U.S. Pol to Give Major Climate Speech, CO2-Free
Senior U.S. politician travels virtually to address UN Climate Change Conference in BaliOnline address through OneClimate Island in Second Life brings U.S. Chairman of Global Warming Committee to international climate negotiations without expending travel-related CO2 NUSA DUA, BALI, INDONESIA - Congressman Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, has linked up with OneWorld.nets 'Virtual Bali' initiative to participate in the UNs climate change negotiations currently underway in Bali, Indonesia.
Congressman Markey will deliver an address to the United Nations and the world using a 3-D animated version of himself (an "avatar"). He will address the conference at 9.30 am (Bali time) on Wed., Dec. 12 from a virtual Bali stage provided by OneWorld.nets archipelago on Second Life. The address will also be streamed live at www.oneclimate.net/virtualbali and replayed all week at the conference, demonstrating an extremely low-carbon way to encourage stronger U.S. government support for climate action. Criticism of the carbon footprint of the UN conference has been rife. Congressman Markey will be saving an estimated 5.36 tons of CO2 emissions by not flying to the conference but attending virtually instead. His decision will stand as an example for many future participants who want to interact without emitting flight-generated carbon. "By choosing not to fly to Bali, Congressman Markey is walking the walk," said Jeffrey Allen, producer of OneWorld.net's Virtual Bali series. "He's demonstrating that by thinking outside the box and making use of technologies, individual citizens and government leaders alike can take strong action against climate change. Congressman Markey is modelling what OneWorld has always believed: that by opening new communications channels, the Internet can and should be an agent of human rights and sustainable development." In addition to transmitting Rep. Markeys address to participants at the UN conference, the OneWorld.net team is facilitating daily discussions between Internet users around the world and participants who have elected to be present in person at the Bali summit. OneWorld.net's team of just two in Bali but many more back in London and Washington are enabling citizens all over the world to interact with these participants -- live -- in an embryonic new form of democratic communication that allows an ever-widening range of people to engage with key political processes, without having to be formally included by conference organisers or being able to afford the cash or the carbon to fly. "Using 21st century communications tools, people can and should have a voice in political processes like never before," Allen said. "Today Americans, Europeans, and elites in other parts of the world have already got these opportunities. Soon, though, the whole world will have access. The sooner, the better. We're demonstrating the viability of this technology -- and others like it -- here in Bali and through other OneWorld projects around the world, but only political leaders can make these tools available to all people, everywhere." Citizens in avatar form have been arriving each day on the OneClimate archipelago from 12.30 to 2pm GMT to watch press conferences and pose questions and offer comments to climate activists and experts in Bali. Dr. John Holdren, the distinguished climate scientist from the Woods Hole Research Center in the United States, was one such expert; M.J. Mace, Program Director for FIELD and advisor to the Pacific Island states delegations, was another. During "Virtual Bali," the avatars fly in from all over the world. So far their locations include the UK, Canada, Italy, Australia, Japan, China, the Netherlands, Serbia, Romania, the United States, South Africa, Germany, and Belgium, but the list grows daily. Many stay on after the interactions with the Bali delegates to continue discussing climate issues among themselves. Yoe May, an avatar who has been participating from Japan in the daily broadcasts on OneClimate Island, said: You know, I've been talking about [Virtual Bali] a lot today to people outside Second Life, and many of them said something like: A-ha! Finally I understand what's so great about this virtual reality thing!. When Congressman Markeys decision was announced to the Virtual Bali crowd, there was a round of applause from the avatars present. Notes to Editors: WHO: Edward Markey's Avatar, Virtual Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming WHAT: Address to UN Bali Climate Change Conference in Second Life WHERE: The Internet, from One Climate Island,
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