A citizens’ climate panel has presented the cabinet and parliament with a package of measures that could cut greenhouse gas emissions by between 4% and 12%, according to an assessment by research bureau CE Delft.

The 175 participants in the Nationaal Burgerberaad Klimaat spent seven weekends working on the recommendations, which focus on reducing the climate impact of food, travel and consumer goods.

The panel was designed to reflect people from all walks of life, including climate activists and sceptics, chairwoman Nienke Meijer said at the presentation of the plans on Monday.

Members heard from dozens of experts and visited companies before drawing up a report containing 13 recommendations which were supported by at least 75% of the panel members. Ten more measures were also included in the report with at least 50% support.

There was a large majority in favour of introducing a tax on farm-based carbon dioxide and other emissions, and using part of the money to boost sustainability in agriculture.

There was similarly broad support for establishing a right to repair consumer goods and for tackling food waste by supermarkets, by making sure they reduce prices on goods nearing their sell-by date in time and giving surplus food to food banks.

Restaurants should also be encouraged to give customers doggy bags with left-over food to take home, the panel said.

On travel, the panel wants to make train journeys more appealing and more affordable, for example by scrapping VAT on international rail tickets and making it easier to book cross border travel.  It also called for more support for working from home and cycling.

The group also issued a message to politicians, calling on them to “work with each other instead of being in constant opposition.”