The participatory GIS tool for energy transition visions continues to generate interest. Professors von Haaren and Kleinschroth were invited to present the tool and let people try it out in workshops at two conferences in Berlin: the Sustainability Science Summit of Future Earth in February and the Franco-German Future Work Transformation Dialogue in May.
Visions is an interactive dialogue tool in the form of a map on large touchscreens that can be used to discuss and plan the expansion of renewable energies in a playful way at a community level. It is essential to establish a solid foundation for discussion to ensure that the primary objective of the energy transition is not jeopardised at the expense of social cohesion and biodiversity. Visions combines an attractive user interface that encourages participation with the important and controversial question of how to overcome local conflicts to contribute to the bigger picture.
The interactive workshops served to publicise the tool internationally and to facilitate critical discussion within the specialist community. The aim is to continuously develop Visions. As with previous events in municipalities in Lower Saxony, participants enthusiastically engaged in exciting discussions in German, English and French.
