The Polish Citizens’ Assembly on Energy Costs took place in October and November 2022, organised independently by the Shipyard Foundation (Fundacja Stocznia) in partnership with the Copernicus Science Center (Centrum Nauki Kopernik) and Polish Academy of Science (Polska Akademia Nauk). Its purpose was to encourage local and central authority action to counteract the problem of energy poverty in Poland. The profile of this first bottom-up nationwide process increased significantly with the impact of the Ukraine conflict on energy prices.
The learning call, with organisers and observers of the assembly, will consider its objectives, design and impact, including the numerous local civic councils that were organised beforehand to feed into the process. We will also consider the challenge of organising and promoting climate and other nationwide citizens’ assemblies in highly polarised political contexts.