The metaverse holds the potential to revolutionize social interaction by providing new opportunities to communicate, learn, work, and interact online. It is expected that by 2026, 25% of the population will spend at least one hour per day in the metaverse (Gartner, 2023), a virtual space that has the potential to transform the way we interact, socialize, and do business. However, as with any new technology, the metaverse presents various ethical, societal, and environmental questions that demand our attention. For example, how can we build a metaverse that is both sustainable and accessible to a diverse range of users, and what form will it take? These questions serve as a starting point for this panel, which will explore topics and issues associated with user centred design and user participation in new and virtual and immersive environments, specifically in relation to the metaverse.

To respond to these questions, we need to examine and explore certain key themes, including (but not limited to) the following:

• How will the metaverse unfold and transform the society? Implications of the metaverse in different sectors such as education, healthcare, tourism to name a few. 
• How will the metaverse reframe user and human-centred experiences? Complexities and challenges related to accessibility and inclusion in the metaverse.
• New forms of user participation and user representation in the metaverse. Questions related to accessibility and inclusion in the metaverse for the provision of products and delivery of services.
• Standardisation and regulations opportunities and challenges ranging from equitable access to security, liability, IP and digital rights.
• What new dimensions will the metaverse open for sustainability? How can we build a metaverse for all that is environmentally sustainable? What measures can be taken to reduce the carbon footprint of the metaverse?
• Which are the ethical challenges related to the metaverse?

Acknowledgement: This session is organised in the frame of the GreenSCENT and ClearClimate projects, co-funded by the European Commission, and Xarxa AccessCat (2021XARDI00007)

Chairs

• 
  Estella Oncins, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
• 
  Iris Serrat-Roozen, Universidad Internacional de Valencia
• 
  Sarah Anne Mcdonagh, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona