The Business & Climate Summit takes place on June 28-29, 2016 in London. It is the leading annual forum for businesses, investors and policymakers on climate action.
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<li>The 1st Business & Climate Summit marked a turning point for business engagement on climate policy. The second Summit will harness this engagement to make an unequivocal shift from words to action.</li>
<li>The 2016 Business and Climate Summit will be held London, the heart of global finance and a leading business and technology hub. The summit is being designed by business for business, with a convening network of partners that represent over 6 million businesses worldwide.</li>
<li>Forward thinking companies with climate change at the heart of their business strategies will reap the benefits of high return investments, while those that don’t will face greater risks – from policy, investors and climate change itself.</li>
<li>Investors are increasingly directing their money toward the clean technologies of the future. A rapidly developing innovation and technology frontier is emerging, unlocking trillions of dollars of investment.</li>
<li>It’s no longer just about commitments, it’s about real action. This year’s Business & Climate Summit will set out how business, in the short, medium and long term, can take advantage of a swift transition to a resilient low carbon economy.</li>
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<p><strong>Connect4Climate</strong> will also be at the Business & Climate Summit preparing discussion about <a href="http://connect4climate.org/event/business-climate-summit-2016" target="_blank"><strong>"The Role and Responsibility of Creative Industries on Climate Action"</strong></a> on<strong> June 29 - 10:45 to 12:45 BST</strong>. Find out who <a href="http://connect4climate.org/event/business-climate-summit-2016" target="_blank">the panelists are and see the run of show here</a>.</p>
<p>During a public interview with Al Gore at the 2015 Annual Cannes Lions Advertising Festival, Sir Martin Sorrell, Chairman of WPP Group of advertising agencies offered to stand arm-in-arm with heads of rival advertising networks at Cannes Lions 2016 if all will pledge solidarity with the climate change movement.</p>
<p>The World Bank’s Connect4Climate Campaign in partnership with the Business Climate Summit and Maitland Green/Havas is staging a thematic discussion on “The Role of Creative Industries in Sustainability and Climate Change” with the objective of perpetuating the engagement of media, entertainment and advertising sectors on climate action.</p>
<p>Join us online with <a data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BusinessClimate?src=hash">#BusinessClimate<… href="https://twitter.com/Connect4Climate">#Innovation4Climate</a>.</p>
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<p><img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/images/Resilience-Africa-crop.jpg" style="width: 1000px; height: 563px;" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Oyo State Officials, Project Implementing Unit, and World Bank team visit project sites and effected communities. Photo Credit: Ivan Bruce</em></p>
<p>Ibadan is the third largest metropolitan area in Nigeria after Lagos and Kano, with a population of 3.1 million. The population of the city has been rapidly grown from around 60,000 in the early 1800s and is projected to reach 5.6 million by 2033. In this regards, the city’s urban footprint has also increased considerably to its current extent. This sprawl is primarily due to weak land use planning, leading to low population densities especially when <a href="http://www.citymayors.com/statistics/largest-cities-density-125.html">c… to other large cities</a>. This sprawl increases contributes to the unsustainable costs of infrastructure development and maintenance, which reduce the urban efficiency.</p>
<p>Ibadan is also highly exposed to frequent flooding events. The latest flood event on <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-14774793">August 26, 2011</a> caused the death of more than 120 people and serious damage to key infrastructure. Many bridges collapsed, roads washed away, and the Eleyele dam and the waterworks were severely impacted, which has not been functional since then.</p>
<p>The previous responses to the flooding events have been piecemeal. It was primarily focused on alleviating immediate and short-term needs, using traditional methods and materials such as concrete. However, there is a greater shift in policy emerging from the Federal and State levels; the paradigm has changed from “reactive disaster response” to “preventive flood risk management.” Recognizing the need for an integrated and long-term solution to flooding in Ibadan, the Oyo State Government requested the World Bank's support. <a href="http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2014/06/17/nigeria-world… Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project</a> (IUFMP) a $200 million IDA credit aims to repair and improve several of the critically damaged infrastructure affected by the floods of 2011, strengthen community-based resilience capacity, and provide support for risk assessment and early warning systems to mitigate any future flood occurrences.</p>
<p>The adoption of a framework design approach for the Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project (IUFMP) effectively sets the “rules of the game” and allows infrastructure investments to be selected on a dynamic basis following the adoption of strategic city Masterplans – drainage, solid waste, urban. The masterplan studies will provide the opportunity to create a balance of investments in structural and non-structural.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/images/Resilience-Africa-3-crop.jpg" style="width: 1000px; height: 563px;" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Discarded waste of plastics fills the dry river bed until the rainy seasons begins. Photo Credit: Farouk Banna</em></p>
<p>The clear connection between solid waste and flood is alarmingly evident in Ibadan, a disconnected solid waste management has become an enormous challenge, which is severally contributing to the cities capacity to cope with flood scenarios, and contributes to the poor environmental conditions, as much of the waste is being burnt releasing harmful pollutants effecting the cities air quality.</p>
<p>During our mission we discovered that <a href="http://www.atlas.d-waste.com/Documents/Waste-Atlas-report-2014-webEditi… of the world largest dumpsites</a> were in Nigeria, and in fact two of those dumpsites are in Ibadan considering the relatively low population is particularly alarming. It is program within the project to assist in creating a solid Waste Masterplan, although to ensure sustainability a major focus is needed to change behavior and to educate communities on the effects of discarding trash.</p>
<p>Which reminded me a rap video created by a young Hip-Hop group from Kenya, which features members of TS1, winners of Connect4Climate’s Voices competition, and using music to raise awareness of the issue of trash and the potential opportunities. This approach alone will not solve issues of solid waste in Nairobi, but certainly highlights the necessity of engaging in youth and creative industries in tackling complex issues. </p>
<p>[video:https://vimeo.com/7183252]</p>
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This November Rome was at the center of climate action as people came together to raise their voices by marching together to demand a true commitment against climate change. The People’s March for Earth was slated to star
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/images/M4E2.jpg" style="font-size: 13.008px; line-height: 20.0063px; text-align: center; width: 1000px; height: 277px;" /></p>
<p>The March4Earth VR video is available on <a href="http://littlstar.com/videos/f2760f4a" target="_blank">LittlStar</a> via iOS or Android App, Samsung Gear VR, Apple TV or via Web (Chrome or Firefox browser).</p>
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<p>Enjoy it on Virtual Reality with a Google Cardboard or a Samsung Gear VR headset.<br />
For a direct link click <a href="http://littlstar.com/videos/f2760f4a" target="_blank">HERE</a></p>
<p><strong>For more information, go to:</strong><br />
March4Earth: <a href="http://www.march4earth.org/index-eng.php">http://www.march4earth.org/in… />
RYOT: <a href="http://www.ryot.org/">http://www.ryot.org/</a><br />
NARRATED BY: Greta Scacchi<br />
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Connect4Climate – World Bank Group, Earth Day Italy, Earth Day Network, RYOT.<br />
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With sincere thanks to our Partners: Earth Day Italy – Pierluigi Sassi, Earth Day Network, Vicariate of Rome, The Most. Rev. Matteo Zuppi.<br />
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SPECIAL THANKS: Paolo Dieci, Giuseppe Fiorello, Rosario Fiorello, Claudia Gerini, Lucia Grenna, Italian Association of Professional Advertising Agents TP, Italian Ministry for the Environment, Land and Sea – Minister Gian Luca Galletti, LINK 2007, Roberto Pagnotta, Rosario Pellecchia, Eleonora Pratelli, Radio 105 Network, Camila Raznovic, Carolina Rey, Kathleen Rogers, Tony Severo, Suite19 PR, Francesco Totti, Biagio Vanacore.</p>
The last few years have seen an unprecedented shift in the way national and international governmental institutions, as well as the business community and representatives of civil society, consider sustainable development.
<p>A workshop bringing together industry, government and academic leaders was organized on 28 January to present the results three years of research on collaboration between governments, international organizations and corporates for a more sustainable economy.<br />
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The participants debated key questions related to the organizational change and learning challenges that companies face when they attempt to make sense of, and manage, sustainability issues as well as rapidly evolving stakeholder expectations in corporate behavior.</p>
<p>The main focus of the discussion addressed: How do firms learn to integrate and manage sustainability and climate change issues in their business model?</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/images/legacy/La_Camera-Opening-2.jpg" style="width: 800px; height: 450px;" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Francesco La Camera addresses the workshop. Photo Credit: Max Falcone</em></p>
<p>Francesco La Camera, Director General of the Italian Ministry of the Environment, Land and Sea, opened the workshop explaining the strategic role of governments in the future. He emphasized that sustainability and climate change issues will be the focal point of every country in the future:“In 2016 a Nation cannot play any international role without a clear sustainability strategy.”</p>
<p>He stressed that both financial tools and education in support of advancing climate and sustainability solutions were necessary requirements to help address the future challenges. “We need specific financial tools based on sustainability issues: two days ago China and UK agreed on a common investment find for sustainability projects,” said Mr. La Camera</p>
<p>Mr. La Camera’s speech was followed by interventions from universities, corporates and international organizations.</p>
<p>From academia the main take away messages included that we have to act as think-tanks to provide operational tools to the management through dedicated observatories and indicators. Stefano Gardi, Director of Sustainable Development Department at Italcementi said: <strong>“It's impossible to be really sustainable if the human resources managers don't reorganize incentives and career patterns considering sustainability achievements.”</strong></p>
<p>Companies that are takings sustainability and climate targets seriously are also considered great places to work: <strong>“Carbon neutral companies have always a higher ranking for internal climate and employees satisfaction. Being sustainable means being more effective and profitable.”</strong></p>
<p>Maria Cristina Papetti, Head of Sustainability Projects and Practice Sharing at Enel emphasized that <strong>“we don't distinguish anymore between sustainability goals and profit goals; Creating Shared Values and innovating through sustainability is our mission.”</strong></p>
<p>Similarly, laudio Puliti, Head of CSR and Sustainability at ACEA noted: <strong>“public companies can be sustainable if they engage territories and citizens in strategic decisions. As the main Italian public company providing water; we are a B Corporation.”</strong></p>
<p>Speaking about Unicoop, Massimo Favilli, Director of political relations, emphasized the need for sustainability to continue operations, <strong>“we were born in 1945 for mutualistic collaboration: our participatory business strategy must be based on sustainability.”</strong></p>
<p>Maurizio Zollo, Sustainability and Strategy Professor of Università Bocconi, concluded: <strong>“Delivering on the UN Agenda 2030 will require the business sector to complete its transition from sustainability as a stakeholder engagement exercise to redesigning the firm in all its core functions to integrate the contributions of all stakeholders. None of the Sustainable Development Goals and the COP21 targets will be reached without a profound innovation and change effort by the private sector. The question is how to facilitate and reduce the risks connected to the effort. The collaboration of institutions, civil society and academia will be necessary and, hopefully, well appreciated in this respect.”</strong></p>
Young people today are growing up with effects of climate challenge and this immediate threat makes them more leaders of today rather than tomorrow.
<p>Connect4Climate joined the UNFCCC to organize the first ever Education Day on December 4 at a climate conference in support of Article 8 of the Paris agreement, to enhance climate change education, training, public awareness, public participation and public access to information. The main message was that climate education is a fundamental pre-requisite to advance climate solutions to achieve a resilient, low-carbon future. Max Edkins presented the Connect4Climate strategy at the <a href="http://connect4climate.org/initiative/cop21-youth-heart-climate-talks&q…; target="_blank">Non-formal Education</a> side-event and announced <a href="http://connect4climate.org/event/fiat-lux-illuminating-our-common-home&…; target="_blank">Fiat Lux: Illuminating Our Common Home</a>.</p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/images/_DSC8415%20%281%29.jpg" style="width: 1000px; height: 663px;" /></div>
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<p><em>Connect4Climate presented as best-case study at UN Alliance Side Event on Non-Formal Climate Change Education and Innovative Approaches for Climate Change Learning. Photo Credit: UNFCCC</em></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">On December 8, a coalition convened by the World Bank Group’s Connect4Climate initiative presented a gift of contemporary public art entitled <a href="http://connect4climate.org/initiative/climate-deal-expectations-rise-ex…; target="_blank">Fiat Lux: Illuminating our Common Home</a> to Pope Francis on the opening day of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, to galvanize action and drive global attention to the importance of tackling climate change. The large-scale architectural public art installation was inspired by the themes of climate change, human dignity and the earth’s living creatures in the Encyclical “Laudato Si’” of Pope Francis. Programmed to coincide not only with the Jubilee, but also with COP21 in Paris, the historic occasion called on citizens of the world to join a global movement to protect our common home.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">The cinematic event featured the work of some of the world’s most notable humanistic and nature photographers and filmmakers including Sebastião Salgado (Genesi and Contrasto), Joel Sartore (National Geographic Photo Ark), Yann Arthus Bertrand (Human), David Doubilet, Ron Fricke and Mark Magidson (Samsara), Howard Hall, Shawn Heinrichs, Greg Huglin, Chris Jordan, Steve McCurry, Paul Nicklen and Louie Schwartzberg. The projection is curated by Louie Psihoyos and Travis Threlkel, and produced by Obscura Digital. Francesco Carrozzini curated the Creative Direction for Connect4Climate. <a href="https://vimeo.com/149443978" target="_blank">See the full experience on the Connect4Climate Vimeo channel</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">[video:https://vimeo.com/148381415]</p>
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<p>Jim Yong Kim, President, World Bank Group: "We are honored to be working with the Vatican to raise awareness of an issue so critical to our shared goal of ending extreme poverty. The poorest people in the world are disproportionately affected by the effects of a warming climate and are most vulnerable to natural disasters and extreme weather. This impressive initiative will draw global attention to the urgency of tackling climate change for the sake of people and our planet."</p>
<p>By December 9 the event had already reached 53 million impressions and 2.6K mentions and since then the event has been featured in all major news outlets. A BBC News video of it on Facebook already has more than 2 million views.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Have you seen our beautiful photos of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FiatLux?src=hash" target="_blank">#FiatLux</a> event? Take a look: <a href="https://t.co/mowQlPOhdW" target="_blank">https://t.co/mowQlPOhdW</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OurCommonHome?src=hash" target="_blank">#OurCommonHome</a> <a href="https://t.co/CNrJXqWdNr" target="_blank">pic.twitter.com/CNrJXqWdNr</a></p>
— Connect4Climate (@Connect4Climate) <a href="https://twitter.com/Connect4Climate/status/674709169828704256" target="_blank">December 9, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<p>With Connect4Climate's participation in the high-level Climate Change Communication Event on December 9 (<a href="http://unfccc6.meta-fusion.com/cop21/events/2015-12-09-15-00-un-climate…; target="_blank">see the recording here</a>) we announced the <a href="http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2015/03/20/film4climate-…; target="_blank">Film4Climate International Charter.</a></p>
<p>The Charter has been in the making for a number of months and the emerging document is the result of lengthy discussions among film executives, film makers and film administrators at workshops and presentations around the world over the past two years, culminating in an international conference on November 25th in Paris organized by EcoProd, the environmental arm of the Ile de France Film Commission; CESAR, the Social, Economic and Environmental Council for the Ile de France and Connect4Climate.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/images/_DSC9622%20%281%29.jpg" style="width: 1000px; height: 663px;" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>High-level Climate Change Communication Event at COP21 with (R to L) Nick Nuttall, Kathleen Rogers, David de Rothschild, Bianca Jagger, Donald Ranvaud, Blanca Juti, Max Schorr and Angelique Kidjo. Photo Credit: Max Edkins</em></p>
<p>The aim is for the Charter to form the base for action in conjunction with COP 21 decisions where working groups will determine the details of how best to implement widespread ‘green’ production guidelines internationally, and also propagate further integration of sustainable lifestyle decisions into content and storylines.</p>
<p>“The document responds to a general feeling among the participants that it is something the industry can and should do universally to answer the challenges of climate change, while at the same time recognizing the importance of flexibility when t comes to specifics, specifics especially with regards to the vast differences in scale of production and regional or local customs and requirements” noted Donald Ranvaud, creative producer of Connect4Climate.</p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">.<a href="https://twitter.com/rene_leys" target="_blank">@rene_leys</a> announced the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Film4Climate?src=hash" target="_blank">#Film4Climate</a> charter at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COP21?src=hash" target="_blank">#COP21</a> - an international effort to advance sustainability <a href="https://t.co/rVYsP7ZILE" target="_blank">pic.twitter.com/rVYsP7ZILE</a></p>
— Connect4Climate (@Connect4Climate) <a href="https://twitter.com/Connect4Climate/status/674602294244212737" target="_blank">December 9, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<p>At COP21 Max Edkins and Donald Ranvaud explained the #Youth4Climate and #Film4Climate initiatives of the Connect4Climate Program of the World Bank Group.</p>
<p>[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kZmPzJLWy0]</p>
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