Communication | Connect4Climate

Diversifying Climate Knowledge: The Fight Against ‘Parachute Science’

Quality research on climate change is critical as we work together to devise solutions for a sustainable future.

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.

Our C4C Legacy

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.

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

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

#Film4Climate and #DrivingAmbition Meet in Milan

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

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

Ideas for #Sport4Climate Campaigns Shine at This Year’s D&AD New Blood Awards

Earlier this month, per annual tradition, the D&AD New Blood Awards spotlit the best of the best in student creative marketing pitches, aw

The Youth Who Took Innovate4Climate 2021 By Storm

When young people have the chance to take over and communicate the urgency of climate change with their own voices, the results are always str

#DrivingAmbition: Youth Driving Ambition

Young people like you are, quite literally, the future of our planet.

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Local

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Driving action at the local level can take many different forms: climate clubs at school, community demonstrations, knowledge-sharing in social media groups. We're all authorities on our own hometowns—and when we stand up for climate at home, we all contribute to a global push toward a green future! Respecting local expertise while developing a global movement is the challenge of the international climate community, and this working group offers a unique chance to reckon with that challenge.

Goal: This working group will generate proposals to foster youth engagement with climate issues at the local level in regions all over the world.

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Learn More

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Watch <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiKCuhb5Kco" target="_blank">#Youth4ClimateLive Episode 9: Driving Local Action</a>
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Read <a href="https://www.wri.org/insights/theres-easy-way-national-governments-help-…; target="_blank">"</a><a href="https://www.wri.org/insights/theres-easy-way-national-governments-help-…; target="_blank">There’s an Easy Way for National Governments to Help Cities Act on Climate Change - Give Them Data</a><a href="https://www.wri.org/insights/theres-easy-way-national-governments-help-…; target="_blank">,"</a> an article from the World Resources Institute
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Read <a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2021/08/19/why-kinshasa-could…; target="_blank">"</a><a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2021/08/19/why-kinshasa-could…; target="_blank">Why Kinshasa Could Be in the Vanguard of Megacities’ Climate Resilience,"</a> a World Bank Feature Story on a $500 million climate project driving sustainability and climate resiliency in one of the world's largest metropolises
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Explore <a href="https://www.c40.org/about" target="_blank">C40 Cities</a>, a network of megacities around the world committed to robust climate action
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Use the <a href="https://www.reachnotpreach.com/" target="_blank">Reach Not Preach</a><a href="https://www.reachnotpreach.com/forum" target="_blank"> Forum</a> to connect with other young people and put your heads together on driving climate action
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National

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Often, contributing to climate action at the national level means linking up with many local groups online and planning larger-scale climate demonstrations, letter-writing campaigns, etc. Taking every chance you get to learn more about the political processes in your country and form strategies to convey your concern on climate to policymakers is key—productive pressure on legislators is what leads to the kind of action we need to turn back the climate crisis. And when given the opportunity, youth should be unafraid to engage with policymakers directly on their Nationally Determined Contributions and other climate policies. But governments need to meaningfully include youth in their decision-making processes as a first step in order for these approaches to be viable: that's what this working group's all about!

Goal: This working group will produce guidelines and recommendations on how countries can enable youth to make their voices heard and shape climate policy at the national level.

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Watch <a href="http://Watch Episode 3: Driving Youth Action" target="_blank">Episode 3</a> of #Youth4ClimateLive, "Driving Youth Action"
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Read <a href="http://environment.yale.edu/news/article/building-public-and-political-…; target="_blank">"</a><a href="http://environment.yale.edu/news/article/building-public-and-political-…; target="_blank">Building Public and Political Will for Climate Change Action</a><a href="http://environment.yale.edu/news/article/building-public-and-political-…; target="_blank">,"</a> a helpful reference from Yale's School of the Environment
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Peruse the UNFCCC <a href="https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/engaging-private-sector…; style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Toolkit for Engaging the Private Sector in National Adaptation Plans (NAPs)</a> 
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Read <a href="https://ndcpartnership.org/news/roadmap-meaningful-youth-engagement-ndc…; target="_blank">"A Roadmap to Meaningful Youth Engagement in NDCs,"</a> a helpful roadmap from the NDC Partnership on how young people can influence their countries' Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to the global fight against climate change
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Multilateral

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Just as local organizations can come together to effect national change, national youth delegations can come together to effect global change! Your interest in multilateral collaboration is clear, and this working group offers a unique opportunity to brainstorm ways of expanding youth representation at the highest-level climate events.

Goal: This working group will generate proposals to better include youth in international fora and harness their unique knowledge to shape international climate policy.

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<a href="https://youth4climate.live/" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Watch our #Youth4ClimateLive series</a> to see youth leaders in intergenerational conversations with decision makers
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Read up on <a href="http://www.youngo.uno/" style="text-decoration-line: none;">YOUNGO</a> and the work it's doing to bring young perspectives to the highest levels of international policymaking
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See what the <a href="https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/youth-in-action/youth-advisory-grou…; style="text-decoration-line: none;">UN Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change</a> is doing to shape the global discourse around climate action
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Discover the work of <a href="https://sdsnyouth.org/" target="_blank">SDSN Youth</a> to empower young people to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals at the highest levels
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Browse this UN reference on its work with <a href="https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/youth-in-action" target="_blank">Youth in Action</a>
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Connect with other young people using <a href="https://www.sparkblue.org/youth" target="_blank">SparkBlue</a>, a UN Development Programme online platform for coordinating global action
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Look into the <a href="https://ukcoy16.org/" target="_blank">UN Climate Change Conference of Youth (COY)</a> happening in Glasgow, Scotland this November alongside COP26
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#DrivingAmbition: A Climate-Conscious Society

This article is part of a series on topics to be explored at this year's #Youth4Climate: #DrivingAmbition event. Check back regularly for updated content!

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Showcasing Impacts and Solutions

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Sharing the human stories of those most deeply affected by an issue is one of the most powerful ways to galvanize a reponse to that issue. When showcasing impacts, it’s important to give voice to people of disparate identities and lived experiences and to call special attention to those disproportionately affected—often those from groups that have been historically disenfranchised and denied the means to bring about policy change.

Goal: This breakout group will brainstorm how best to achieve equity in climate action, drawing in particular on the invaluable perspectives of local communities, indigenous people, and women.

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Read up on strategies for <a href="https://www.connect4climate.org/article/inclusive-engagement-amplifying…; target="_blank">amplifying marginalized voices</a> in this article from our Educational Toolkit.
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Watch Youth4ClimateLive Episode 5, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjrdxpyvBqE" target="_blank">"Driving Empowerment: Protecting the Most Vulnerable"</a>
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<a href="https://www.connect4climate.org/article/meet-human-faces-climate-migrat…; target="_blank">"Meet the Human Faces of Climate Migration"</a> in this World Bank Group Groundswell Report
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Education

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Education is the mainstay of democratic societies and an excellent way to give young people the courage and knowledge they need to make a tremendous impact on climate and other global issues. What this working group will ask is: How is the climate crisis currently being taught in schools around the world? Where are we lacking? And what are creative avenues for improvement?

Goal: This breakout group will brainstorm the most essential topics and standards that need to come across in climate education and help think up innovative strategies for bringing this content to students around the world.

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Get the scoop on <a href="https://unfccc.int/topics/education-youth/the-big-picture/what-is-actio…; target="_blank">Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE)</a> from UN Climate Change
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Explore UNESCO's <a href="https://en.unesco.org/themes/education-sustainable-development/cce" target="_blank">"Education for climate action"</a> hub
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Engage with Earth Day’s <a href="http://www.earthday.org/campaign/climate-environmental-literacy/" target="_blank">Climate & Environmental Literacy Campaign</a>
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Peruse the UN's many <a href="https://unfccc.int/topics/education-and-outreach/resources/materials-on…; target="_blank">Education and Training Resources</a>
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Public Mobilization

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Driving climate literacy in communities and empowering the public to mobilize for climate action means communicating the latest climate research effectively and making climate policy more transparent. Sustained mutual engagement between individuals and governments is essential.

Goal: This breakout group will help develop innovative public and private outreach efforts to make the science of climate change accessible to all and promote climate advocacy and action at the community and individual levels.

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Play the UN's interactive <a href="https://mission1point5.org/us" target="_blank">Mission 1.5</a> game
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Join the UN's <a href="https://www.un.org/en/actnow" target="_blank">Act Now</a> campaign
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Read up on the creative climate outreach fostered by <a href="https://www.connect4climate.org/article/congrats-our-youth4climate-new-…; target="_blank">Connect4Climate's partnership with the D&AD New Blood Awards</a>
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Media

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On TV and in newspapers, climate change is almost always framed as a clinical, environmental phenomenon. Yet the human impacts of climate change—and the larger climate crisis radiating out from it—are very real. In order to get more people invested in climate action, we have to think about evocative ways in which to reframe the issues in media.

Goal: This breakout group will generate proposals to improve climate narratives in media by recontextualizing them in terms of concrete human impact.

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Browse <a href="https://www.sayitwithscience.org/" target="_blank">Say It With Science</a> for ideas on smart science communication
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Review publications from the <a href="https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/" target="_blank">Yale Program on Climate Change Communication</a>
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Look through the <a href="https://sciencepolicy.colorado.edu/icecaps/research/media_coverage/summ…; target="_blank">Media and Climate Change Observatory</a>'s monthly summaries of international climate coverage
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Explore the resources available at <a href="https://coveringclimatenow.org/" target="_blank">Covering Climate Now</a>
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Read UNESCO's article <a href="https://en.unesco.org/news/media-and-information-literacy-prerequisite-…; target="_blank">"Media and information literacy: A prerequisite for stimulating climate change engagement"</a>
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