From school assembly to climate assembly: the children changing democracy

Reasons to be Cheerful with Ed Miliband & Geoff Lloyd

Is the climate crisis a children’s rights crisis? It’s a great injustice that children and young people are the most affected but least responsible for the climate and nature crises. Is there a way to give them more power to shape future decision making? Scotland and Ireland have tried to do just that, and we speak to Katie Reid and Diarmuid Torney, who have played a central role in leading children’s participation in two citizens’ assemblies. We also check in with young assembly members Mikey and Esther, and young assembly adviser Niamh, to hear how they found the process of being involved, and why children's assemblies could be the future of democracy.

Guests

Katie Reid, Children’s rights and youth participation specialist (@katiereid19)

Diarmuid Torney, Associate Professor in Politics at Dublin City University and Project Lead for the Children and Young People's Assembly on Biodiversity Loss

Niamh, young adviser at the Assembly, and Esther and Mikey, members of the Children and Young People’s Assembly on Biodiversity Loss

More information

Find out more about Scotland’s Children’s Parliament and Climate Assembly (October 2020-March 2021)

Final Report from Ireland’s Children and Young People’s Assembly on Biodiversity Loss (October 2022) including the 58 Calls to Action

Learn more about the UN’s General Comment on Children's Rights and the Environment with a special focus on Climate Change

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