We recognize that there are important benefits to in-person conferences that cannot be wholly replicated in a virtual environment, including the opportunities to interact with colleagues, as well as to cultivate new contacts in the corridors, or over lunch or dinner. However, on balance, we believe that a virtual format is the optimal approach for this conference for a number of reasons:
- A virtual format substanially reduces the conference’s carbon footprint, which we feel should be a cardinal concern in the climate community;
- Removing the requisite travel and accommodations components of the conference substantially increases access to those with limited resources in both developed and developing countries. It ensures that many more diverse voices are heard in an arena that needs to hear these perspectives;
- A virtual environment increases accessibility for those with disabilities or illnesses.
We will do our level-best to make the conference as interactive as possible, and to ensure that everyone has a full list of participants should they wish to contact attendees subsequently. We are also always open to suggestions as to how to make the virtual conference environment more interactive for our participants.
Thank you, Wil Burns, Conference Coordinator