1. Proposal for a Climate Change Metaverse for
COP15, The UN Climate Change Conference
In Copenhagen, Denmark, in December 2009
A. The vision: context for the project
The UN Climate Change Conference (COP15) takes places in Copenhagen,
Denmark, in December 2009 – just a half-year away. This conference, the successor to
Kyoto, must devise a global pact that addresses climate change. For the first time, China
and the U.S., the two largest climate changers, have agreed to cooperate at COP15.
For the sake of an efficient, effective conference, public and private organizations
are addressing the informational needs of the 900 delegates, the nations and NGOs that
they represent, and those who will travel to Denmark to witness that nation’s answers to
climate change. But a vital ingredient is missing: global public awareness and opinion.
We propose to create the Climate Change Metaverse (CCM) as a complementary
online repository of data, information, commentary, interactive models, and opportunities
for communication that explains what is happening at COP15, why it is significant to
everyone, and how individuals and groups can participate in the COP15 experience even
as non-delegates, but as citizens of the world.
B. The Metaverse
The Climate Change Metaverse will be a 24/7 online destination available as a
global Web service. It will lead up to the COP15 and through a combination of unique
services and aggregated and user-created content about climate change and COP15, lead
visitors to learn more about COP15, understand its context and purpose, and participate
in any way they can.
New Features for COP15. The Metaverse will feature a novel Climate Dashboard
that summarizes climatic conditions in real-time, an overview of what really is
happening. The Dashboard is an element of a larger portal based on Google Wave that
enables navigation in the CCM and communication with other users. Another element
may be a geospatial index to local climate and other environmental conditions based.
Additional Content. External sources will contribute data, information, and
digital objects for public use. Optimally, these will include:
• Mirrored distribution of the UN Climate Change organization’s video feed of the
COP15.
• Mirrored distribution of telepresence sessions among parties who all agree to
public distribution.

2. • Video objects and feeds provided by parties with a stake and a positive interest in
COP15: public agencies like NASA and the ESA; private organizations like
corporations and research institutes; NGOs like universities, schools, advocacy
groups; and individuals.
• Interactive models and climate-focused instructional games, some in 3D and 4D
(three dimensions plus time), provided by this same universe of contributors.
• The portal itself, forums, Wikis, and similar devices for organizational and action-
oriented communication and organization
We may create a physical presence in Copenhagen for press briefings, visits by
other interested parties, and local management offices for the Metaverse.
After COP15, the Climate Change Metaverse will be developed as an open,
persistent, comprehensive Sustainability Metaverse that deals with a range of topics
pertinent to sustainability including climate change. Its planned functional growth is
described in the Appendix.
C. Scope the project
D. Create specifications
E. Budget the specifications
F. Funding
G. Time: Build and Launch