Website: https://www.klima-biergerrot.lu
Commissioning. Ministry of State – announced in Prime Minister’s yearly State of Nation address 12 October 2021
Task. To review Luxembourg’s current commitments to combating climate change and develop possible additional measures or proposals.
Commitment to respond. A parliamentary plenary debate on the KBR report called by the government was agreed before the process began. In July 2022, agreement that in addition report would be considered by relevant parliamentary committees individually.
Governance. Weekly coordination call between Ministry of State and the three delivery bodies. Advisory Committee established after first full weekend which met three times during the process to provide advice to delivery bodies.
Delivery bodies. Pétillances (facilitation), Oxygen (communication) and AccentAigu (logistics)
Participant recruitment. Between December 2021 and January 2022, polling institute ILRES recruited 100 participants – 60 full members plus 40 surrogate members. Pool of 1,100 volunteers generated through invitations to 1,500 random phone numbers and 1,500 members of the ILRES survey panel, plus widely advertised open public call (including press conference by Prime Minister). 100 members selected with consideration of demographic criteria (age, gender, education level, region, professional activity and sectors, origins, household composition, socio-economic profile) and qualitative criteria (political engagement on a local/national level, expertise, opinions related to climate changes, habits, such as mobility), as well as cross-border workers. Applicants had to be conversant in French, Luxembourgish and English. No cross-stratification was applied. No analysis undertaken to compare sample with wider Luxembourg population. 91 members finished the first part of the process. All members able to vote – 63 exercised that right. Members paid €125 per session.
Duration. Phase 1. 29 January (kick off meeting) to June 2022. Phase 2. July-August 2022. Final vote online 3-8 September 2022.
Structure. Phase 1. An online kick-off meeting on 29 January was followed by 5 face-to-face weekend for all members (full and replacement), each weekend on a different topic: agriculture and forestry: renewable energies and decarbonization; sustainable construction: housing and office spaces; waste management; mobility and transport. Each of the weekends was preceded by “exchanges” for the members – site visits and online debates led by experts from the particular sectors. At the weekends, members were tasked with understanding the challenges (Saturday) and finding solutions (Sunday). As the process unfolded, the organisers and members realised that not enough time had been given to develop robust recommendations. In agreement with the government, organisers proposed an extension to the assembly to enable further development of proposals. This was accepted by a large majority (only two votes against).
Phase 2. Six working groups, led by spokespeople elected between the end of Phase 1 and the start of Phase 2, developed recommendations for each of the 5 topic areas, plus cross-cutting themes such as education (see Developing Recommendations for more detail). At the start of Phase 2, a decision was made that surrogate members would be given full member status. Phase 2 was followed by a vote by all members on the proposals.
Facilitation. Phase 1. Table facilitation at weekends with worksheet templates to understand challenges and develop recommendations. Phase 2. Self-organisation of members.
Technology. Basecamp across both phases to enable comments on draft proposals. In Phase 2, working groups had thematic areas where they could coordinate their work. WhatsApp groups used by some working groups during Phase 2.
Evidence base. Experts selected during Governance meetings. Full list of witnesses that presented to the assembly not currently available. Experts selected for online debate prior to Weekend 1 were invited to attend. For following weekends, hosts of visits (typically company representatives) and additional experts were invited and presentation of regulatory environment (current state of affairs – e.g., what does current NEPC contain) from government administration. Experts visited tables and circulated in breakout groups, answering questions and correcting factual mistakes. In Phase 2, working groups were provided with list of experts encountered during phase 1 which they could reach out to. Groups were free to consult additional experts. Most consulted 1 or 2 experts, particularly from the Ministry of the Environment.
Developing recommendations. Draft recommendations were developed each weekend in Phase 1 following a template, but they were not detailed enough. Phase 2 organized to further develop the recommendations in 6 working groups led by 15 “spokespersons” who had volunteered from amongst the members. 71 members registered for a working group. Between 40 to 50 took part in at least one meeting. Each working group was provided with: drafts of the proposals from the relevant weekend in Phase 1; clusters of the proposals by the facilitators; feedback from members on proposals, including a rating of 1-10 of their relevance; a list of experts they could reach out to; and any relevant public submissions from the website. Working groups were self-organised with participation of facilitators in some of the calls. Proposals shared on Basecamp in late August for final comment and to consider overlaps. Four coordination calls between organisers and spokespersons in July and August to ensure streamlining of the work and delivery and presentation of the final report.
Decision-making. In September 2022, 63 members voted online Yes/No for each proposal agreed and submitted by the working groups. A simple majority of members taking part in the online vote led to inclusion in the final report. All propositions were approved, with Yes votes ranging from 41/63 to 61/63. Members also approved a preliminary message for the report prepared by four spokespersons (50/63).
Final report. The report containing a forward and the 56 recommendations to accelerate and intensify climate action in Luxembourg was presented to the Prime Minister, the Minister of Energy and the Minister of Environment on Thursday 15 September by the spokespersons from each working group.
Communication. The KBR website provided only minimal information. Organisers explain the lack of transparency and external communication due to limited time and resources. Public communication was left until the publication of the report, with a focus on communicating the results. During working weekend 4 in May, a debate on a recommendation by the organisers ended with a collective decision was made by the members to focus on development of recommendations rather than communication. Two members gave interviews in early July critical of the process.
Public engagement. The website included an online form inviting the public to provide suggestions and ideas, but this was not widely promoted. The relatively small number of submissions (around 70) were mostly comments or questions, but were collated, regularly updated and shared on Basecamp.
Official response. No official response from the government as yet beyond formal acceptance of the report.
Oversight of official response. The mandate of the organisers and members ended officially with the presentation of the report to the ministers, press and parliamentary committees in September and October. The continuing role of the assembly in oversight and monitoring is not defined.
Impact. Broad media reporting of the process, although little detailed discussion of the proposals. The spokespersons presented to parliamentary committees in early October. A plenary debate in Parliament on the KBR report was organised on 25 October 2022 at the request of the government. A task force comprising representatives from various ministries established to coordinate preparatory work to incorporate the proposals of the KBR into the discussions on the update of the National Energy and Climate Plan (PNEC). Following the meeting with the PM, he committed to organising meetings for the spokespersons with relevant ministries.
Evaluation.The evaluation report offers a rigorous analysis of the commissioning, design, delivery and impact of the KBR. The evaluation of impact covers not only effects on the knowledge and attitudes of assembly members, but also on the KBR’s impact on media, public opinion, climate policy and political actors. Read the report here: Klima-Biergerrot – Plateforme Luxembourgeoise de la Démocratie Participative (pldp.lu)
Budget. €46,057 IRLES for recruitment; €258,528 Oxygen, Pétillances and AccentAigu for organization, moderation, logistics and communication; €135,500 euros to cover payment of members (€125 per session); 272,454 euros for running costs (e.g translations, catering, room rental); €300,000 University of Luxembourg research.
Further resources. Government press release https://gouvernement.lu/fr/actualites/toutes_actualites/communiques/2022/09-septembre/15-klima-biergerrot.html
