In the first semester of 2026, the University of Westminster Climate Assembly will begin its work. A group of students, academics and professional staff, selected by democratic lottery, will work together to learn, deliberate and come to recommendations on how the university should be responding to the climate and ecological crisis. This is an unusual experiment: the first climate assembly run by a UK university, following in the footsteps of a small number of European universities. It is part of a wider ‘deliberative wave’ of climate assemblies that have been organised across Europe in the last five years by national and local governments and civil society organisations. This session will reflect on the impact of climate assemblies and the potential (and pitfalls) of bringing this participatory technology into a university setting.
About the event
This event is only for Westminster’s staff and students - no registration is required. It will take place at Regent Street, Room 413.
About the lab
The Climate and Energy Policy Lab is an exciting unit run by climate change and energy policy experts at the University of Westminster. The Climate and Energy Policy Lab Academic Coordinator is Dr Wojciech Ostrowski [email protected].
About the speaker
Graham Smith
Graham Smith is a world-leading expert on climate assemblies. See his short, open access book We Need to Talk About Climate: How Citizens’ Assemblies Can Help Us Solve the Climate Crisis (also available as free audiobook!)
Graham is Professor of Politics at the University of Westminster and founding Chair of the Knowledge Network on Climate Assemblies (KNOCA), a community of practice funded by the European Climate Foundation. See his University page for more on his background and publications.
