Saturday 26: Citizens Advise Political Leaders on Global Climate Policy

Press release, September 25, 2009

The world’s political leaders were gathered to prepare for COP15 at the UN Summit on Climate Change in New York City earlier this week, but tomorrow ordinary citizens from all corners of the world will meet to express their views on problems related to climate change and how a future climate deal should be shaped. This will be the world’s first global citizen consultation happening tomorrow, Saturday 26.

During one day, 100 citizens in 38 countries around the world will deliberate on climate policy under the headline: World Wide Views on Global Warming. World Wide Views will be the so far biggest citizen consultation in the world. In countries as different as Canada, China, Uganda, Indonesia, and Chile, citizens with different backgrounds and in all ages will meet to discuss how politicians should handle global warming.

Global citizen consultation

The purpose of World Wide Views is to pass on the opinions of ordinary citizens to political decision-makers. Results from World Wide Views will therefore be delivered directly to Connie Hedegaard, host of the UN Climate Conference (COP15), who this December together with political leaders from all over the world will be making decisions with far-reaching consequences for the future of the planet.

During this day citizens will be introduced to the same information material in all 38 countries, which presents them with different dilemmas in the climate debate. On the basis of this material and their own experience, citizens will answer the same questions, composed by The Danish Board of Technology. Results from all countries will currently be uploaded on www.wwviews.org. During this 24 hours online event, three international expert panels will comment results as they come in and make live videoconferences, which will be visible to everyone with access to the Internet.

Read more about the project, see the list of participating countries, and follow results on www.wwviews.org.
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For any further information, questions, and contact to the organizers please contact Hamza Khaleel, +960 7759368 or email to sos.org@gmail.com

On our media platform you can find videos, photos, and audio interviews free to use:
http://teknologiraad.surfoffice.eu/



Facts:

World Wide Views on Global Warming is a global citizen consultation initiated by the Danish Board of Technology in consequence of the UN Climate Conference in Copenhagen, December 2009. The project will be held during 24 hours in 39 countries, where 4.500 citizens worldwide will be participating, including 100 Danish citizens. Participating citizens are randomly selected and have no special qualifications to answer the questions. Citizens are chosen with reference to each national demographic composition regarding age, gender, education, occupation and ethnicity.

The Danish Board of Technology is an independent advisory organisation financed by the Danish Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation. The Danish Board of Technology was brought into being in order to disseminate knowledge about technology, its possibilities and effects on people, on society and on the environment. The Danish Board of Technology is experienced within citizen consultations and has held citizen meetings in Denmark concerning subjects such as The Future Health Care systems (2008), Smoking policy (2005) and the establishment of national parks (2005).

Strength of Society (S.O.S.) is a non-governmental organization working to promote environment and democracy in the Maldives with a special focus on youth empowerment.

The content and design of the citizen meetings:

At the beginning of the meeting participating citizens will be divided into smaller groups.

During the day all groups will discuss the following 4 topics:

1. Climate change and its consequences.
2. Long-term goals and the urgent matter of the problem.
3. Handling of CO2 emissions.
4. The economy of technology and technology adaptation.
Each group will be presented for each topic and its problem.
Each group will discuss the topic and the questions.
Citizen will answer individually.
Results will currently be presented on wwviews.org, as each meeting ends.

The groups will formulate recommendations for the COP15 delegates:

Each group will deliberate on possible recommendations.
Each group choose one recommendation.
Citizens circulate between the groups and read each other’s recommendations.
The recommendations from each group are up for voting and the recommendation with most votes will be included in the overall global result.