On June 17, a morning of presentations, panel discussions and small group brainstorming celebrated the conclusion of the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s collaboration with the Museum of Science in Boston on the international environmental project known as World Wide Views on Biodiversity. But those gathered also discussed ways that the Center for Public Policy and Administration (CPPA) and the museum can continue developing forums for public deliberations around issues related to science and technology in our state and globally. Held at the museum, the morning’s activities were sponsored by a UMass Public Service Endowment grant.
During the wrap-up event, Professor Jane Fountain (political science and public policy) discussed the importance of citizen participation in technology assessment and global governance, and introduced Gregory Watson, commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture Resources, who talked about his experience with community engagement initiatives that succeeded due to the inclusion of diverse voices.
The museum’s planetarium director, David Rabkin, also spoke of how and why his organization first got involved in facilitating public deliberations of science policy issues. CPPA lecturer Gretchen Gano then highlighted the results of World Wide Views on Biodiversity.
That project brought together last September more than 3,000 citizens in 34 different discussions, throughout 25 countries, to consider how their own governments and world leaders might strengthen regulations that affect biodiversity. World Wide Views organizers then delivered to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity a report that highlighted the consensus of participants from around the world: Political action should be taken in order to stop the planet’s decline in biodiversity.
Those assembled earlier this month at the Museum of Science agreed that projects like World Wide Views are valuable tools in our modern democratic society, as they provide a unique forum in which people can have educated discussions based on scientific research and facts. And thanks to the partnership that World Wide Views had with the U.N., participants felt empowered knowing that their voices would become part of an international policy discussion.