Thread by @jonjalex

Today - on a day when we arguably couldn't be any more in need of a different vision for how UK politics could be - THIS is launching

It matters for UK nature, but it might be even more significant for UK politics

Here's a bit of the back story 🧵

peoplesplanfornature.org

Around the time I finished writing the first edition of CITIZENS, @reenwilson and I were presented with an opportunity by @HelenMeech, a friend and former @NewCitProj colleague now working for @Natures_Voice...

Sir David Attenborough was in the process of filming what might well be his final ever documentary series, Wild Isles...

Even in the hectic media landscape of today, an Attenborough series always creates a cultural moment.

Public attention becomes focused, and as a result, change becomes possible. Think of Blue Planet, which created this kind of moment on a global scale, as millions came to terms with the reality of the damage sustained by ocean life.

At that point, though, the Consumer Story was still strong: as a result, all that attention and passion was channelled into individual behaviour change. Such enormous energy, conducted into little more than plastic straws.

But perhaps Wild Isles could be different.

Perhaps we could harness this energy to create a moment when the story might shift...

In 2022, the first phase of the process began, opening a call for stories and ideas, inviting citizens all over the country to share what nature means to them, why it matters, and what they were already doing in their communities.

Tens of thousands of submissions flooded in, reflecting the energy and passion in so many neighbourhoods to protect and enhance the natural environment on their doorsteps.

You can see some of them here

peoplesplanfornature.org/gallery

This was then brought together with data and evidence from academics and policy experts to form the input for a citizens’ assembly process.

The structure of this phase drew direct inspiration from the Irish Citizens’ Assembly on abortion in 2018...

theguardian.com/commentisfree/…

100 citizens, representative of the UK population met for 4 weekends over 4 months to learn, deliberate, and make recommendations for the protection and restoration of nature.

You can meet some of them here

Their recommendations cover what national governments should do, but also councils, businesses, and community groups.

Together they form the #PeoplesPlanForNature

drive.google.com/file/d/1dgjJ_f…

Now Wild Isles is on air, the hope is that the attention the series draws will conduct electricity into these recommendations, raising their mandate and visibility to another level.

bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episod…

Soon there will be resources, money and more made available to support community-led action, sustaining and extending the moment.

This is the moment we're in now - and you need to watch this space, because it's just getting started...

This matters hugely for UK nature - but it could also be big for our politics

It's a sight of a way things could be: people - all of us - meaningfully and directly involved in shaping the big decisions

Not just picking from a few fixed options every few years

This is how things work on an ongoing basis in Ireland now

There have been Assemblies on everything from gender equality, how to deal with an ageing population, and now drug policy

citizensassembly.ie

There are places where Assembly structures and other means of ongoing participation are even more embedded into how governments operate

This is a lovely piece on Paris, which in effect has a randomly selected Upper House of the city!

noemamag.com/a-movement-tha…

ANYWAY...

Huge congratulations to @Natures_Voice @wwf_uk @nationaltrust for their vision and trust in citizens in getting this far

And big 🙌 to all the @NewCitProj team on this - and our delivery partners @involveUK @SortitionNow @89up as well

Now the work REALLY begins!

Finally - if you want to find out more about the thinking behind the project, you might want to check out @NewCitProj @DemocracyNext - and my book CITIZENS 😁

(Paperback out next week!)

jonalexander.net