I WOULD plead with Kate Dyer and Justin Kenrick of Extinction Rebellion Scotland to reverse their decision to leave the Citizen’s Assembly on Climate Change because “business as usual has been allowed to creep in and then take over” (“Extinction Rebellion leaves Holyrood’s Climate Assembly”, October 2).
At the end of the article “Why we’re walking away from Citizens’ Assembly on Climate” (October 2) they indicate: “Our only hope is that Assembly members themselves decide to take its power into their own hands, demand to see the evidence they need to see, and do the job that so badly needs doing.”
It is important that the Extinction Rebellion members participate to help that hope be realised and help Citizen Assembly members be wary of being directed towards “business as usual”, and help to ensure they get information from other sources about alternatives that need to be considered.
Having demonstrated the strength of their feeling by their intention to leave, but reversing that decision to ensure their voices would not be brushed aside, Extinction Rebellion would have clearly demonstrated they are not willing to be compliant. By participating they are more likely to ensure Assembly members have more understanding of the options and decisions that need to be taken on this extremely important subject.
Leaving the Assembly will be admitting defeat rather than helping real progress. We don’t want this setting a precedent for Scottish Citizens Assemblies with those with alternative opinions intentionally or otherwise being manoeuvred out at an early stage.
While understanding how frustrated they are, this is too important to walk away from, so please reverse that decision and help inform those in this Assembly.
Jim Stamper
Bearsden
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