Sergio Amadeu da Silveira - Cidadania e Redes Digitais

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c i t i z e n s h i p a n d d i g i t a l n e t w o r k s
leaders in late 2009 7 .
There were also interesting differences in the views of the groups from different
nations. For example, groups from low income countries gave stronger approval
for fuel price increases as a way to curb carbon emissions than did groups from the
United States and Europe.
One disturbing result was that a total of 43% of all participants seemed to say
that a rise of 2 degrees centigrade or higher is actually permissible. Reading the same
data, however, it’s also true that 89% of participants overall said that no more than 2
degrees increase would be acceptable 8 .
The World Wide Views organization took steps to make sure that the results
of this global citizens panel were communicated to the delegates who attend the
COP15 — Conference of the Parties, number 15, an international meeting organized
by the United Nations, held in Copenhagen in early December 2009. At
this writing it is not yet known whether or not the data gathered had any effect on
Conference negotiations 9 .
While the substantive results of the September 26 event are important, I would
also emphasize its longer term significance for possible ways to expand citizenship
in the digital realm. The event was launched at what I believe to be the crucial, but
often ignored boundary in public life in our time — the boundary that connects the
online realm of social interaction with the face-to-face realm of everyday life. True,
the Internet was a significant presence at numerous points in the World Wide Views
process. Both the organizers and participants made preparations and gathered information
on the Internet. The final results were made available on web sites, blogs,
and recorded video conferences as well.
7. All of the results cited here are taken from “Policy Report: World Wide Views on Global Warming
— From the World’s Citizens to the Climate Policy-Makers”:
http://wwviews.org/files/AUDIO/WWViews%20Policy%20Report%20FINAL%20-%20Web%20
version.pdf.
8. My reading of climate change science and climate policy writings strongly indicates that an increase
of 2 degrees centigrade would have disastrous consequences for life on the planet. It may be that a
mere 2 degrees sounded modest to those involved in the citizens’ meetings on September 26, 2009.
9. The Conference itself was widely regarded as a failure. World leaders were unable to arrive at any
firm agreements on crucial matters of climate policy. Indeed, the citizens’ meetings seemed far more
intelligent and resolute than the tawdry band of politicians who attended as official representatives of
the various nations.
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