Ecsite held an official side event within the COP15 conference in Copenhagen on December 15th 2009, entitled “Science centres, museums and aquaria commit to action on climate change.” The side event was organised in conjunction with the World Ocean Network, and took place within the framework of the ACCENT project.

Ecsite was an official observer organisation at the COP15 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, December 7-18 2009. The network organised a side event in order to highlight the role of science centres, museums and aquaria in public engagement on climate change. Speakers included Ecsite President Hans Gubbels, director general of the World Ocean Network Philippe Vallette and ACCENT project coordinator Luigi Amodio of Città della Scienza, Naples. The guest speaker was Martin Sommerkorn, senior advisor to the WWF’s Arctic programme.

At the side event, Hans Gubbels unveiled the Ecsite Declaration on Public Engagement in Climate Change, and explained its importance as a call for Ecsite members, researchers and policymakers to form partnerships in order to inform and empower the public on this global issue.

Download the Ecsite Declaration on Public Engagement in Climate Change