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A people's plan for nature | WWF
Commissioning
Three UK-based charities the WWF, the RSPB and National Trust commissioned both a National Conversation and the People’s Assembly for Nature.
Remit
The People’s Assembly for Nature is the second leg of the development of The People's Plan for Nature, a comprehensive plan to both preserve and restore nature across the UK. The task for the Assembly was to refine the more than 30.000 responses from the National Conversation as well as develop recommendations for preservation and restoration of nature in the UK ranging from: vision and leadership, regulation and implementation; nature-friendly farming; food production and consumption; marine protection for coastal waters; waterway and catchment management; local access to nature; and using evidence effectively.
Commitment to Respond
The threecommissioning charities committed to respond to the report of the Assembly and topromote its work with other stakeholders, including government.
Delivery bodies
Involve was responsible for planning and facilitation. Sortition Foundation was responsible for recruitment of members. The overall process (including the prior National Conversation) was designed by the New Citizenship Project.
Governance
An independent advisory group made up of 18 individuals with knowledge and experience on a range of relevant topics including the food industry, farming, nature conservation, health, participation, diversity, equity and inclusion, community engagement and national governments across the four nations of the UK.
Participant Recruitment
Recruitment was carried out by democratic lottery. Invitations were sent to 33,000 residents across the UK, chosen randomly. The final membership of the assembly was 103 citizens selected according to age (above 16), education, geography, ethnicity, and views about the importance of nature. Members received an honorarium of £800 for their participation.
Duration
The People’s Assembly for Nature took place between November 2022 and February2023.
Structure
The assembly combined both in-person and online meetings. The meetings in the first and fourth weekends were held in-person while the meetings during the second and third weekends were held online. During the first weekend, members were given an overview of the current state of nature in the UK and why it is important to protect and restore it. The second weekend explored the primarydrivers of nature loss and the protections that are currently in place to protect and restore nature. The third weekend examined how we use land, fresh water, and the sea to meet basic needs, with a particular focus on food production. During the second and third weekend, members identified priority areas for recommendations. During the final weekend, the group considered what they had learned and discussed before refining the actions to be included in the People’s Plan for Nature.
Facilitation
Lead and table facilitation. Mix of plenary sessions with input from commentators and smaller table breakouts.
Evidence Base
The evidence base was created by Involve in collaboration with the independent advisory group. Consideration was given to the different ways that members learn and share their knowledge. The evidence presented to the Assembly is available on its website.
Developing Recommendations
Priority areas (called “topics”) were collectively identified during Weekends 2 and 3, after Assembly members heard evidence regarding the problems faced by nature in the UK and examples of work to protect and restore nature. Members chose which topic they wanted to work on during Weekend 4. For each of the 28 topics, they drafted text calling for the action they felt would be needed to address the challenges. The draft Calls to Action were re-themed and organised under headlines by the facilitation team. These headlines, as well as ideas for overarching cross-cutting themes, were checked and verified with members. Members were then asked to vote for the “top ten” Calls to Action that they believe would have the most impact in achieving their vision of a UK where nature is protected and renewed.
Final Report
The 99-page report People’s Plan for Nature was published in March 2023. The Plan covers vision and leadership; regulation and implementation; nature-friendly farming; food production and consumption; marine protection for coastal waters; waterway and catchment management; local access to nature; and using evidence effectively. Its 26 Calls to Action target governments, business, communities, and individuals.
Wider public engagement
The Assembly was preceded by a National Conversation. Between 30 September and 30 October 2022, members of the public were invited to respond to three questions:
- What do you love about nature in the UK? What would you miss if it disappeared?
- Imagine it’s 2050 and nature in the UK is thriving. What is different from now?
- What exciting examples have you seen of people working together to restore and protect nature in the UK?
Nearly 30,000 responses were gathered online and through 74 interactive installations across the four nations of the UK. These responses informed the learning and deliberations in the Assembly.
Official Response
The three commissioning bodies have officially responded to the People’s Plan for Nature, along with other stakeholders including the Wildlife Trust, Church of England, British Trust for Ornithology, the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission and Earth Trust.
Oversight of Official Response
No structures were put in place for Assembly Members to monitor responses
Impact
The independent Evaluation report (see below) summarises the range of impacts of the assembly. In particular it highlights how the People’s Plan for Nature created a powerful public mandate for nature action, showing there is an appetite and shared urgency among a representative cross-section of the population for a progressive environmental agenda and accelerated a shift in attitudes about the value of citizens’ assemblies and deliberative democracy more widely. The Plan had fairly significant media reach. Assembly members have played an active role in raising the profile of the Assembly, with WWF supporting members after the Assembly had ended. Some of this work is highlighted in the KNOCA Guidance Supporting Members After the Climate Assembly Ends: How to Nurture Action
Evaluation
Who decides for Nature? Embedding deliberative democracy in biodiversity renewal, authored as part of the ExCASES Mission rapid research project, takes a detailed look at the challenges, successes, lessons and deliberative legacy of the People’s Plan for Nature process
Budget
The budget has not yet been made public. The Assembly was funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and the Samworth Foundation and underwritten by the National Trust, RSPB and WWF.
Other resources
KNOCA Learning Call on the People’s Plan for Nature
