The Project | Climate Assembly

The project is part of Ecocare Maldives’ efforts to promote Environmental Citizenship in the Maldives. The project aims to establish Citizens Climate Assemblies across the Maldives bringing together people from different backgrounds and islands to learn, discuss and make recommendations based on conclusions regarding what they think should happen on addressing the implications of Climate Change. The discussions and conclusions are then to be gathered and compiled with the participation of civil society as a National Citizen’s Manifesto on Environment and Climate Action.

The Citizen’s Climate Assemblies to be held as part of this project would be organized as a 3-day convention with expert input, plenary sessions and breakout groups styled event where participants will be able to come together to learn, share their knowledge and experiences, understand key issues faced due to climate change in their communities, voice their concerns, propose solutions, and make recommendations to authorities. Each day of the event will be thematized to ensure meaningful participation and informed decision making is practiced.

A completely randomized recruitment process will be implemented in order to ensure incorporation of a wide spectrum of views to participate in the Citizens’ Climate Assembly. As such, a range of demographic, geographic and gender will be represented in the selection process.

Environmental Citizenship (Dobson & Bell 2006) is a concept that arose in Canada and that has been adopted around the world. Initially created by Environment Canada, it comprises three main attributes:

The idea that we are an integral part of our environment,
The recognition that our future is dependent upon the way in which we care for our own environment, and
The sense of responsibility that engenders positive action on behalf of the environment.

In order to achieve these, the success of environmental citizenship requires everyone's participation. This includes:

An informed citizenry, in tune with the needs of the environment and its impact on human life,
A supportive government, interested in fostering useful and working relationships, and
An interest in protecting and conserving the environment - even if this comes in the form of a desire for human self-preservation.

"Environmental citizenship is not a new form of political belief or discipline of study. It is a simple reiteration of a known fact - that the preservation of the environment is an obligation entrusted upon everyone and all governments by virtue of the inherent relationship between people and nature and between citizens and their governments. When citizens and governments come together to build a partnership for the environment, whether it is for a lake or another ecosystem, they are making a big step toward ensuring sustainability. There is no doubt that the environmental degradation and destruction that are due mainly to human actions are not irreversible, but it is also true that corrective actions can happen with human interventions from and through the governed and their governors". - United Nations Environment Program. (2000). Environmental Citizenship: An Introductory Guidebook on Building Partnerships between Citizens and Local Governments for Environmental Sustainability.

Development of a National Citizen’s Manifesto on Environment and Climate Action

All Citizens’ Climate Assembly will produce separate outcome documents putting forward recommendations from each Citizens’ Climate Assembly. Based on these recommendations, and further participatory consultative processes a National Citizens’ Manifesto on Environment and Climate Actions will be drawn up and further validated through a Symposium of Environmental NGOs/CBOs.

This document will help the future administrations improve efficiency, legitimacy and transparency of their decision making. By accepting and promoting participation, it enables decision-makers to engage with and meticulously map out the needs, perspectives, and visions of local communities on topics that are important to them, resulting in more informed judgments.

The advisory circle is made up of a diverse group of stakeholders representing civil society, businesses, government, and other experts. The advisory circle will meet each month to provide guidance and continuity in management from one assembly to the next. As such, the group will

provide impartial oversight in the implementation of each assembly. The group will also assist in the dissemination of citizen-led documents developed as an outcome of the assemblies. As needed, the circle will collect data and feedback from the regional assembly boards to help ECOCARE make decisions and adapt based on lessons learned. The advisory circle will also serve as a liaison between the three regional advisory groups and the ECOCARE project implementation team.

Maeed Zahir, Director Advocacy – Ecocare Maldives
Nasheeth Thoha, Programme Manager – National Democratic Institute
Afrah Ismail, Zero Plastics Maldives
Hudha Ahmed, Foundation for Environment, Climate and Technology
Fathimath Afsahn Latheef, Chief Executive Officer – Local Government Authority, Maldives
Sabra Noordeen, President’s Special Envoy for Climate Change
Peter Bryant, Project Advisor (Director, Shared Future CIC)