C4C News | Connect4Climate

Gearing Up for MENA Climate Week

On March 28, the first-ever MENA Climate Week will convene stakeholders from across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) to assess the prog

C4C's 2021 Climate Action Highlights

Rising to the challenge of the new virtual paradigm created by the COVID-19 pandemic, Connect4Climate and our partners worked hard in 2021 to

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The #Youth4Climate Live Series

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The product of a close yearlong collaboration between C4C and Italy’s Ministry for Ecological Transition (MITE), the <a href="https://youth4climate.live/" style="text-decoration-line: none;">#Youth4Climate Live Series</a> of interactive and intergenerational virtual discussions paved the way to the Youth4Climate: Driving Ambition summit in Milan with deep dives into the event’s guiding climate action topics. Guided by expert moderation from C4C Youth Ambassadors Salina Abraham and Ahmed Badr, youth leaders and experienced climate policymakers exchanged ideas in hour-long episodes peppered with polls and Q&A segments that encouraged dynamic audience participation.

The final two episodes in the series, on Driving Adaptation & Resilience (aired Jan. 22) and Driving Local Action (aired Feb. 26), were the perfect kick-off to 2021, setting the stage for engagements to follow around the landmark youth summit, the Pre-COP preparatory climate conference, and COP26, the biggest event of the climate calendar.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiKCuhb5Kco]

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Youth4Climate: Driving Ambition

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As a key partner of the Italian Government and the Ministry for Ecological Transition, Connect4Climate was proud to support Youth4Climate: Driving Ambition with contributions to its content, advocacy campaigns, and overall engagement strategy. Opening with impassioned remarks from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NklTJv9S4rI" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Vanessa Nakate</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceIE_ehQhtc" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Greta Thunberg</a>, the summit brought nearly 400 international youth delegates—two each from almost all of the 197 countries party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)—to Milan, Italy for three days of intensive deliberations that resulted in the <a href="https://www.mite.gov.it/sites/default/files/archivio_immagini/Y4C_COP-P…; style="text-decoration-line: none;">Youth4Climate Manifesto</a>.

In the opening session of Pre-COP26, the central points of this youth declaration were presented to leaders including Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry and COP26 President Alok Sharma. The demands of the Youth4Climate Manifesto then made their way to Glasgow, feeding into the COP deliberations there and setting a tone of much-needed urgency and ambition.

You can review the demands of the Youth4Climate Manifesto in our accessible overview article <a href="https://www.connect4climate.org/initiative/unpacking-youth4climate-dele…; style="text-decoration-line: none;">here</a>. We look forward to continuing to support and grow Youth4Climate in the years to come, as Italian Minister of Ecological Transition Roberto Cingolani confirmed at COP26 that his country is committed to making Youth4Climate an annual initiative.

Photo by Leigh Vogel, Connect4Climate.

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#All4Climate Activates a Movement

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This year’s landmark gathering in Milan, which gave youth leaders center stage in a way few other climate conferences of its scale had before, was bolstered by #All4Climate, an umbrella initiative empowering representatives from civil society, academic institutions, and the private sector to join the climate conversation across over 500 hand-picked events held throughout Italy in the run-up to and alongside the summit.

As part of #All4Climate, C4C developed the #WorldIsWatching campaign to draw the world’s collective gaze to COP26 and remind leaders that both people and planet demand urgent action. This interactive advocacy campaign put #EyesOnCOP26 everywhere, inviting members of the public to join the movement through a dedicated AR filter while getting the word out across Milan with over 900 digital billboards and 600 minutes’ worth of primetime spots on Italian TV.

The culmination of the slate of #All4Climate events surrounding Youth4Climate: Driving Ambition was a #Music4Climate concert for the ages at Milan’s massive Ippodromo Snai San Siro Summer Arena, a rocking event organized by C4C and MITE that generated tremendous climate-positive energy and that served as a powerful bridge between the conclusion of the youth summit and the start of Pre-COP26.

Photo by Leigh Vogel, Connect4Climate.

The September 30 show, streamed worldwide on A-Live TV, brought a diverse group of 100 performers together under the banner of Rockin’1000, the largest rock band on Earth. Seasoned musicians such as Daniele Silvestri and Martina Attili rocked out alongside special guests including European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano, playing songs with inspiring messages of perseverance in the face of adversity and relentless hope for a better future.

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Bringing Youth Voices to COP26

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For this year’s long-anticipated COP26 climate conference, C4C worked to bring young people’s voices from Milan to Glasgow through a special partnership with the Walk With Amal project, which raises global awareness of refugee issues with a larger-than-life puppet of a young Syrian migrant named Little Amal.

Little Amal traveled from the border of Syria and Turkey to appear at COP26, where she shed light on climate change’s role in exacerbating the refugee crisis. For her November 9 walk along Millennium Bridge (just outside the SEC Centre where the COP was held), Little Amal carried with her a soundscape of Youth4Climate voices, gathered and curated for the occasion by C4C. The centerpiece of this engagement was a brand-new poem from longtime C4C friend and collaborator Ahmed Badr, a stirring call for solidarity and understanding across boundaries titled “Representation” Poem.

Don’t miss the official <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyOiEuUJRiM" style="text-decoration-line: none;">video performance of Ahmed’s poem</a> on our YouTube channel, and be sure to check out our handy <a href="https://www.connect4climate.org/initiative/how-cop26-responded-youth4cl…; style="text-decoration-line: none;">COP26 breakdown article</a> on how commitments at the COP squared with the demands of the Youth4Climate Manifesto.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyOiEuUJRiM]

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Launching the Max Thabiso Edkins Climate Ambassador Program

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We crowned 2021 with an announcement especially close to our hearts: the launch of the <a href="https://www.connect4climate.org/initiative/apply-now-max-thabiso-edkins…; style="text-decoration-line: none;">Max Thabiso Edkins Climate Ambassador Program</a>, a vital opportunity for up-and-coming young climate leaders around the world to both broaden their knowledge of international climate solutions and implement their own climate action initiatives on the ground in their communities.

Named in honor of our dear friend and colleague Max Thabiso Edkins, a true climate champion renowned far and wide for his irresistible enthusiasm for making the world a better place as well as his signature bow ties, this Program is the product of an exciting new partnership between C4C and the Global Youth Climate Network (GYCN), an initiative of the Y2Y community of young professionals at the World Bank Group.

We are accepting submissions through December 31, so if you know any young people out there making a difference who would want to follow in Max’s footsteps by being Climate Ambassadors, tell them to <a href="http://y2ycommunity.org/gycn-climate-ambassador-program-2022/" style="text-decoration-line: none;">apply now</a>!

Photo by Kaia Rose, Connect4Climate.

Apply Now to the Max Thabiso Edkins Climate Ambassador Program

UPDATE: The 2022 Max Thabiso Edkins Climate Ambassador cohort has been selected; submissions are now closed. Many thanks to all the amazing youth leaders who took the time to apply!

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Eligibility

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Applicants must be between the ages of 18 and 35, have strong conversational English language skills, and have reliable access to the internet. Beyond these foundational requirements, applicants will be evaluated on each of the following criteria:

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Past and current experience as a youth leader in communities at the local, regional, national, or global level. Demonstrated ability to organize community activities is an advantage.
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Passion for climate solutions and sustainable development, and motivation to take action and empower others. We are looking for self-starters willing to take charge.
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Scale and strength of the applicant’s network and active presence on social media.
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The potential impact of the applicant’s proposed contributions to their communities and networks.
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The evaluation and selection process will also take into account various other factors—such as diversity in age, gender, and geography—to ensure the set of chosen Ambassadors closely reflects the global community.

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Expectations

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As a participant in the Max Thabiso Edkins Climate Ambassador Program, you will be expected to Learn, Act, Network and Engage.

Learn: learn from World Bank Group experts and knowledge partners on the most pressing climate change issues across various sectors and gain solid leadership skills to inspire and empower others in your communities.

Act: commit to achieve at least three climate actions in your communities.

Network: connect with like-minded youth across the globe to learn, exchange ideas, develop joint initiatives and projects, and amplify your impact.

Engage: join an active and connected Global Alumni Community of Climate Ambassadors upon successful completion of the Program.

This ambassadorship is an awesome opportunity that comes with real responsibilities. In order to receive certificates of completion and be invited to join the Climate Ambassadors’ Alumni Community, participants in the Program must:

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Commit ~3 hours per week to act in their role between February and July 2022.
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Attend the opening orientation and closing sessions (at the beginning and at the end of the Program), weekly online learning sessions (at least four of six) and climate communications and leadership training offered by Connect4Climate.*
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Complete at least three climate-related actions in their communities and provide documentation thereof (photos, videos etc.) to GYCN.
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Participate in a dedicated Telegram channel where the GYCN team will share programmatic updates and opportunities from its partner network.
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Join networking sessions and actively participate in GYCN social media campaigns.
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*Before applying for the Program, please make sure your calendar allows you to attend one-hour sessions every Thursday in March and April and commit to participation in the climate communications and leadership training.

Your standout climate actions will be featured directly on GYCN’s social media platforms, and all alumni of the Max Thabiso Edkins Climate Ambassador Program will be offered full access to invaluable expert and peer networks as well as ongoing GYCN and C4C educational events. Plus, there is always the possibility of future support for your work on the ground and invitations to co-host climate discussions yourself!

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Our C4C Legacy

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In loving memory of those we have lost, whose dreams of a better future we will always carry with us.

Lucia Grenna

Lucia Grenna, the founder of Connect4Climate, made it her mission to build a social movement for climate action by shining a light on the impacts of climate change as well as the innovative solutions needed to address them. She worked with partners across the globe to reach the greatest audience possible, focusing especially on young people.

Lucia was a unique and influential presence who could get the attention of anyone and quickly win them over with proposals for daring new initiatives. We remember her for “making the impossible possible.”

In 2017, the World Bank Group Engagement & Partnerships Team planted Lucia’s Meadow to honor her memory.

Donald Ranvaud

Donald Ranvaud was instrumental in launching C4C’s Film4Climate campaign and brought to film production a singular commitment to elevating the stories of the disenfranchised and to driving sustainability through messaging, both on-screen and off. He collaborated with some of the world’s finest directors, including Bernardo Bertolucci, Chen Kaige, Fernando Meirelles, Walter Salles, and Wim Wenders, and he is remembered internationally for the production of acclaimed movies such as “City of God”, “The Constant Gardener” and “Central Station.” Don had an incredibly strong belief in the power of cinema to change the world and to change lives.

A champion of truth and a passionate proponent of climate action, Donald will always live on in our thoughts and actions.

In 2018, Connect4Climate established the Film4Climate Post-Production Award in loving memory of Donald Ranvaud and Lucia Grenna.

Max Thabiso Edkins

Max Thabiso Edkins was a natural communicator, renowned for his positive energy, enthusiasm, and iconic bowties. His infectious sense of humor and warm smiles won him many friends, from seasoned climate scientists and policymakers to the youth leaders he worked so hard to include in international dialogue. Coupling relentless optimism with a focus on science and concrete action, Max was a tireless climate champion and a mentor to many.

With backgrounds in environmental science, climate policy, and storytelling, Max was the perfect embodiment of C4C’s mission to spread climate literacy, amplify youth voices, and accelerate the transition to a zero-carbon resilient future. His memory will forever shine bright.

In 2019, a group of Max’s colleagues, friends, and family planted a forest in his honor on the banks of the Anacostia River.

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Keep Tabs on All Things COY16 and COP26 With This Handy Reference

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Carrying forward all the amazing momentum from the Youth4Climate: Driving Ambition

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COY16 (Oct. 28-31)

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The <a href="https://unfccc.int/topics/education-and-youth/youngo/coy">Conference of Youth (COY)</a> is an entirely youth-led conference organised by <a href="https://www.youthpolicy.org/blog/structures/conference-of-youth/" target="_blank">YOUNGO</a>, the official youth constituency of the UNFCCC. For sixteen years, the outcomes of COY have played a vital role in shaping UNFCCC priorities. This year, COY16 will take place from Oct. 28-31 at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow and will be attended by nearly 500 young people and high-level representatives.

The four days of activity will consist of three ceremonies (Opening, Closing, and Gala), six plenaries, and countless sessions and talks on disparate avenues for climate action. Guests can also expect a Green Jobs Fair on Thursday and a climate education summit on Saturday. Last but not least, the COY will feature a dedicated space for the creation of climate-conscious art and an art gallery where such works will be exhibited.

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"The Salt in Our Waters" Screening, COY16 (Oct. 29, 15:00, University of Strathclyde Auditorium)

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The youth delegates attending the COY will be invited to an exclusive screening of <a href="https://saltwatersfilm.com/" target="_blank">"The Salt in Our Waters,"</a> a film from director Rezwan Shahriar Sumit whose narrative centers on climate impacts on fishing communities along the Bangladeshi coast.

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Global Youth Statement (Oct. 31)

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The Global Youth Statement is a policy document compiled entirely by youth. Developed over a series of consultative processes with young climate champions from across the world, this statement represents the collective demands and expectations of the youth attending COP26. The document will be finalized at COY16 and travel from there to COP26. It will be translated into all five other UN languages as well, showcasing the inclusivity of the statement.

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YOUNGO Stall, COP26, Green Zone (Oct. 31-Nov. 12)

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YOUNGO is hosting a small exhibition space in the Green Zone to showcase the work of young climate leaders around the world. 

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World Bank Group Events, COP26, Joint MDB Pavilion (Nov. 1-12)

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The World Bank Group will take part in key discussions over the course of the COP and will put on focused events on topics such as green finance, climate-smart agriculture, and energy transition. These events will be live-streamed, so even if you're not attending the COP, you can tune in! <a href="https://live.worldbank.org/wbgatcop26" target="_blank">Sign up for email reminders and add these events to your calendar now.</a>

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Climate Crisis Film Festival, Online (Nov. 1-14)

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"The Climate Crisis Film Festival showcases stunning, diverse, and eye-opening cinema, providing a systemic perspective behind the raw human stories of climate change." Wherever you are in the world, you can tune in for this amazing two-week event: <a href="https://www.climatecrisisff.co.uk/#register" target="_blank">Sign up for the online experience</a> at no cost today! An awards ceremony on the ground in Glasgow on Nov. 12 will signal the wind-down of the festival.

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"An Intergenerational Conversation Among Women and Youth in the Climate Change & Agriculture Arena," COP26, Green Zone (Nov. 1, 10:30-12:00 UTC)

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Hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), this dynamic event will put climate, agriculture, and gender experts in conversation with youth representatives from both policy-level and grassroots backgrounds. From female agriculture experts in training to become UNFCCC negotiators to international youth activists, contributors will share their lived experiences of building resilience towards climate change while working to heal the planet. Interactive elements include a virtual icebreaker using Mentimeter polls and a panelist Q&A. 

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"Climate Change Action: The YOUNGO Approach," COP26, Green Zone (Nov. 1, 12:00-13:30 UTC)

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This event will look back on the YOUNGO initiatives that paved the way to COP26, showcasing meaningful youth engagements and illustrating how to avoid tokenism.

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"The Role of Indigenous Peoples and Their Communities in Nature-Based Solutions," COP26, Green Zone (Nov. 3, 12:00-13:30)

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Hosted by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the Coordinator of Indigenous Organizations of the Amazon Basin (COICA), and Law, Environment and Natural Resources (DAR), this event will highlight the vital role of indigenous peoples and their territories in the development and implementation of government climate commitments towards a green, fair, and resilient recovery from COVID 19. Speakers from COICA will be joined for this special dialogue by indigenous and institutional representatives.

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"Youth Unstoppable Screening," Extreme Hangout, COP26, Ferry (Nov. 3, 19:00-20:30)

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Join Day 3 of the ferry-bound Extreme Hangout program for a special screening of Slater-Jewell Kemker's "Youth Unstoppable," an inspiring documentary on the work young people are doing all over the world to drive climate action and a clarion call to world leaders to heed youth's advice and make decisive policy commitments. <a href="https://www.extremehangoutevents.com/day3" target="_blank">Tickets available here</a>.

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“Global Youth Energy Outlook Launch: Effectively Partnering With Youth on Climate Action,” COP26, Green Zone (Nov. 4, 12:00-13:30)

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Join Student Energy for the launch of the inaugural Global Youth Energy Outlook report. Youth are calling for leaders in all sectors to move beyond tokenism and engage with youth through equitable and meaningful partnerships. How can decision-makers work with youth to accelerate climate action and the sustainable energy transition? The Global Youth Energy Outlook presents insights from 30,000+ youth from around the world on what young people envision for their energy future and how they want to work with decision-makers to get there. The GYEO Launch will feature an intergenerational and global lineup of speakers who will outline how the GYEO can be effectively mobilized at the grassroots level, within government institutions, and in the energy sector. Learn more about Student Energy and the Global Youth Energy Outlook <a href="https://studentenergy.org/" target="_blank">here</a>.

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Youth Day: Headline Event, COP26, Blue Zone (Nov. 5, 10:00-11:15 UTC)

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In a special event titled "Unifying for Change: The global youth voice at COP26," YOUNGO will present the Global Youth Statement, a document reflecting the cumulative output of the Local, Regional, Virtual and Global Conferences of Youth. This Statement will showcase the positions of global youth on climate action and direct key demands at the policy leaders attending COP26. The event will conclude with a handover of the document from young people to decision-makers.

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Youth Day: Intergenerational Inquiry, COP26, Blue Zone (Nov. 5, 12:00-13:30 UTC)

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Led by YOUNGO, "Intergenerational Inquiry: Youth Stepping Up Climate Action" will bring together climate leaders from four generations, inviting them to share their experiences with one another and arrive at insights into how climate action has evolved over time. At the core of the event will be a spirit of mutual learning and a shared commitment to upscaling climate action.

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Policymaking for Future Generations: A Blueprint For A Green Future, COP26, Green Zone (Nov. 5, 13:30-14:30)

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One Young World, the global forum for young leaders, in collaboration with the Future Generations Commission for Wales, is hosting an immersive youth-focused panel on the road to net zero. Join in for a dynamic discussion between expert speakers and young leaders on the future of sustainable development and the essential role young people will play in attaining a net-zero future.

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"Together for Tomorrow: Education and Climate Action," COP26, Blue Zone (Nov. 5, 16:00-17:30 UTC)

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This joint event will convene education ministers, climate ministers, and young people for a discussion of the importance of education in creating climate-positive futures. Ministers will report out on the state of exisiting commitments to climate education and address the work that remains to be done. The UK Department for Education will host this event in partnership with Italy, UNESCO, Youth4Climate and Mock COP. Catch the livestream <a href="http://ow.ly/6xPk50GGAwH" target="_blank">here</a>!

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Youth4Climate at COP26, COP26, Blue Zone (Nov. 5, 17:30-18:30)

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Italian Minister of Ecological Transition Roberto Cingolani and COP26 President Designate Alok Sharma will facilitate a discussion on the <a href="https://www.connect4climate.org/initiative/unpacking-youth4climate-dele…; target="_blank">outcomes</a> of the Youth4Climate: Driving Ambition summit in Milan. Youth representatives and ministers will come together to assess and act on the demands articulated in the <a href="https://www.mite.gov.it/sites/default/files/archivio_immagini/Y4C_COP-P…; target="_blank">Youth4Climate Manifesto</a>.

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"Youth Unstoppable" Screening + Discussion, COP26, NYT Climate Hub, The Forum (Nov. 5, 19:30-22:30 GMT)

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The New York Times Climate Hub will host a screening of Slater Jewell-Kemker's powerful film "Youth Unstoppable," which charts the rise of the youth climate movement, young champions' actions around the world, and their demands of world leaders. Director Slater Jewell-Kemker herself, a longtime friend and partner of C4C, will be Skyping in after the screening for an exclusive Q&A session.

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"Unlocking Climate Solutions: From the Pacific Islands to the Arctic, Why Indigenous Knowledge Must Take Centre Stage," COP26, Green Zone (Nov. 8, 10:00-11:30, Cinema Auditorium)

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One Young World, the global forum for young leaders, in collaboration with the British Museum and the Republic of Palau, is hosting an immersive panel discussion on the symbiotic relationship between people and nature, highlighting the importance of amplifying and learning from the voices and work of Indigenous communities when it comes to the safeguarding of our natural world. Featuring speakers hailing from both Arctic and Pacific Island communities, this panel will serve to highlight key learnings in adaptation and resilience from these two unique regions.

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"The Great Green Wall" Screening + Q&A, COP26, Green Zone (Nov. 8, 12:30-14:30, Cinema Auditorium)

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Join Hogan Lovells & the Great Green Wall Frontline team on a music-driven cinematic journey along Africa's Great Green Wall. The <a href="https://ukcop26.org/the-conference/green-zone-programme-of-events/" target="_blank">screening</a> of Jared P. Scott's powerful climate documentary will be followed by a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCCV_X0ImEM" target="_blank">live-streamed panel discussion</a> on how you can get involved in this ambitious movement of growth and renewal, featuring Malian musician and climate activist Inna Modja.

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Public "The Salt in Our Waters" Screening, COP26, Green Zone (Nov. 8, 18:00, Cinema Auditorium)

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Members of the general public are invited to <a href="https://greenzonetickets.ukcop26.org/home" target="_blank">reserve tickets</a> to this COP26 IMAX screening of Rezwan Shahriar Sumit's "The Salt in Our Waters."

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Little Amal Arrives at COP26, Blue Zone (Nov. 9, 11:00)

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Little Amal, a larger-than-life Syrian refugee girl, will stand at the centre of power at the Blue Zone Gender Day Plenary with delegates from every country represented at COP. She will meet members of the Green New Deal Alliance and tour the Blue Zone to connect with other delegates.

At 13:00, Amal will walk from the Blue Zone across the iconic ‘Squiggly Bridge’ to the banks of the Green Zone with young activists including Luisa Neubauer, KC Shreya, Elizabeth Wathuti and Farzana Faruk as well as actress and activist Katja Reimann. She'll be accompanied by a Soundscape of young leaders' voices collected by Connect4Climate at the Youth4Climate: Drving Ambition summit in Milan.

Then, at 14:00, Good Chance, the producers of the Little Amal project, will discuss migrant justice and climate justice in a special session featuring guests from 350.org, Choose Love, Mishcon de Reya LLP, the Democracy and Culture Foundation, and One Young World's Global Climate Inquiry as well as Youth4Climate leader Elizabeth Wathuti and acclaimed author Onjali Rauf.

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Little Amal's Journey Continues (Nov. 10, 11:30)

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In an event put on by Good Chance in partnership with the National Theatre of Scotland, Citizens Theatre, and Perth Theatre, Little Amal will walk the banks of the River Clyde alongside over 160 schoolchildren bearing banners with their demands and dreams for a sustainable future. The children will then combine their work to form a collective banner filling a wall at Anderston Quay and will plant seed pods together in a moment of collective and connected action, with each seed representing a young person affected by the climate crisis.

At 13:30, Little Amal will journey through the historic community of Govan accompanied by a ten-metre-high sea goddess puppet called STORM, created by Vision Mechanics from recycled and natural materials.

Finally, Amal will weave through the centre of Glasgow alongside a diverse group of 150 performers, with sound design by Matthew Herbert, movement direction by Nat McCleary and Robby Graham, and costume design by Sabrina Henry.

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Little Amal Bids Glasgow Farewell, COP26, NYT Climate Hub (Nov. 11, 18:00)

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As the finale of the New York Times Climate Hub, Amal will stand in the centre of Es Devlin’s <a href="https://www.dezeen.com/2021/09/30/es-devlin-conference-of-trees-install…; target="_blank">"Conference of the Trees" installation</a> holding a burnt tree signifying the burning forests she traversed in Turkey and Greece. Young climate activists from around the world will join her at her side.

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Unpacking the #Youth4Climate Delegates’ Asks for Urgent Climate Action

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UPDATE: The #Youth4Climate Manifesto is now officially complete.

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Youth Driving Ambition

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The first theme the young delegates tackled in their working groups was one very close to home for them: Youth Driving Ambition. Their challenge was to find ways to increase youth participation at the local, national and global scales, and they tackled it with a three-pronged approach.

The delegates’ opening request to world leaders was that they work to ensure Meaningful Participation by youth in future climate negotiations, giving young representatives from around the world the chance to voice their lived experiences and ideas and make a real impact on international climate policy.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-oXvzixTiw]

Next was a request for Capacity Building support: the provision of financial, administrative, and logistical resources to empower young people at the local level with the means to effectively express themselves on climate issues.

The crucial third component to the delegates’ Youth Driving Ambition proposal was Funding: they urgently requested the allocation of public and private monies to support youth participation in decision-making on climate.

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Sustainable Recovery

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Theme 2 on the young delegates’ docket was Sustainable Recovery: How can we build back from COVID-19 in a way that is sustainable and respectful of our planet’s needs?

At the heart of the team’s proposal here was a bold 2030 target for the global energy transition. Recognizing that the 2050 targets we have seen so far would be inadequate to keep global warming within 1.5 degrees, the delegates made a compelling case for 2030, calling for collaborative research and tech development coupled with a steady rollout of well-paying green jobs to keep economies moving.

Acknowledging that we are already seeing severe climate impacts in vulnerable parts of the world, the young people also called for support in tailoring the implementation of adaptation and resilience measures to marginalized communities in these regions. Equity means working hardest for those most in need.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRCS8WrXGgE]

The delegates also demanded that world leaders respect the rights of indigenous communities as well as their deep heritage and expertise, and called for ramped-up development of nature-based solutions in consultation with these groups.

The team went on to call for a “transparent and accountable climate finance system with robust regulation of carbon emissions,” noting the need to support renewable energy with substantial investment and drive development in that direction.

Finally, the youth homed in on the recovering global tourism sector, with a special focus on smaller countries whose economies hinge on tourist activity. The delegates called for the inclusion of youth, women, indigenous peoples and other marginalized groups in a concerted multilateral effort to support these nations in their recoveries while ensuring the brand of tourism they rebuild is sustainable and compatible with a green future.

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Non-State Actors’ Engagement

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Pivoting to Non-State Actors’ Engagement, the youth delegation asked world leaders to improve infrastructure and access to financial mechanisms in developing countries to facilitate the engagement of entrepreneurs, artists, farmers and athletes from underrepresented communities in the push toward sustainability.

The delegates also requested that private-sector companies be held accountable for their carbon emissions via the implementation of a robust reporting-and-assessment system rewarding committed strides toward net zero emissions while penalizing those who take little or no action.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHfCJybzw9k]

Doubling down on their demand for the eradication of the fossil fuel industry by 2030, the youth made a compelling case for a decentralized global transition respecting the needs of minority communities in every region of the world while steadily advancing every such region along the road to net zero.

In anticipation of pushback from the fossil fuel industry, the delegates exhorted world leaders, private sector businesspeople and creatives to reject any sponsorships or cash infusions from fossil fuel companies and instead commit themselves fully to going green.

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Climate-Conscious Society

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The final topic up for discussion was Climate-Conscious Society: How can we improve awareness of the climate crisis and give citizens of the world the tools they need to take action?

First off, the delegates stressed that world leaders must continue to create spaces for young people at the highest levels of policy-making and “support the creation of multi-stakeholder platforms and mechanisms for sharing climate information and solutions.”

This segued into a discussion of the vital role of education in driving climate engagement, with the youth delegation urgently requesting targeted financial support for the creation and implementation of climate-conscious curricula around the world. They stressed the need for case-by-case approaches that are respectful and representative of indigenous communities and other marginalized groups and called for the creation of more internships, exchanges and other opportunities in conjunction with empowering lessons in the classroom.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_V8cPZyGrFY]

To mobilize members of the general public, the assembled youth leaders suggested the development of a sweeping outreach initiative using “arts, sports, entertainment, community leaders, influencers, and social media” to develop tailored messaging to most effectively ramp up climate engagement in specific regions around the world.

Rounding out the delegates’ presentation was a section on the role of media in shaping the climate narrative. Acknowledging news outlets’ outsized ability to sway public opinion on climate, the youth leaders called for a new international training regimen for journalists focused on harnessing modern platforms to communicate the severity of climate science to a wide audience in a way that’s both accessible and actionable.

Such a program would also serve to prepare journalists for the misinformation around climate they are apt to encounter on the job and equip them to call out greenwashing and inequity where they arise.

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Join Us September 30th for a #Music4Climate Concert for the Ages

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Two vital climate conferences are unfolding in Milan, Italy this week: the

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Mapping Out #DrivingAmbition in Milan

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Nearly 400 young climate champions from all over the world are about to flock to Milan for the three days of #Youth4Climate: #DrivingAmbition taking place ahead of Pre-COP26.

Sections

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September 28

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<li>#Youth4Climate: #DrivingAmbition kicks off at 10:00 AM Italian time. Youth leaders Vanessa Nakate and Greta Thunberg will be setting the tone with keynote addresses. Look out for coverage on socials!</li>
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<li>After the opening plenary, dedicated working groups will discuss each of the four guiding themes, developing ideas to include in their proposals to world leaders. The youth delegates will spend the rest of the day developing first drafts of their proposals and assessing their progress.</li>
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<li>September 28 is also the <a href="https://www.connect4climate.org/initiative/film4climate-and-drivingambi…; target="_blank">"day of cinema" within the All4Climate calendar</a>. Connect4Climate will accept the Venice Film Festival's Green Drop Award, and Flore Vasseur's documentary "Bigger Than Us" will be screened for the youth delegates with an introduction from its subject, Melati Wijsen. The general public will be invited to enjoy a Film4Climate event at Milan's IULM University, presided over by leading Italian film critic Gianni Canova.</li>
</ul>

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September 29

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<li>Day 2 of #DrivingAmbition will feature a special ministerial event on climate education in which delegates will have the chance to engage with Ministers of Education from around the world to develop novel strategies for bringing climate into classrooms and improving public awareness.</li>
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<li>Upon the conclusion of that event at 3:00 PM Italian time, delegates will work together to refine their ideas from Day 1 and commit to final drafts of their theme-specific proposals for world leaders.</li>
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<li>The youth delegates' proposals, aggregated into a unified document, will be formally adopted in a closing plenary at 5:00 PM Italian time.</li>
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September 30

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<ul>
<li>The morning of Day 3, following remarks from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as well as prime ministers Mario Draghi (Italy) and Boris Johnson (UK), each youth working group will present key elements of its proposal in turn.</li>
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<li>Then, in a concluding plenary moderated by Jayathma Wickramanayake, the UN Secretary-General's Envoy on Youth, ministers will offer their initial thoughts on the youth delegates' ideas and engage them in a dynamic Q&A session. This marks the end of the #DrivingAmbition event!</li>
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<li>At 9:00 PM Italian time, an amazing #Music4Climate concert kicks off. Details below!</li>
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#Music4Climate Concert

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<ul>
<li>An unforgettable #Music4Climate concert featuring Rockin'1000, the world's largest rock band, will begin in Milan at 9:00 PM Italian time on September 30.</li>
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<li>The event will be globally live-streamed on A-Live in media partnership with Sky, so wherever you are, you can tune in!</li>
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<li>A set of iconic songs in the spirit of climate positivity will be performed by 100 musicians from all over the world rocking out onstage together. Help us transition from #DrivingAmbition to the Pre-COP in style!</li>
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#Film4Climate and #DrivingAmbition Meet in Milan

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Compelling communication through the arts has always been a central focus for us at Connect4Climate, so it is with great pleasure that we are

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Set Your #EyesOnCOP26: The Time for Action is Now!