Open Space Learning Day at the Capacity Building Hub
I received my first badge to attend a UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) meeting in 2009 - I participated in a one week session in Barcelona in the lead up to COP 15 in Copenhagen. Since that meeting I have attended over 35 UNFCCC climate change meetings, including every "Conference of the Parties" or COP - since Copenhagen. I have focused on a variety of issues, most significantly issues that relate to the human dimensions of climate change, such as adaptation and capacity building. Capacity building is a cross-cutting issue; it relates to all aspects of climate policy at every scale. The 2015 Paris Agreement addresses capacity building, an issue of particular importance to developing countries. The Paris Agreement creating the "PCCB" - the Paris Committee on Capacity Building. I have been fortunate to participate in every PCCB meeting as an observer. One of the PCCB priorities is the Capacity Building Hub. The Hub is part of the end of the year two week "Conference of the Parties" meeting. The 4th Capacity Building Hub takes place as part of COP 27 in Egypt. At the PCCB meeting in Bonn, Germany last June, plans for the COP 27 CB Hub were discussed. Observers were invited to share ideas. I proposed, in addition to topic-specific days, that one day feature a process - Open Space." PCCB members liked the idea. I prepared a Concept Note, and the PCCB scheduled "Open Space Learning Day." PCCB members recognized that building capacities involve more than technical work, but also improvements in processes for interaction, learning, communication, and decision-making. The two NGOs I work with - Mediators Beyond Borders International (MBBI) and the International Environmental Communication Association (IECA) are the lead and supporting partners respectively for Open Space Learning Day.
What do you mean by "received my first badge" ? How does one go about obtaining a badge, and what comes along with having a badge?
ReplyDeleteI also am curious about what you had to do do to earn a badge. Was there just some requirements or did you have to pass tests?
DeleteIt is very cool that you are very involved and that you are proposing ideas to help us better the world. My big question is that how do you deal with people that are stubborn to accept that climate change is an issue and that we must do something about it?
ReplyDeleteWhat do you think is the most important form of adaptation in the human dimension of climate change is?
ReplyDeleteWhen researching about climate change, I have come across much more information about the technical dimensions of climate change compared to the human dimensions. Is this something we should look into? As in, should we be putting more attention toward these human dimensions of climate change?
ReplyDeleteDoes having a career in communications give you a different perspective or have certain advantage compared to say a climate scientist or an environmental scientist?
ReplyDeleteWhat continually, year after year, keeps you engaged and passionate about advocacy for climate change ?
ReplyDeleteHow have the conversations around Climate Change varied over the different years you've been there? Is it a lot of the same goals and information or have things gotten more extreme?
ReplyDeleteI want to say that I greatly appreciate your dedication on such an important issue. How much longer do you think you'll continue going to the conferences and do you think there has been enough progress in each one to "keep" up with climate change?
ReplyDeleteIt's cool that you have been able to have such an opportunity to participate in the climate change debate.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the areas that you were focusing on including the human dimensions of climate change are some of the more important parts of putting an end to climate change. It is very important to recognize that WE are responsible for making a change in our World and I admire that you have taken it upon yourself to try and help out as best you can.
ReplyDeleteI find it very interesting that the capacity of buildings has such an effect on climate change. A lot of the time it is just chalked up to carbon emissions and capitalism but it is a lot less simple than that and there are ways in which we can diminish climate change easier.
ReplyDeleteComing from someone who lacks understanding on Climate change other than the basic level concepts, harms, controversy and solutions could you further explain the proposal you made of "in addition to topic-specific days, that one day feature a process - Open Space." Why is it a good idea, what can be improved, what are limitations?
ReplyDeleteis there any article you suggest I read to further enhance my understanding?
What have you found to be the most effective in convincing people who don't ascribe to anthropological climate change to begin believing in it and acting on that belief?
ReplyDeleteWhat does the MBBI and IECA actually contribute to Open Space Learning day? Is it financial support or simple advertisement?
ReplyDeleteOut of all of the COPs that you have attended over the years, do any in particular stick out to you as being particularly effective or of greater importance than the others?
ReplyDeleteIs there anything which holds nations accountable for their actions in compliance to treaties such as the Paris Agreement? What is a nations incentive to adhere to such treaties?
ReplyDeleteHow often do observers get to contribute to discussions like that? As an observer, have you ever had the opportunity to talk about policy with heads of state?
ReplyDeleteI think it's very respectable the work you have put forward in the various UNFCCC meetings you've attended. I don't think the human dimensions of climate change get the attention necessary to facilitate change on a large scale, such as adaptation as you mentioned. A lot of goals have been put forth by various countries, between lowering GHG emissions and carbon-neutrality, but I don't often hear about how we would go about adapting to a world without fossil fuels.
ReplyDeleteWhat was the result of the open space learning day? Did it achieve the goals you had in mind?
ReplyDeleteStudent ID: 934427394
Something that I have been learning a lot about is adaption capacity and how it affects the ability for different societies to adjust to climate change. Some countries and communities do not have the means to adapt by human made climate change that they didn't cause and that is a real issue. Another thing as well however that I find interesting is that adaption capacity also affects communities that have the resources and means to adapt but don't. I had to write in climate justice midterm about how communities in Florida are not adapting to climate change even though they are greatly affected. This has a lot to do with politics and people politisizing climate change. There are people in office preaching to citizens about how climate change isn't real and is a liberal agenda which cause them to ignore the issue. Another issue is something called apocalypse fatigue. What that means is people are so overwhelmed and depressed by the the future that climate change could cause that they completely check out from the issue and choose to nothing.They know it to be true it is just too stressful for them to think about it and try to actively make a change. These are just two important aspects of adaptation capacity that can happen in places that do have the means to adapt. Adaption capacity both affects people of third world countries and those in wealth countries for different reasons and it ends with people in third world countries being more negatively affected by it.
ReplyDeleteHave you noticed some changes to the conference over the years to streamline such a momentous event? Surely, organizing something this big would require some great coordination with the host nation, guest nation representatives, and NGOs.
ReplyDeleteYou've been to 35 of these COP's, is there something in particular to you that makes it worth it to take time to go to all of these events?
ReplyDeleteI've always wondered, what does the day to day of these events actually look like? Is it mainly speeches and presentations, or are there interactive portions? How are key speakers chosen?
ReplyDeleteI realized this question has been answered in a previous post, and it sounds incredibly engaging and informative.
DeleteWhat do you think continues to interest you about climate change and attending COP considering it is such a long ways away?
ReplyDeleteWill you continue to participate in this every time it happens? What makes you continuously go to this event considering what it may cost you to get there?
ReplyDeleteI like your idea of Open Space Learning Day. I think people often get caught up in issues at hand and forget that in order to come up with a realistic and collectively agreed upon solution, communication is first and foremost. People have to be able to express their ideas in a way that everyone else can understand, as well as be open to hearing other perspective and be willing to compromise. This class, Comm 114, has especially taught me how there exist a large variety of factors that are important in communication and argumentative discourse. With climate change being a very relevant topic, its encouraging to hear that people want to learn how to better communicate their ideas, interact with others, and make decisions.
ReplyDeleteOpen space learning was something that was talked about a lot at a few of the different international conferences I got to attend with my grandpa and family. They often enjoyed having open seating and spaces for small group activities. My mother uses this link https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fac/academic-development/promotingexcellence/excellence/themes/openspacelearning/ when developing her criteria for creating an open space learning environment for people. I wonder if the same aspects were used when creating the environment for each conference and allowing people the space for interaction and differences with open communication.
ReplyDeleteI know that many Gen Z people such as my self are deeply concerned with the state of the climate crisis and want to get involved. Obviously, not everyone has the means to attend a COP event or national conferences about the climate crisis. In your opinion, what is the best way for a student like myself to get involved and take action towards the climate crisis? Are there more local conferences that would be a cheaper and more student-friendly way to become educated on this topic?
ReplyDeleteyou talk about the paris agreement in your blog post. what do you think is the single most powerful piece of legislation today passed or un-passed that would have the greatest effect on climate change?
ReplyDeleteI think an open space learning day is a great idea. It gives the participants a platform to express their opinions and thoughts that may have not been covered to their satisfaction or at all during the topic-specific days.
ReplyDeleteI love that you are interested in and care about issues like this and others that you have discussed in class. It feels nice to know that not only young people are the ones concerned with the climate crisis. Do you think you'll continue to participate in in conferences like this in the future?
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