Scotland's Climate Assembly: operations and administration arrangements

Recruitment of Scotland's Climate Assembly members

13. The 2019 Act states that Scotland's Climate Assembly is a panel made up of such persons as the Scottish Ministers consider to be representative of the general populace of Scotland. 

14. The stewarding group has agreed that 100 people will make up Scotland's Climate Assembly's membership. The Sortition Foundation has been appointed to recruit members via a postal civic lottery method of selection, following international best practice. In mid-September, 20,000 letters of invitation will be sent to randomly selected households across Scotland. Individuals living at those addresses during the registration period can register to become an assembly member online or by phone. 

15. Members will then be selected to ensure Scotland's Climate Assembly is broadly representative of the Scottish populace. The Scottish Government, Scottish Parliament and Scottish Ministers will have no involvement in the selection of assembly members.

16. A number of criteria will be used, including:

a) age
b) gender
c) ethnicity
d) people living with a disability
e) location, including rurality
f) attitudes to climate change
g) household income 

17. People over the age of 16 and who are resident in Scotland, irrespective of nationality or eligibility to vote, will be able to become an assembly member. A permanent address is not a requirement to take part, and people living in insecure housing, or people who are staying at an address during the registration window, but who normally have no fixed abode, can apply. 

18. Elected representatives from any level of government, paid employees of any political party, public appointees or public and civil servants whose job restricts them from participating in this kind of activity, and any individual who has sat on a similar panel or assembly in the previous two years will be excluded from taking part.

19. In line with arrangements for the Citizens' Assembly of Scotland the stewarding group has agreed that members will receive £200 per weekend to recognise their time and contribution. Reasonable costs of caring and travel (if required) will also be reimbursed.