OXFORD’S Citizens Assembly on Climate Change will consider how to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050, the council says.

The body, which will sit for the first time next month, is set to consider five main questions.

Last month a similar assembly was held in Camden, pipping Oxford to holding the UK’s first body of its kind.

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Oxford City Council now says the assembly – which will sit over two weekends on September 28-29 and and October 19-20 – will consider: “How proactive should Oxford be in seeking to achieve net zero carbon sooner than 2050 and what trade-offs are we prepared to make?”

Hosted by the Said Business School, up to 50 'randomly selected’, but ‘representative’ Oxford residents will learn about the climate crisis before voting on different options to cut carbon emissions. They will then make recommendations to the council.

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The expert speakers, from a 'variety of perspectives', are yet to be invited, but an independent advisory group agreed at a meeting last week to the topic, scope and content of the assembly.

Oxford City Council leader Susan Brown, who sits on the body, said: "I’m grateful to colleagues who are bringing real expertise to help ensure the assembly will be a landmark moment.

"We’re very conscious that the eyes of public - and those of councils in many other UK cities - are upon us, as they look to Oxford’s lead.”

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The group agreed that the assembly will gauge residents' enthusiasm for reaching net zero before 2050, and examine how the council can get there.

It will consider five question under three themes: using less energy; making more energy and improving environmental quality while getting to net zero. The questions are:

1. How do we ensure our buildings are fit for the future?

2. How do we develop a sustainable zero-carbon transport system?

3. How do we transform our energy system to ensure it comes from renewable sources?

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4. How do we reduce our waste to deliver net zero?

5. How could Oxford offset the emissions it can’t reduce?

The issue of biodiversity will be considered within each of these subject areas. Areas outside the council’s control or influence, such as aviation or international shipping emissions, will not be considered.

In January, the council unanimously declared a climate emergency and agreed to create the assembly, before setting a ‘vision’ to reduce the council's own emissions to net zero by 2030 ‘at the latest'.

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A final report on the findings of the Oxford Citizens Assembly on Climate Change will be produced by Ipsos MORI, the independent body appointed to facilitate proceedings, published within three weeks of the end the Assembly.

The report will be formally presented to Oxford City Council with recommendations to be considered for adoption and will inform a new sustainability strategy.

All of the speaker presentations to the Assembly will be filmed and made accessible to the public, and presentational materials will be published.