Harnessing Collective Intelligence to Address Global Climate Change

Abstract

In this paper we argue that it is now possible to harness computer technology to facilitate collective intelligencethe synergistic and cumulative channeling of the vast human and technical resources now available over the internetto address systemic problems like climate change.What is needed, we believe, is a new kind of web-mediated discussion and decision-making forum. Our focus is on a possible use of such a system with a particularly high social return: drawing on the best human and computational resources available to develop government policies about climate change. We will begin with stories about how different kinds of people could participate in such a global conversation. Then well briefly describe some of the technologies that would make such a conversation possible.