The GHFP has been particularly proud to have helped make the OneClimate portal a reality, and in time to provide an alternative and clearer, more ethical way to participate in the Bali Summit for Climate Change.

OneClimate is an initiative of OneWorld UK, which is a not-for-profit organisation whose mission is ‘to leverage media innovatively for a fair and sustainable world’. Clearly, the project believes that humans cannot have a fair and sustainable world without tackling climate change. OneClimate is newly created innovative spaces and useful tools to enable individuals to communicate their experiences, insights, questions and answers about climate change.

Using the social network Second Life, OneClimate is essentially a series of platforms upon which people from different communities can interact and explore a shared solution to the current challenges posed by climate change. 

Virtue Bali

In November 2007, whilst delegates and activists from 180 countries flew to Bali to participate in the UN climate change conference, many others also arrived at the event in the comfort of their own homes. How could this be possible? With the support of the GHFP, the OneClimate portal has set up a Virtual Bali on Second Life, for delegates to come together and communicate with representatives from the different countries and organisations physically attending the event. The idea of Virtual Bali was originally conceived by OneWorld during the Nairobi summit. A trial event proved so successful that it decided to develop the concept on a much larger scale in time for Bali. OneWorld was the first NGO to use Second Life for dealing with serious global justice issues, as well as creating the first space devoted solely to tackling climate change.

According to Anuradha Vittachi, co-founder of OneWorld and instigator of its climate initiative:

 “OneClimate.net is a mass collaboration space dedicated to global citizens gathering and distributing solutions to climate change. It will come into its own during the UN Climate Summit, when we will open a virtual window on events in Bali for anyone in the world who can access Second Life. But unlike its Real Life equivalent – and appropriately for a climate change conference – Virtual Bali will enable its participants to avoid flight-generated carbon emissions.”

Many well-known speakers appeared at Virtual Bali, including USA Congressman Markey who is the Chair of the US House Select Committee on Global Warming. He had used Virtual Bali to 'travel' to Bali to address the UN delegates. Speakers from large international NGOs, such as Oxfam, held conversations with conference goers about the progress being made also using Virtual Bali. Many have asked - could this be the future for negotiations in the next Climate Summit?