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Professor Rodney Harrison (Institute of Archaeology) on The importance of Public Participation in Climate Action and Action for Climate Empowerment
The Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement both recognise the crucial importance of involving the public in climate action. They both specify the importance of public education, training of key groups of staff, public awareness campaigns, public participation in climate change decision making, public access to information relating to science and policy regarding climate change, and international co-operation. These six areas are known informally as Action for Climate Empowerment, or ACE.
Enabling, empowering and mobilising public action on climate will be crucial to the goal of maintaining global heating at or below 1.5C, and to reimagining and recreating a net-zero or zero-carbon world. The significant protests which are occurring in Glasgow and globally during COP26, speak to the interest and enthusiasm of individuals and groups from all parts of society to involve themselves in action for climate.
In the lead up to COP26, we ran a public facing international ideas competition to explore the ways that people felt museums would need to be reimagined to empower them to take the kinds of climate action they wished to take. Following the competition, eight teams were invited to develop their ideas for an exhibition at Glasgow Science Centre, which is currently on display as part of the official Green Zone for COP26, where we are continuing this thought experiment with COP26 delegates and visitors to the Green Zone.
Over in the Blue Zone, where I am currently following the renegotiation of the Doha work programme on ACE associated with Article 12 of the Paris Agreement, the role of public participation in climate action must be integrated and woven throughout all initiatives for climate if they are to be successful, and all institutions, including museums, must rethink their role in facilitating and empowering public participation in climate action.
There will be no meaningful action on climate without the people who will make this happen.
Reimagining Museums for Climate Action is on display at the Glasgow Science Centre in the COP26 Green Zone until November 12, and is part of the virtual COP26 Digital Green Zone. Find out more about the project at www.museumsforclimateaction.org
