Our World 2.0
Encyclopedia
Our World 2.0 is an online magazine
created by the United Nations University
Media Centre, located in Tokyo, Japan and was launched in July 2008 in time for the 34th G8 summit
. In August 2009, Our World 2.0 became part of the The Guardian
's Environment Network.
It focuses on the complex, inter-connected and pressing problems of climate change
, peak oil
, biodiversity
and food security
.
The central tenet of Our World 2.0 is that humanity can use its collective knowledge, technology and design to facilitate creativity, innovation, and, most notably, collaboration amongst people in order to respond to these challenges.
Using Video to Communicate on Complex Environmental Issues
The Our World 2.0 web magazine has introduced the idea of video-briefs. These are 6-7 minute videos that deal with specific environmental topics. They are character driven and highlight innovative solutions or provide insights on the workings of an environmental problem.
The video briefs are being syndicated via various partners including UNTV's 21st Century Television Series. and they can be viewed on the UNU Vimeo Channel.
Utilizing Creative Commons Licensing
Our World 2.0 uses of Creative Commons
licensing to enable other interested parties to copy and modify the materials contained in the webzine.
Adopting an Open Source Software Approach
Our World 2.0 uses open source software
called Wordpress
.
Online magazine
An online magazine shares some features with a blog and also with online newspapers, but can usually be distinguished by its approach to editorial control...
created by the United Nations University
United Nations University
The United Nations University is an academic arm of the United Nations established in 1973, which serves purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. The UNU undertakes research into the pressing global problems of human survival, development and welfare that are the concern of...
Media Centre, located in Tokyo, Japan and was launched in July 2008 in time for the 34th G8 summit
34th G8 summit
The 34th G8 summit took place in on the northern island of Hokkaidō, Japan from July 7–9, 2008. The locations of previous summits to have been hosted by Japan include: Tokyo ; and Nago, Okinawa . The G8 Summit has evolved beyond being a gathering of world political leaders...
. In August 2009, Our World 2.0 became part of the The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
's Environment Network.
It focuses on the complex, inter-connected and pressing problems of climate change
Climate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
, peak oil
Peak oil
Peak oil is the point in time when the maximum rate of global petroleum extraction is reached, after which the rate of production enters terminal decline. This concept is based on the observed production rates of individual oil wells, projected reserves and the combined production rate of a field...
, biodiversity
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
and food security
Food security
Food security refers to the availability of food and one's access to it. A household is considered food-secure when its occupants do not live in hunger or fear of starvation. According to the World Resources Institute, global per capita food production has been increasing substantially for the past...
.
The central tenet of Our World 2.0 is that humanity can use its collective knowledge, technology and design to facilitate creativity, innovation, and, most notably, collaboration amongst people in order to respond to these challenges.
Using Video to Communicate on Complex Environmental Issues
The Our World 2.0 web magazine has introduced the idea of video-briefs. These are 6-7 minute videos that deal with specific environmental topics. They are character driven and highlight innovative solutions or provide insights on the workings of an environmental problem.
The video briefs are being syndicated via various partners including UNTV's 21st Century Television Series. and they can be viewed on the UNU Vimeo Channel.
Utilizing Creative Commons Licensing
Our World 2.0 uses of Creative Commons
Creative Commons
Creative Commons is a non-profit organization headquartered in Mountain View, California, United States devoted to expanding the range of creative works available for others to build upon legally and to share. The organization has released several copyright-licenses known as Creative Commons...
licensing to enable other interested parties to copy and modify the materials contained in the webzine.
Adopting an Open Source Software Approach
Our World 2.0 uses open source software
Open-source software
Open-source software is computer software that is available in source code form: the source code and certain other rights normally reserved for copyright holders are provided under a software license that permits users to study, change, improve and at times also to distribute the software.Open...
called Wordpress
WordPress
WordPress is a free and open source blogging tool and publishing platform powered by PHP and MySQL. It is often customized into a content management system . It has many features including a plug-in architecture and a template system. WordPress is used by over 14.7% of Alexa Internet's "top 1...
.
Citations
- Kimberley D. Mok (11 May 2009). Indigenous Climate-Affected Communities Using Film to Highlight Plight & Solutions in TreeHuggerTreeHuggerTreeHugger is a prominent sustainability website. It was rated the top sustainability blog of 2007 by Nielsen Netratings,and was included in Time Magazine's 2009 blog index as one of the top twenty-five blogs....
Online Magazine. - "Sinking Paradise - Carteret Islands, Papua New Guinea" United Nations University Videobrief Our World 2.0 Accessed 20 April 2009
- United Nations University's 'Kowanyama Climate Change' video brief
- Innovation alone is not enough to secure food supplies - Our World 2.0 in Scidev.net