Comments on: Mass Collaboration and Climate Change: Part II http://www.wikinomics.com/blog/index.php/2008/01/21/mass-collaboration-and-climate-change-part-ii/ Exploring How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything Sun, 28 Aug 2011 14:21:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Evan Thomas Paul http://www.wikinomics.com/blog/index.php/2008/01/21/mass-collaboration-and-climate-change-part-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-86216 Evan Thomas Paul Mon, 21 Jan 2008 18:41:37 +0000 http://www.wikinomics.com/blog/index.php/2008/01/21/mass-collaboration-and-climate-change-part-ii/#comment-86216 This seems like a good effort, but it's far from an excellent example of Web 2.0 making a significant difference on climate change. To develop strategic web2.0 applications to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, we must first separate the problem into manageable components, such as politics and economics. Climate change is partly a political problem. The current leadership of the U.S., China, India, and the other major polluting nations face few repercussions from supporting the status quo. Web 2.0 applications to address this political problem should focus on increasing transparency and accountability around energy policy. Who benefits (oil, coal, etc.)? Who loses (clean tech, biodiversity, human health, etc.)? How can Web 2.0 technologies help the losers to become better informed, inspired and organized in their efforts to influence public policy? E.g. maplight.org, worldchanging.com, knowledgeaspower.org. Climate change is also an economic problem - using dirty energy is currently cheaper than using clean energy. Web 2.0 technologies could help change the economics of energy by lowering the costs of information and transportation for people. Information - website that you can find information on the lowest cost ways to live a low-carbon lifestyle (e.g. walkscore.com or a car site that allows you to compare total cost of ownership of different vehicles instead of just starting purchase price). Transportation - videoconferencing, distributed meetings, etc. Just a few thoughts to help the conversation. Evan This seems like a good effort, but it’s far from an excellent example of Web 2.0 making a significant difference on climate change.

To develop strategic web2.0 applications to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, we must first separate the problem into manageable components, such as politics and economics.

Climate change is partly a political problem. The current leadership of the U.S., China, India, and the other major polluting nations face few repercussions from supporting the status quo. Web 2.0 applications to address this political problem should focus on increasing transparency and accountability around energy policy. Who benefits (oil, coal, etc.)? Who loses (clean tech, biodiversity, human health, etc.)? How can Web 2.0 technologies help the losers to become better informed, inspired and organized in their efforts to influence public policy? E.g. maplight.org, worldchanging.com, knowledgeaspower.org.

Climate change is also an economic problem – using dirty energy is currently cheaper than using clean energy. Web 2.0 technologies could help change the economics of energy by lowering the costs of information and transportation for people. Information – website that you can find information on the lowest cost ways to live a low-carbon lifestyle (e.g. walkscore.com or a car site that allows you to compare total cost of ownership of different vehicles instead of just starting purchase price). Transportation – videoconferencing, distributed meetings, etc.

Just a few thoughts to help the conversation.

Evan

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