.

This afternoon in your different rooms and you'll have an introduction to the topic that you're looking at. You'll then have a more detailed panel session on that topic with speakers. You'll then prepare for the Q&A with them. You'll take a break. You'll then do the Q&A with them. That's going to be done very differently to the other Q&As, so once you get into your topic groups, the speakers are going to come and sit at each of your table in turn so that you can chat to them at your table, so that would be very different from the last weekend. And the day will finish with a table discussion. And you are going to finish at slightly different times in slightly different rooms because they're different numbers of speakers. But we're aiming to finish in all rooms before, well between about 5:20 - 5:40, depending on which room you are in.

So recap on roles then. So the role of the facilitation team is to guide you through the process. So to make sure you know what's happening to make sure the Assembly keeps the time. You've met me many times now. You've also met Tim, and I believe this time we have Kaela. So this is Kaela. She's your other lead facilitator for this weekend. When we split into three groups, Tim and I can't be in two rooms at once, so we also have Kaela. The other key members of the facilitation team are at your table wearing blue T-shirts. Table facilitators, could you introduce yourselves to your tables now, please?