Theme: Governance & Just Transition

At this event – we will share our progress and learnings, with the aim of building on the deliberative democratic processes at the heart of these community projects by bringing together a mixture of stakeholders from communities and decision-making bodies to explore the processes and findings so far and discuss future actions and proposals.

A whole day event that will offer sessions exploring

• Practicalities of running community assemblies
• The value of deliberative democratic processes on climate change
• How do we embed real change and what does this look like
• Interactive tools to build confidence and community engagement
• Developing climate action plans with children and young people

There will be opportunities for plenty of discussion, lunch and networking, and exploring and finding out about community engagement work and research that has been going on across the North East of Scotland as part of this Just Transition partnership project.

PHA Aim:

To create a space for organisations and groups concerned about health to fashion a more effective response to Scotland’s growing health crisis

PHA Objectives:

• Provide a forum for existing community and national health-related campaigns to enable exchange of knowledge and ideas
• Problem solve the relative lack of impact on political and economic decision making
• Develop thinking on the combined actions needed to effect change in decision making which impinges on health
• Inspire and build a stronger public health movement, including creating resources for those campaigning for better health for Scotland (e.g. evidence, networks and good practice)

Confirmed speakers and contributors:

• David Legge, People’s Health Movement
• Prof Kat Smith, University of Strathclyde
• Kirsty Mackay, photographic artist, educator, activist and filmmaker
• Jackie Erdman, former Head of Equality and Human Rights for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and current trustee with the Environmental Rights Centre for Scotland and the Scottish Homelessness Network
• Environmental Rights Centre for Scotland
• The Jimmy Reid Foundation
• Socialist Health Association Scotland
• Kingsway Community ConnectionsScotstoun, Glasgow
• People’s Plan for Glasgow
• Women’s Support Project
• Solidarity Against Neoliberal Extremism (SANE)
• Friends of Saint Fitticks Park, Torry, Aberdeen
• Living Streets Scotland
• Scottish Hazards
• Glasgow Centre for Population Health

Funding and Costs

The PHA is being supported by a grant from The Edge Fund contribution from the Women’s Support Project and in-kind support from our fellow contributors. We may need to ask for a small donation (£5), from those able, to help cover the costs of the catering on the day if we end up with a shortfall (but hopefully not!). This can either be via cash or an online donation and more details on how to donate will be available at the event.

Climate Fringe Festival

The PHA is running as part of the Climate Fringe Festival #ClimateFringeFestival, 10th-18th June

Pre-Assembly Social (Friday 9th June from 7pm)

Ahead of the PHA we are also hosting an informal social event at DRAM! pub, 232 Woodlands Rd, Glasgow G3 6ND. Please pop along to meet other activists ahead of the more formal discussions at the PHA. You can let us know you can come along by including a ticket for this when registering just so we know who to expect!

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Why we need a People’s Health Assembly

We are in a new era of a socio-ecological polycrisis, with the climate emergency being ignored and the lives and wellbeing of millions being cast aside as we face a crushing cost-of-living crisis. There is brilliant work being done across civil society to improve the health and wellbeing of our society, but too much is focused on survival, rather than giving people alternatives and the ability to thrive. We are caught in a cycle of paying to fix what we continue to break.

We must come together to energise a paradigm shift from the grassroots and unanimously advocate systems change to support health and wellbeing of people and planet as our core aims, rather than an outdated, misguided and unfair focus on economic growth and finances.

PHMS wants to start this paradigm shift by bringing people together for a People’s Health Assembly (PHA) in 2023. The 2023 PHA will recognise the failures of current and past approaches, but more importantly highlight the breadth and depth of positive alternatives.

Scotland has its own rich tapestry of activism focused on the global, the national and the local, as well as networks of support for communities and individuals. Yet these efforts lack synergy, leading to a loss of effectiveness. We will focus on the processes of social movement building and grassroots activism in shifting from ‘surviving & coping’ (some better than others) to ‘systems change’. In bringing our voices together we hope to re-ignite solidarity in the face of detached politics.

Without a civic society movement that can highlight the positive alternatives available in policy and practice to the current neoliberal ‘common sense’ of austerity and ‘trickle down’ incompetence, the future of Scotland, independent or otherwise, is appallingly bleak. Informed critical democratic engagement is the only vaccine that can hope to address the pandemic of ‘truth decay’ that is already undermining the fundamental rights of the most vulnerable in our society and threatening the existence of future generations.

If another well-meaning event on health inequalities or climate fills you with dread or apathy, please think again! The ineffectiveness of current responses and resultant worsening outcomes can only be reimagined by a positive and united civil society.

A short history of PHAs

PHAs are based on the model of events run by PHM Global, with the last of these global PHAs taking place in 2018. The previous PHA event in Scotland was held in Edinburgh in 2014. Since then, PHMS have run other regular events and published a People’s Health Manifesto for local and national elections. Our latest report follows a recent inquiry into health inequalities in light of the COVID pandemic: All in this Together? The Impact of Covid-19 on Health Inequalities in Glasgow.

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The People’s Health Movement (PHM) Scotland are a diverse group of health and social activists based in Scotland who are members of a global movement that calls for a right to health for all.

We are a third of the way through this crucial decade for climate action – yet Scotland is not on track to meet targets to reduce emissions, one in nine species of Scottish wildlife faces extinction from our shores, and worsening climate impacts are having devastating consequences around the world.

We urgently need all decision makers to take bold action to tackle the climate and nature crisis, inequality, provide secure jobs and improve health and wellbeing. We can come together to show them that people in Scotland care deeply about this, and have the power to drive action.

Join a diverse range of organisations to hear more about the latest climate and nature issues, how to speak to your decision makers about the things you care about and want to see action on. It’s also a great opportunity to connect with other climate and nature campaigners and to hear more about ways to make your voice heard over the next few months.

Speakers to be announced shortly.

This session is a Climate Fringe Festival event organised by the Stop Climate Chaos Scotland coalition, with the support of our members:

Christian Aid Scotland

Global Justice Now Scotland

Jubilee Scotland

Open Seas Trust

RSPB Scotland

SCIAF

Scottish Communities Climate Action Network

WWF Scotland

This is a hybrid event. To attend online register here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/collective-action-for-climate-and-nature-online-event-tickets-625216508407

Accessibility

This event will take place in a venue with full wheelchair access and facilities. If you will need any assistance on the day please contact [email protected]

If you have any other accessibility requirements or if there is anything we can do to ensure you can participate fully in the event please contact [email protected]

We want to make it easy to attend for as many people as possible. The event is also open to join online, or we can offer subsidies for public transport. Please contact [email protected] for more information.

We are a third of the way through this crucial decade for climate action – yet Scotland is not on track to meet targets to reduce emissions, one in nine species of Scottish wildlife faces extinction from our shores, and worsening climate impacts are having devastating consequences around the world.

We urgently need all decision makers to take bold action to tackle the climate and nature crisis, inequality, provide secure jobs and improve health and wellbeing. We can come together to show them that people in Scotland care deeply about this, and have the power to drive action.

Join a diverse range of organisations to hear more about the latest climate and nature issues, how to speak to your decision makers about the things you care about and want to see action on. It’s also a great opportunity to connect with other climate and nature campaigners and to hear more about ways to make your voice heard over the next few months.

Speakers to be announced shortly.

This session is a Climate Fringe Festival event organised by the Stop Climate Chaos Scotland coalition, with the support of our members:

Christian Aid Scotland

Global Justice Now Scotland

Jubilee Scotland

Open Seas Trust

RSPB Scotland

SCIAF

Scottish Communities Climate Action Network

WWF Scotland

This is a hybrid event. To attend in-person register here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/collective-action-for-climate-nature-communicating-with-decision-makers-tickets-625207330957

Accessibility

This event will take place in a venue with full wheelchair access and facilities. If you will need any assistance on the day please contact [email protected]

If you have any other accessibility requirements or if there is anything we can do to ensure you can participate fully in the event please contact [email protected]

The Introduction to Net Zero is a course that gives a succinct overview of what net zero means as a response to the climate crisis and how it can be delivered within organisations. It is delivered over four parts that make up this course and provide learners with a basic introduction to the concept of net zero.

This course is suited for all roles and sectors and has no formal entry requirements. This course will be appealing for those who are looking to gain a baseline knowledge on net zero in their own capacity. This course will also be a powerful tool for businesses on a journey towards net zero and provides an approach to raising awareness across the business.