Global Youth Panel debates decisions of 'COP15' UN Climate Change Conference

Online, December 6, 2009 (Newswire.com) - Outcomes from the COP15 United Nations Climate Change Conference, which runs from December 7-18, will be closely scrutinised and debated by more than 1,000 members of the Debatewise Global Youth Panel. The group of 15-25 year-olds from 140 different countries will raise their arguments about the pros and cons of the Conference using Google Wave, the new real-time communication and collaboration tool launched earlier this year.

The Debatewise Global Youth Panel delivers the views of those who will be most affected by the outcomes of COP15. The panel is motivated, not by global economic and politics, but by real fears and concerns about how climate change is affecting their lives and futures.

Their debate will represent a unique perspective on what the Danish government describes as 'The Crucial Conference - the last chance to reach an agreement that can be approved and ratified in time to come into force when the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012'.

The Debatewise Global Youth Panel is being locally coordinated in each of the 140 countries involved. The Panel covers just about every ethnic and social group, and consists of a mix including those who have registered out of self-motivated concern, and invited participants who are already active on climate change issues. The debate will also give voice to a vital age group in some of the world's poorest countries.

Overview
Debatewise will organise a series of online debates to coincide with the Copenhagen climate change conference which starts on 7th December. As moderators of the debates, Debatewise will table the motions while various pro and con arguments for each debate will be created by volunteers from our 1,000 strong Global Youth Panel. Some members of the panel will create the debates, others will vote on the debates. In this way we will provide a measure of how young people around the world think about events from the conference.

After the conference we will contact group panel members by country and ask them to debate how they will be impacted by the decisions the conference comes to. Brazil, for example, may wish to make a case against deforestation restrictions whilst the rest of the world may argue that they should suffer for the greater good. In this way, the decisions taken at Copenhagen will be given a personal and truly local context which we believe no-one else is providing.

The Debatewise Global Youth Panel debate begins on 7th December and will carry on in real time throughout the United Nations Climate Change Conference, which ends on 18th December.
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Contact:
David Crane
Tel: 020 3393 7223
Mobile: 07956 292 567
http://debatewise.org
dc@debatewise.org
65-71 Scrutton Street
London
EC2A 4PJ

What is Debatewise?
Debatewise is a not-for-profit organisation. It was started by David Crane with the help of funding from Open Society Institute - who's chairman and founder is George Soros. Debatewise was created to support people who like making informed decisions; for people who would rather not trust one source of information, but instead try to obtain a rounded view - which these days often means visiting forums and blogs. But making sense of different opinions can be time-consuming and imprecise, involving visiting a number of sites, reading what are often long threads, working out who to trust, picking the gold from their posts - then searching again for secondary validation.

Debatewise was created to provide a place where the best possible arguments for one side are listed next to the best possible arguments against. These arguments aren't created by one person, but by like-minded individuals collaborating to form the strongest case. This allows people both to easily compare the pros and cons, and come to a decision safe in the knowledge that it's based upon the best information to hand.

The aim of Debatewise is to be the first place people think of when they want to make up their minds; also to provide an environment where people can visit to explore both sides of an argument or issue, and leave better informed. It's also hoped that they'll share their knowledge to better inform others.

What can you do to support the Debatewise Global Youth Panel during the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference?

1)You can help publicise their arguments, opinions and results.

2)Messages of support - the Global Youth Panel are already dedicated and motivated young people. However, messages of support from leading climate change activists or prominent individuals will only serve to further encourage them and reward them for their hard work

3)Debate mentoring - experts take an active role in guiding members of the Global Youth Panel in their deliberations. This involves: visiting the web site from time to time, answering questions and offering advice as to how to frame arguments and where to find supporting information.