A Vancouver environmentalist claims B.C. NDP leadership hopeful Mike Farnworth has been the most “receptive” to establishing a citizens’ assembly on climate change.

According to Kevin Washbrook, board member with the Conservation Voters of B.C., that “certainly factored into our endorsement of him”.

Washbrook said he has been pushing the idea of establishing a citizens’ assembly on climate change since the 2009 provincial election. He said it would empower British Columbians the same way the Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform did when former premier Gordon Campbell established it in 2003.

“This is something that would draft policy—or draft legislation I guess—for consideration in the legislature,” Washbrook said. “So it would be a deliberative body that would stand aside from the partisan fray and deliver sound, broadly-supported climate policy.”

If either the NDP or the B.C. Liberals took that on, Washbrook said it would be a “huge step forward for getting us beyond this kind of, ”˜You stick your neck out, and I’ll chop it off next election’ type of approach to climate policy right now”.

Washbrook said no politician will personally take the “dramatic and substantial” steps needed—such as making the carbon tax $200 per tonne—for fear “they will be attacked in the next election”. He said an assembly would give that degree of removal needed to take the risks to save the planet.

Neither Farnworth nor Premier Christy Clark returned messages before the Straight’s deadline.