Every year, the parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) convene to weigh global progress on climate action and set new goals based on what remains to be done. At this year’s conference of the parties, COP25, ramping up ambition will be more important than ever before, as the climate crisis is deepening and projections for the state of the planet in 2100 absent significant worldwide behavior change are dire.

 

Taking place in Madrid from December 2-13 under Chile’s Presidency, COP25 will focus on hammering out the last remaining issues surrounding the implementation of the foundational 2015 Paris Agreement and getting the countries of the world back on track to keep net global warming well below 2°C vis-à-vis pre industrial times (the latest UN report warns that a business-as-usual scenario could at this point result in a catastrophic 3.2°C of warming).

 

Connect4Climate will be in attendance at the COP, supporting events at the Italian Pavilion and amplifying the messages of the conference for a global audience through live-streaming and social media. C4C is especially excited about COP25’s emphasis on youth leadership, which has proven invaluable for raising climate awareness and promoting action all over the world.

 

Want to get involved in COP25 yourself? Here are five tips and tricks on how to stay informed and contribute to the conversation:

 

1. Tune in to the “Live from COP25” Digital Media Zone

 

We at C4C are hosting a special series of live sessions at the Italian Pavilion in which members of our team will conduct exclusive daily interviews with a wide array of climate leaders offering perspectives ranging from economic and political to social and activist.

 

The Zone will be in session from 2:00-3:00 pm Madrid time every day of the conference, and all interviews will be broadcast live on our Facebook page as well as the Italian Ministry of the Environment’s. Follow along live and share your thoughts on all the innovative strategies up for discussion!

 

 

Image courtesy of Kaia Rose, Connect4Climate.

 

2. Participate virtually in our side events

 

In addition to the Digital Media Zone, Connect4Climate is putting on its own exciting side events at the COP, including a session on agricultural innovations in Africa and the sweeping Great Green Wall initiative as well as one on strategies for working alongside youth leadership to expand climate education worldwide.

 

Be sure to follow our coverage of the COP on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook to stay abreast of these events and draw inspiration to take climate action yourself! Feel free to contribute your own thoughts on the issues using the hashtags #COP25, #WeAreAction and #TimeForAction.

 

 

Image courtesy of Leigh Vogel, Connect4Climate.

 

3. Check out the UNFCCC website

 

If you’d like to learn more about the COP in general and its role in global climate dialogue, look no further than the UNFCCC’s official website, which offers an overview of the conference, a schedule of events, an aggregation of relevant climate news stories, and more.  You can also tune into the Action Hub webcast for a full program of exciting interactive presentations.

 

 

Image courtesy of the UNFCCC.

 

4. Bone up on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement

 

You’ve probably heard of the Paris Agreement on climate change, but do you know Article 6? In Katowice at last year’s COP, the parties adopted the “Paris Rulebook” but key guidance on how to implement Article 6 was not included so It’s a section of the Agreement that the parties to the UNFCCC attempted unsuccessfully to pin down at last year’s COP, and you can bet that it will be a centerpiece in Madrid this time around.

Article 6 aims to establish a system of voluntary international cooperation to make both implementing and verifying country-specific climate action plans easier. It could also pave the way for more robust climate education programs worldwide and a global standard on carbon pricing, which has the potential to cut industrial emissions significantly over the next several years. Negotiations are delicate, though, and reaching an agreement will be far from simple.

Study up on Article 6 and its significance on sites such as that of the International Chamber of Commerce  and the Environmental Defense Fund or check out this video from the Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition.

 

Image courtesy of the Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition.

 

5. Follow #Youth4Climate leaders on social media

 

Last but not least, be sure to show your support for the global #Youth4Climate activist movement and keep an eye on youth leaders’ responses to the event of COP25 for a fresh viewpoint.

 

#SchoolStrike4Climate pioneer Greta Thunberg, who is making her way to the conference by boat, has a major presence on both Twitter and Instagram. Consider also following UN Youth Envoy Jayathma Wickramanayake, New York-based activist Alexandria Villaseñor, and Kenyan climate advocate Leah Namugerwa.

 

For additional ideas on youth leaders to look out for, check out this handy who’s who compiled by the BBC!

 

 

Image courtesy of Kaia Rose, Connect4Climate.

 

Article banner courtesy of Pixabay.

It was a busy morning with Connect4Climate's #YouthTakeover team at the UN Youth Climate Action Summit. There was a collective interest shared among event goers; it truly felt like momentum towards a sustainable future was picking up in a major way. One aspect of the event  that sparked conversation was the Pollution Pods installation created by artist Micheal Pinky. The interactive experience took less than ten minutes to walk through and used physical and chemical effects to give those who doubt the legitimacy of the warming effects of greenhouse gas emissions a new perspective. Pods simulated air quality from London, New Delhi, Beijing, São Paulo, and Oslo, immersing participants in these environments.

The replications in each pod tailored the various concentrations of pollutants such as carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, ozone, nitrous oxide, and particulate matter to make it feel like you were on the street in the center of each city. When users would leave the simulation, they would appreciate the cool breeze coming off the river just that much more. As things were beginning to wrap up for the day, an environmentalist colleague and I were afforded the opportunity to make our way to the High-Level Commission on Carbon Pricing event being held nearby.

Carbon pricing acknowledges the steep human and environmental cost of industrial pollution and shifts that cost, usually shouldered by tax-paying citizens, to polluters themselves. Under this system, if a company elects to include fossil fuels in its business model, it must pay upfront to account for the damage the resulting greenhouse gases will cause down the line. Pricing carbon emissions at the source using a set price per metric ton can make market shifts more predictable and send a clear and consistent message to investors and business leaders.

Michael Pinky's Pollution Pods installation. (Nicole Provost, #YouthTakeover Team)

Carbon pricing never works as a stand-alone measure, but rather as a piece in the much larger puzzle we are now calling a “greener future.” I was surprised to learn that 40 governments worldwide have adopted a price on carbon and that within the United States there are ten states that have already committed or made a future commitment to pricing carbon. In some scenarios a cap and trade mechanism was a viable option both politically and economically.  In other scenarios, like in British Columbia, a tax system was put in place. Regardless, the result was a rapid decline of coal usage solely due to the fact that running costs for these plants were no longer competitive with the price of renewables (natural gas, for instance, is almost 20 dollars cheaper per megawatt hour than coal).

These carbon pricing systems are being used globally to cut economic losses while making environmental gains. Their success in incentivizing power plants to move away from the high emissions of fossil fuels will one day serve as a template for cutting emissions in other major industries, such as maritime shipping, the aviation sector, and concrete and steel production. One concern of some industrial players is that these restrictions on corporations’ productivity could harm their competitiveness by pushing investments into other countries or states where there is no price on carbon. Industry leaders came together at the High-Level Commission event to dispel these fears and make clear that pricing carbon will not hinder economic growth.

The new report launched by the High-Level Commission on Carbon Pricing and Competitiveness during the UN Climate Action Summit in New York concludes that carbon pricing is not going to decrease competitiveness or drive business out. By convening multiple panels, all filled with intelligent industry, academic, and policy experts, the event painted a clear picture of an economy that can flourish against a carbon-priced backdrop.  The panelists suggested that loss of market share and profits will actually primarily affect those in the economy who wish to continue to fight against low-emission alternatives. 

Carbon pricing ensures the cost of pollution is borne by polluters. (JuergenPM, Pixabay)

The panelists agreed that those states that are hesitant about putting a strong price on carbon will suffer in the long run. The concern internationally for competitiveness is minimal since eventually carbon prices will balance out worldwide, making the benefit of moving production insignificant. Another point that panelists stressed was that, regardless of whether governments have set national carbon prices yet, businesses need to set a price on carbon internally. This will help companies smoothly transition into a carbon-priced scenario and future-proof their business.

The consensus was that unlocking the potential of the private sector will be a critical factor in reducing carbon emissions. I found it particularly interesting when data was presented to suggest that pricing carbon has actually driven innovation, investment, and growth. Consumers are becoming proactive in their environmental awareness and beginning to put their money where their mouth is when determining which product or service to purchase. The data shows that consumers will stand by companies and corporations that do right by the environment before worrying about their bottom line. This means that consumers and business leaders alike are poised to enter a cleaner tomorrow. 

We consumers are becoming increasingly aware of how the market will react to our wants and needs. We want companies to act in a sustainable manner. As a learner, I was fascinated by the economic principles that were explained that day; I am sure that I and everyone else in that room learned something new. More importantly, experts in the room clearly got their point across: there is no future that does not include a price on carbon.

Banner image courtesy of Jessica Schlimmer, #YouthTakeover Team.

Motivating large groups of people to take real action is both one of the most important and one of the most daunting challenges facing the climate advocacy community today. No individual can solve the climate crisis; if we’re to succeed in turning the tide, whole communities around the world will have to embrace messages of sustainability and concretely change their behavior. This is where the power of advertising comes in. In order to bring about widespread behavior change, climate allies will need to be persuasive, concise and compelling—the specialty of trained marketers.

Each year, the British nonprofit Design & Art Direction (D&AD) recognizes outstanding achievement in advertising through competitions. In addition to supporting already-established forces in the industry, D&AD is committed to elevating young voices with its student-focused New Blood Awards. C4C is excited to announce that we are partnering with D&AD for the 2020 edition of the New Blood competition, in which we are inviting students from all around the world to send in their ideas for innovative sustainability-themed advertising campaigns with the end goal of effecting sustained, pervasive climate-positive behavior change.

➡️ DOWNLOAD Connect4Climate's Call-to-Action Brief: http://bit.ly/348bk2r

If you are a student over 18 years of age with no history of formal employment in the creative arts who is passionate about spreading sustainable practices for the welfare of our planet—or if you know such a person!—we encourage you to download our call-to-action brief on the D&AD website. This document lays out exactly what we’re looking for from applicants.

If you’re unsure of your eligibility, D&AD has prepared a quick quiz you can take to determine for sure whether you’re clear to participate.

We at C4C are very much looking forward to seeing what bold new approaches to promoting broad climate action will arise from young minds across the globe. Best of luck!

I attended the UN Youth Climate Change Summit with zero experience in climate science, policy, or activism. Just a film student with an extensive background in film literature and some in communication studies, I nervously entered the UN Trusteeship Council with my DSLR and scattered thoughts about current events. While I did not know everything about the ozone or greenhouse gasses that a scientist or environmentalist would, I’ve always been conscious about climate change. Noticing the fluctuation in weather patterns and reading up on the melting of polar ice caps made me fear what the future might bring. Prior to this summit, I thought climate change was a problem too big to solve. However, this experience taught me otherwise. In fact, it inspired me.

 

For an entire day, I was surrounded by people of all different ages, nationalities, and backgrounds who had come together to tackle one of the biggest issues in our society. Once the first panel started, I was shocked to see how many students, some even younger than me, were engaging in conversations about an issue that many adults in America believe to be a hoax. With students like Greta Thunberg and Bruno Rodriguez discussing the state of our environment with such passion and expertise, I will dispute anyone who tells me today’s youth are “lazy” or “don’t know what they’re talking about.”

 

 

Panel after panel, I was introduced to eye-opening information on how individuals, communities, companies, and others can mitigate the effects of climate change through sustainability-minded projects, products, and practices. These events not only introduced me to a variety of solutions but also taught me how climate change is intersectional—how its impacts permeate through other issues. Finding solutions to climate change is about more than just improving the environment; we need to consider how it affects the economy, how it affects race and social class, how it impacts minority groups and even gender politics.

 

A favorite panel of mine was in the afternoon, titled, “A Race We Must Win: Sprinting Together to 2020.” During this session, a panel of Olympians and other elite athletes banded together to discuss how the effects of climate change directly impact the future of sports, thus connecting the issue to everyday life.

 

The panel opened with marathon champion Joan Benoit Samuelson stating that climate change affects our workouts and overall health. Across frequent visits to the Gulf of Maine, she had noted rising waters, changes in species, warmer temperatures, and even an increase in the intensity of the sun’s UV rays. While exercising outdoors has its health benefits, Samuelson concluded that “if we want to have a healthy body, we need to have a healthy environment.” The panel continued with further anecdotes from American snowboarder Chloe Kim, Tongan taekwondo practitioner Pita Taufatofua, American sabre fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad, American professional skateboarder Eric Koston, and British competitive sailor Hannah Mills. While all the athletes came from different backgrounds and experiences, they unanimously agreed their love for sports motivated them to advocate for the environment. Ibtihaj expressed the connection best by simply saying, “I care about climate change. I know it affects each of us in detrimental ways... and the bottom line is, if there is no planet, there is no sport.”

 

 

I appreciated this panel as the speakers spoke from the perspectives of conscientious everyday people. These athletes might not have an extensive background in the sciences, but their careers (like all careers, honestly) rely on the environment. The personal stories they shared helped me realize that caring for the planet is not a choice. Climate change is an issue that affects us all, no matter what we do or where we live. With this in mind, it is mandatory that we step up as a society and take action from the ground up, starting at the individual level and working our way up to institutions.

 

Besides the thought-provoking speeches and presentations on different aspects of climate change, what truly took me by surprise was the abundance of solutions available to handle this issue. Most of what I hear on climate change is news about its never-ending problems shared via social media. Every time I scroll through Instagram or watch story posts from friends, there are posts designed to raise awareness about various social issues—but that awareness is usually negative. We use social media as a tool to get a problem across to other communities, but how often do we let people know what they can do to fix it? This is what the UN Foundation’s Communications Officer, Chandler Green, discussed in her two minutes in front of the Trusteeship Council. She expressed that, in terms of statistics, we only see solutions in media 13% of the time. This number shocked me, but it also made a lot of sense.

 

 

Given that statistic, I understood why climate change seemed so intimidating and hopeless at first. Furthermore, I understood why many other people believe the world is going to fall apart due to the impacts of climate change—they simply aren’t aware of what can be done. And thus, in my role as a social media contributor for Connect4Climate’s  #YouthTakeover, I realized that social media is more than a tool to get a point across. Why add yet another negative post about the problem to the Instagram feed when you could instead create a photoset illustrating how one can make their daily life more sustainable? As Chandler Green asserted, “nothing can be accomplished without passion.” Anyone can tackle climate change if they have the hope and commitment to act.

 

Fighting against climate change is only an impossible feat if you take it as such. While we cannot undo what has already been done, we can be proactive and move forward with bold new strategies. And with the help of social media, if we give people content and information, they can reciprocate with action. Imagine then the beneficial outcomes we can reap for our environment and our society in the years to come.

 

Banner image courtesy of Jessica Schlimmer. First photo in article courtesy of Maria-Isabelle Parada; remaining two by the Connect4Climate #YouthTakeover team.

New York, NY - When I arrived at the United Nations, I felt at home; I entered with my Colombian passport and it was natural to be from somewhere other than the United States. My accent was well received and I learned that Spanish is one of the five official languages of the United Nations. 

 

I was at the first-ever Youth Climate Summit as part of the Connect4Climate #YouthTakeover team.  My background has nothing to do with the environment, climate, or global warming. I am not involved in any kind of activist program fighting climate change. And yet, I felt like I belonged. 

 

The summit purposely focused on the actions everyone can take to fight climate change. I had always thought one needed to be an activist, politician, scientist or someone like that to fight against or talk about climate change. The summit taught me that everyone has a part to play.

 

Whether your passion is sports, fashion, culinary arts, technology or business, whether you study film or are a social media influencer, you can take action to fight climate change through your individual interests and unique career path.

 

My passion is sports, so I was thrilled to learn how the sports community can help combat climate change. Danni Washington, moderator of the SDG Media Zone and the first African-American woman to host an American Science TV Show, told me about the different ways fans, sporting events committees, and athletes can contribute to climate action.

 

 

Athletes have a lot of influence among their fans. “There are so many fans around the world from so many sports. [Athletes] can use their platform to educate people and help them understand what climate change is really about,” Washington said. “They can give the general public the resources, the information, and the tools they need to make better decisions for our world.”

 

Hannah Mills, a two-time Olympic sailing champion, is using her platform to take climate action and influence other athletes, fans and sport-lovers to do the same. Mills shared at the summit her campaign “Big Plastic Pledge,” which calls on fans and athletes to get involved by making at least three pledges of a possible nine listed on the campaign website. She is on a mission to eliminate plastic from stadiums and sporting events. 

 

I had already pledged to use my own water bottle and to say no to single-use plastic shopping bags. It’s better to make small and imperfect changes than to take no action at all.

 

I practice CrossFit and know that other athletes change their diets according to their individual goals, sometimes by adding more carbs or by drinking more water. If we athletes can change our exercise regimens and diets to perform and look better, we can make small and consistent shifts in our lifestyle to help our planet. 

 

“Our planet is going through different changes because of our behavior and it’s time that we humans recognize our role in the planet and do something to fix it,” Washington told me.

 

 

My role as a sportsperson and journalist is to hold those sports committees and athletes who have pledged to help the environment accountable to their commitments and to keep reporting on how the sports community can contribute to solving this issue that affects all of us.

 

During one panel at the SDG Media Zone, two models from my native Colombia, Toya Montoya and Laura Tobon, spoke about the actions they are taking within the fashion industry. Montoya said, “A year ago, I stopped working with companies who are not environmentally friendly.” Tobon admitted to being a shopaholic but said she has learned not to buy clothes unnecessarily. 

 

Living in this social media era, I used to think I could never post a picture with the same outfit twice. This way of thinking led me to buy a new outfit every time I had an event. Montoya and Tobon expressed this concern themselves but explained that they now mix and match their outfits, buying fewer clothes and only buying from sustainable brands. 

 

At the end of the summit, representatives from the food industry showed us healthy recipes. By buying from local markets and by eating less meat we can reduce our carbon footprint.

 

 

Sustainability is about making small changes in our lifestyle because we need the earth as much as the earth needs us. As Olympic sabre fencing medalist Ibtihaj Mohammed said, “If there is no planet, there are no sports.” I never saw it that way but it’s true. If we do not have snow, most winter sports will be gone. If global warming continues, summer sports will suffer: athletes will have to hydrate more and take more breaks and supporters won’t have a pleasant time watching live events at stadiums.

 

The Youth Climate Action Summit helped me understand what it means to take action on climate. Now I am more conscious of the food I consume, the clothes I buy, the plastic I use and I am trying to educate others around me about the actions they can take.

 

As a team, we should take care of the environment the same way we take care of our bodies. Working together, we can achieve sustainable development worldwide!

 

Banner image courtesy of Evan Bradley. Remaining photos courtesy of the Connect4Climate #YouthTakeover team.

“The Great Green Wall is about peace, hope and uniting people,” Nigerian youth leader Hamzat Lawal told an audience assembled in New York during last week’s UN proceedings. “Trees can curb climate change.” Not only do trees remove CO2 from the air and supply the oxygen we breathe—they also offer visual hope, providing bright green life where once there was nothing.

On the eve of the UN Climate Action Summit in New York, UNGA attendees came together for a discussion and celebration of the Great Green Wall initiative unfolding across Africa from Senegal to Djibouti. The ambitious endeavor aims to rally the communities and economies of the Sahel region behind the goal of creating an 8,000-km wall of green spanning the entire continent: a new wonder of the world.

Timberland pledge their support to the Great Green Wall. (Leigh Vogel)

An African-led movement, the Great Green Wall aims to drive forward climate-smart solutions and restore life to degraded landscapes in order to provide food security, jobs and thriving new economies for the communities living in Africa’s Sahel region. The scope of the project extends far beyond a physical mosaic of trees: it is a people-driven movement, one which offers economic benefits and social unity to a region that has long grappled with poverty and violence.

At the UNGA event, the eco-friendly footwear manufacturer Timberland announced its support for the Great Green Wall campaign. “As a brand pursuing a better future for our planet, Timberland is proud to join the Great Green Wall movement,” the company’s president, Jim Pisani, stated, “which we see as crucial in supporting communities on the front lines of the global climate emergency and building a more sustainable and equitable future.”

UNCCD Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiaw wants the Wall to be reality by 2030. (Kaia Rose)

Ibrahim Thiaw, Executive Secretary of the UNCCD, convened the event, which was jointly organized by the UNCCD and Connect4Climate - World Bank Group, to call on governments, civil society and business to join a growing global movement to make the Great Green Wall a reality by 2030.  The World Bank Group was represented by Juergen Voegele, Global Director, Climate Change, who called the Great Green Wall “a tremendous example of how we can fight poverty by revitalizing degraded land through climate-smart practices.”

Connect4Climate’s contributions to the Great Green Wall advocacy campaign include providing support for the Great Green Wall documentary, which recently premiered at Venice Film Festival. Produced by MAKE Waves and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) with backing from long-standing Connect4Climate partner Building Energy, the film tracks Malian singer and activist Inna Modja as she travels across Africa, visiting countries along the Great Green Wall where sustainability and reforestation projects are taking root.  Along the journey, she witnesses the impact of climate change on numerous communities in the Sahel, and is inspired by stories of resilience, optimism and collective action to fight for the Wall and all it signifies.

Waje sings for the crowd. (Leigh Vogel)

Famed Nigerian vocalist Waje performed at the UNGA event, as did the Malian group Songhoy Blues. The music of both artists features prominently in the Great Green Wall documentary, and they provided an emotional close to an evening full of hope and possibility.

Enthusiasm around the Great Green Wall and its message continued into September 23, when an event titled “From Green Walls to Green Wallets: The Importance of Financing Nature-Based Solutions” took place at Nature’s Climate Hub. Expanding on the newly launched Principles of Responsible Banking, this dialogue brought multinational stakeholders together for a brainstorm of innovative financial strategies to boost nature-based climate solutions around the world.

Songhoy Blues close out the September 22 event in style. (Kaia Rose)

The event was devoted in large part to the Great Green Wall project and its model for bringing fresh, sustainable economic growth to a region searching for stability. Backed by the GEF and UNCCD among others, the initiative has already garnered some $4 billion in support. And as Laura Tuck, Vice President of Sustainable Development at the World Bank, asserted, “The World Bank is committed to staying engaged in the Sahel—supporting countries as they strive for a greener, more productive and healthy landscape, and an environment that is kinder to people.” Excerpts of the Great Green Wall film were showcased for attendees.

Connect4Climate was honored to participate in these events, which illustrated the power of the arts—film, music, and more—to connect people worldwide and build a movement around the bold vision of the Great Green Wall. The UNCCD’s Ibrahim Thiaw is beyond excited for what is to come. “The Great Green Wall is a truly inspirational initiative,” he said, “which is growing urgent solutions in the face of the 21st century’s greatest challenges.”

Banner image courtesy of Leigh Vogel.

Next week, the members of the UN General Assembly will gather in New York City for a Climate Action Summit specially convened by UN Secretary-General António Guterres in light of the severity of the climate crisis as well as the urgent need to implement the commitments of the Paris Agreement and raise global ambition on climate action.

Given the instrumental role youth leaders have played in bringing the crisis to the fore of international discussion, it’s only fitting that the weekend leading into the event will feature a dedicated Youth Summit where pioneering activists like Greta Thunberg will have the chance to talk sustainable strategy with up-and-coming entrepreneurs, student innovators, and policymakers, laying the groundwork for new commitments to be announced at the Climate Summit.

Taking place on Saturday, September 21, this Youth Summit will involve youth climate leaders from almost every country in the world in an “action-oriented, intergenerational, and inclusive” event. The sessions scheduled for the Summit are well-aligned with C4C’s own advocacy priorities, addressing such topics as circularity in fashion (Fashion4Climate) and climate communication in sports (Sport4Climate). The Summit will also highlight young entrepreneurs with a pitch competition, examine “the anatomy of influence” on- and offline, feature a musical performance by Nigerian pop star Waje, and much more.

C4C is providing special support to the Youth Policy Jam happening in the afternoon, which will bring youth leaders together with experts in finance and policy for a dynamic discussion on how to unlock climate finance at a scale commensurate with the climate crisis.  The Policy Jam is designed to develop creative collaborative solutions on how to generate more ambitious and youth-friendly climate finance—solutions which will subsequently be presented as tangible outcomes during the General Assembly.

With the spotlight on youth action, Connect4Climate saw an ideal opportunity to launch a new #YouthTakeover, inviting local students passionate about climate communications to take the helm on C4C’s social media coverage of the Youth Summit and other exciting climate action events happening around New York City during the weekend of September 21-22.  Follow their journeys on Twitter and Instagram with the hashtag #YouthTakeover. 

The #YouthTakeover initiative has come a long way over the course of the past year, building momentum at climate events in Europe before making big splashes at the 2019 Innovate4Climate conference in Singapore and, most recently, Asia-Pacific Climate Week in Bangkok, Thailand. C4C looks forward to debuting the #YouthTakeover concept in North America and to giving young people the chance to tell the stories of their own climate heroes on the historic occasion of the UN’s Youth Climate Summit.

Climate change is just global warming was a huge misconception I had when I stepped before the registration counter of the UN Asia-Pacific Climate Week conference, held in my hometown of Bangkok.

It is safe to say that I was totally clueless about climate change, especially when compared with those in business attire standing next to me. The only thing I knew was that, as youth ambassadors, my four classmates and I would try to learn as much as possible from the event in order to produce content for Connect4Climate's social media accounts.

I followed a stream of people into the conference hall as the plenary session was about to begin. I grabbed my notebook, doubtful there would be anything cool to tweet about. But by the end of the very first session, I had already learned numerous surprising facts.

One sad truth that I learned was that the Asia Pacific region is “the most vulnerable to climate change,” losing more than 675 billion dollars every year to natural disasters exacerbated by the unstable climate. And unfortunately, we are only making matters worse, continuing to emit the harmful greenhouse gases responsible for climate change.

Panelists at the conference took turns proposing possible ways out of this dreadful situation. As I was listening to their refreshing ideas, I could not help but notice that all of them referred back to one key term: Article 6.

Curious, I did my own research, coming to the realization that Article 6 is a part of the Paris Agreement, a mutual agreement among members of the UN to curb the rise of global temperatures. Since the agreement was signed in 2016, Article 6 has been used as a rallying cry to raise ambition and boost international cooperation in the fight against climate change. I think its message aligns well with the motto for this year’s upcoming UN Climate Action Summit, 'a race we can win.' 

Starting to realize the importance of the event in Bangkok, I directed my energy to trying to understand other parts of the complex discussion. What sparked my interest the most was the topic of ‘carbon pricing.’ I was surprised to learn that by simply putting a tax on carbon, we could persuade the industrial sector to take responsibility for their pollution. The government could also use the revenue from those taxes to tackle other national issues such as poverty and food security.

I was also impressed to hear of the progress we’ve made in recent years. Indonesia has become the leading country in meeting decarbonization standards, the Philippines is investing greatly in renewable energy sectors, and Bangladesh and Thailand are developing eco-friendly transportation systems. Every country is putting in an incredible amount of effort to push forward the actual implementation of their targets under the Paris Agreement.

I thought my learning process would end when I left the conference room, but I was wrong; I found that the space outside, which had been empty in the morning, was suddenly filled with exhibition booths of various organizations. Even though they were from different corners of the world, all of their work was dedicated to the mutual goal of identifying the best climate solutions.

You could say I was young at heart when I walked past all the advanced innovative technologies and stopped at a game booth for elementary schoolers. The person at the booth explained to me how effective it was bringing in a simple Snakes and Ladders game to teach kids about climate change. The rules were easy: if you rolled the dice and landed on the square with eco-friendly actions, you would go up the ladder. On the other hand, you would move down the ladder for eco-unfriendly actions.

Of course, I could not resist the invitation to test the game, and I ended up playing for ten full minutes. I was enjoying it so much that I completely forgot that it was 'educational.' Yet, by the end of it, I remembered so clearly what eco-unfriendly actions had jeopardized my position as a winner that I walked out of the booth with a new mindset, committed to not doing any of those things in the future. 

Apart from the fun, educational exhibition booths, there was also an action hub: a stage where ideas were exchanged and creativity was ignited. You did not have to be the greatest entrepreneur or the most renowned activist to be on the stage. It was for everyone.

My four classmates and I were standing before the stage, jaws dropping, as one of young entrepreneurs shared his vision. "I believe everyone has the ability to get out there and do something about climate change." The sparkle of passion in his eyes and the strong determination in his voice made his words sound so promising and far beyond his age.

Getting to meet inspiring people at Asia-Pacific Climate Week, I came to realize that climate change is much more than boring scientific facts we have been taught in school. It is not only about the rise of global temperatures, melting icebergs or ozone depletion, but countries’ economies, people's well-being, and even the vision of our future lifestyle. Everything is connected.

Thus, it is now time to help get the message across that solving climate change is not only the duty of one region, one country, or one government, but every single one of us. When we believe that our voices matter and are committed to doing better, the mission of saving Planet Earth will not be far out of hand. It is a race we can win.

Photos by fellow #YouthTakeover participant Kamolchanok Kieatmontri.

From September 2-6 in Bangkok, Thailand, Asia-Pacific Climate Week (APCW) will bring together climate leaders from around the world to discuss the way forward for the region and the planet at large. Connect4Climate is excited to announce that the conference will mark the latest installment in its #YouthTakeover initiative, providing local students with a chance to communicate new ideas about how to engage and activate young audiences.

Building on the momentum of recent #YouthTakeover events in Singapore and Italy, Connect4Climate will take the opportunity presented by the wide-reaching APCW to hand its Twitter and Instagram channels over to a team of communications and media students from Thailand’s prestigious Mahidol University. As the region’s leading climate experts convene to create clear pathways to the UN Secretary General’s Climate Action Summit in September and COP25 in December, these talented young people will offer their perspectives on what’s happening through original messaging and Instagram stories. September 4 and 5 are the official #YouthTakeover days at APCW, but be on the lookout for surprise youth posts elsewhere in the week as well!

All participants in the takeover will set out to seek answers to a fundamental question: What innovations can help bridge the gap between the solutions currently being implemented on the ground and the further action that must be taken in order for the region to reach its Paris Agreement goals? It will be a challenging task for the young journalists, but undoubtedly they will be up to it.

Connect4Climate is honored to continue the #YouthTakeover program in memory of Max Thabiso Edkins, who always recognized the power of youth to take the helm on climate issues, speak out for their planet, and steer society towards a sustainable future.

Connect4Climate is thrilled to be back at Venice Film Festival, this year joining the world premiere of new documentary The Great Green Wall at Giornate Degli Autori. Produced by MAKE Waves and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) with major support by long-standing Connect4Climate partner Building Energy, the film features Malian singer and activist Inna Modja as she travels across Africa, visiting countries along the Great Green Wall path from Senegal to Djibouti where sustainability and reforestation projects are taking root.  Along the journey, she witnesses the myriad ways that climate change is impacting communities – increased desertification, drought, ​resource scarcity, radicalization, conflict, ​migration – and is inspired by stories of resilience, optimism and collective action.  See the brand new trailer here:

Directed by Jared P. Scott (Age of Consequences) and executive produced by Oscar-nominated Fernando Meirelles (City of God), the documentary features a host of original songs inspired by the vision of the Great Green Wall that Inna Modja creates in collaboration with musicians she meets on her journey. As Modja passionately pursues an African Dream for a generation seeking to control their own destiny, she reminds us of the enormity of the task ahead and that time is not on our side. The resulting journey of hope, hardship and perseverance reveals our shared human condition, ​reflecting a deeper moral and existential question we all must confront: “Will we take action before it's too late?”

The Great Green Wall will premiere at Venice Days – Giornate degli Autori on August 31st. To keep up to date with the exciting news from the team on the ground in Venice, follow @Connect4Climate @GreenWallAfrica on Twitter and join the conversation with #Giornate2019, #GreatGreenWall and #Film4Climate.

“This is a hopeful documentary about a positive initiative.”​ – Fernando Meirelles, Executive Producer