[LINK] Internet enhanced meetings for post-Copenhagen climate change negotiations

[Tom Worthington]

This is to propose the use of Internet enhanced meetings for the 
post-Copenhagen climate change negotiations. The 2009 United Nations 
Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen (COP-15) ended inconclusively 
without a binding agreement: 
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-Kyoto_Protocol_negotiations_on_greenhouse_gas_emissions#2009_United_Nations_Climate_Change_Conference_in_Copenhagen_.28COP-15.29>.

There will be a need for ongoing extensive negotiations. Also there were 
problems with the format of the conference in Copenhagen, with it 
difficult for so many delegates to be heard. An alternative is for 
smaller face to face meetings, with Internet access to people not at the 
venue to take part. The recent Realising Our Broadband Future forum 
sponsored by the Australian Government provides a model for such events: 
<http://www.tomw.net.au/blog/2009/12/participating-in-realising-our.html>.

I suggest the Australian Government could take a leadership role in 
hosting climate change talks. Australian universities and their 
counterparts around the world could assist with technology and venues 
for this.

A global electronic infrastructure now exists for information 
communication and online discussion. I suggest it is time that this 
infrastructure be put to work for global governance.

The Australian National University provided the venue for the first 
"Public Sphere" event, which Realising Our Broadband Futures grew out 
of. The Prime Minister recently announced a National Security College to 
train senior public servants. Given the security implications of climate 
change, global negotiations on the topic would seem a reasonable area to 
explore.

More in my blog at: 
<http://www.tomw.net.au/blog/2009/12/internet-enhanced-meetings-for-post.html>.


-- 
Tom Worthington FACS HLM, TomW Communications Pty Ltd. t: 0419496150
PO Box 13, Belconnen ACT 2617, Australia  http://www.tomw.net.au
Adjunct Lecturer, The Australian National University t: 02 61255694
Computer Science http://cs.anu.edu.au/people.php?StaffID=140274