A panel formed of communities from across Croydon has begun discussions on how the whole borough might address the climate and ecological crisis.
Croydon’s citizens’ assembly met for the first time yesterday (22 January), with 72 people from across the borough invited to help identify the scale of the challenge and possible solutions.
The meeting took place at Stanley Halls, South Norwood, with further meetings set to take place before the end of February at Braithwaite Hall and Shirley Hall.
Assembly members were selected by an independent research company to represent Croydon’s diverse communities and help inform our understanding of community opinion and priorities in this area.
The citizens’ assembly is just one initiative the council is using to achieve its ambition of becoming London’s greenest borough. The council recently launched the Green Croydon fund providing £250,000 of grant funding per year for community initiatives. Other projects include boosting Croydon’s recycling rate, rewarding greener drivers, installing electric charging points and planting 3,500 trees by 2022.
The assembly’s findings will be fed into the newly-formed Climate Crisis Commission for a sustainable Croydon which will meet for the first time in March. It will then produce recommendations to reduce the borough’s carbon footprint and help make the council carbon neutral by 2030.
“The launch of our citizens’ assembly is the next key step in our ambition as a council to work with local residents and ensure together we all play our part in addressing the climate crisis and building a truly sustainable Croydon for all.”
Councillor Tony Newman, Leader of the Council
“In setting up the citizens’ assembly, the council is recognising the important role residents from all walks of life can play in helping us find local solutions to this global crisis.
“The climate and ecological emergency is a major challenge that affects each and every one of us, so it is only right we work together with the people of Croydon on how best to tackle it.”
Councillor Stuart King, cabinet lead for environment and transport
