A local team is leading the Canadian component of the World Wide Views on Climate and Energy citizen consultation initiative. The University of Waterloo, in partnership with the Balsillie School of International Affairs, will host the forum on Saturday, June 6th at Knox Church in Waterloo, Ontario.
On June 6, beginning at dawn in the Pacific Islands and ending at dusk in the West Coast of the United States, citizens around the world will take part in the largest ever public consultation on climate change and energy. Citizens will be asked an identical set of questions on climate change and energy policy, targets, and measures.
This unique World Wide Views Day is in support of an ambitious new universal climate change agreement that the nations of the world will develop under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Paris in December.
The results from the global event will be ready in June, giving everyone from policy makers to businesses and civic leaders to investors a unique and timely insight into the views of citizens worldwide on the key issues that governments need to address in order to reach an effective new climate change agreement.
The results from World Wide Views will also be presented at the Paris UNFCCC climate change conference ("COP21").
How do I get involved?
Become a stakeholder
- 100 citizens are needed to participate in this event as stakeholders. You could receive $100 for your opinion! To find out how, read the information letter here which will provide you with a link to the online eligibility and enrolment form.
Become a volunteer
- Up to 30 volunteers will be needed to make this event successful! There are many opportunities for faculty members, students and others to get involved in planning, communication, facilitation, and science and policy outcomes. If you're interested in volunteering or being kept informed on the project, please fill out this form.
For more information, please e-mail Teresa Branch-Smith or contact one of the other team members listed below.
Partners and project team
Support for the project has been demonstrated through financial contributions from the following partners thus far:
The Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Energy is also participating as a communication partner.
The core project team consists of the following members:
- Teresa Branch-Smith, Philosophy, Faculty of Arts (project manager)
- Sarah Brown, Interdisciplinary Centre on Climate Change
- Dr. Heather Douglas, Philosophy, Faculty of Arts
- Andrea Minano, Geography & Environmental Management, Faculty of Environment
- Dr. Vanessa Schweizer, Knowledge Integration, Faculty of Environment (lead organizer)
Thanks also to David McLaughlin who is providing strategic advice and outreach support for the project.
UW's Vanessa Schweizer and Teresa Branch-Smith with World Wide Views organizer, Yves Mathieu, at a training session in Paris in April 2015.
Expected Results
- Policy influence - The World Wide Views initiative is endorsed by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the host French government, thus there is real potential for the results of this event being used in public debate, the media, and to help inform policy-makers during the COP21 negotiations.
- Primary data collection - The project will result in a set of views and opinions from citizens around the world that can be used to compare and find trends. The data set from the Canadian site will be accessible for use, on its own or in combination with data sets from other partnering countries, by faculty and student researchers at UWaterloo and BSIA.