March4Earth Virtual Reality (VR) Launch: First VR video in the World Bank Group

"The idea of being at the center of this march at the Eternal City surrounded by so much human history was a powerful thought. It was electric moment that inspired us to create a Virtual Reality (VR) experience so others could feel that same energy and get transported to this place," writes Jimmy Vainstein, World Bank GSD Printing & Multimedia on this blog post.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-n5XTp3t3Q]

  Connect4Climate awarded Green Oscar at the 13^th Annual Global Green Pre-Oscar Party, held in Los Angeles, U.S.A.

The World Bank Group’s global partnership program, Connect4Climate, awarded for public outreach, youth engagement and advocacy work that it has been doing to advance environmental and climate change education, and to find innovative ways to take climate change concerns to a wider public, especially by working with the creative industries to maximize exposure of the issues at stake and encourage the acceleration of solution.

The internationally acclaimed musician Stevie Wonder and Connect4Climate's Program Manager Lucia Grenna on the green carpet. Photo Credit: Leigh Vogel

  Film4Climate returned to the Guadalajara International Film Festival (FICG)

FICG31 and Film4Climate presented a selection of out-of-competition environmental and climate-related movies to the many filmgoers, industry representatives, and critics who attended the festival.

[video:https://vimeo.com/157779769]

  IMAX’s Power of Film to Effect Change

Connect4Climate's program manager Lucia Grenna was invited to a panel discussion on the Power of Film to Effect Change, hosted by the University of Southern California (USC) School of Cinematic Arts, in partnership with IMAX and UNEP. More details about the programme and the panelists are available here.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQ5-7m972qM]

​  #Photo4Climate Instagram Challenge 

We had a special challenge this year in order for you to share your climate story with us on Instagram: capture that moment, landscape, idea, solution or person that is raising awareness and taking on climate change.

  Guardian Live Q&A: How can the creative industries encourage climate action?

How can creative industries be effectively engaged to raise public awareness of climate change in countries around in the world? How can they reach those who are most resistant to accepting the reality of the situation? And how can they use creativity to challenge potential public fatigue with the subject? An expert panel was convened to discuss these questions and more.

Photo credit: Bárbara Gomes Simões/Connect4Climate

  Digital Media Zone at High-level Signing Ceremony for Paris Agreement

On Earth Day, history was written. Connect4Climate, the World Bank Group's global partnership program, joined the world in celebrating the signing of the Paris Climate Change Agreement at the United Nations.

World leaders from 175 Parties (174 countries and the European Union) came together at the United Nations to sign up to the Paris Climate Change Agreement. The signing ceremony far exceeded the historical record for first-day signatures to an international agreement.

US Secretary of State John Kerry signing the agreement with his granddaughter. Photo Credit: Leigh Vogel

Connect4Climate was excited not only to witness the important event, but also to add the youth voice in support of world leaders who signed the Paris Agreement.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blOIUJDxN3Y]

  Connect4Climate supported Climate Action 2016 Summit in Washington, D.C.

The Paris Agreement was signed by more than 170 countries in New York City on Earth Day 2016. That historical moment was just the beginning of a path to implement ambitious climate action. The Climate Action Summit 2016, held in Washington D.C. on 5-6 May gathered mayors and governors, academia, business leaders and world leaders to discuss one of the most defining issues of our time.

- Climate Action Summit: Day 1

- Climate Action Summit: Last day highlights

- Highlights from the Climate Action Summit Interviews

- Climate Action Summit Interviews

- Climate Action Summit Interview: Rachel Kyte

Rachel Kyte supports the Connect4Climate program #Youth4Climate. Photo Credit: Daniel Pinto Lopes/Connect4Climate

  Connect4Climate presented at the Embassy of Italy, Washington, D.C for the ‪#‎EUOpenHouse

Connect4Climate presented its initiatives and engaged people on climate change through a Virtual Reality video at the Italian Embassy in Washington D.C., May 14, during the #EUOpenHouse.

More photos are available on Connect4Climate's Flickr account.

  Connect4Climate took part of the 4th Dialogue on Action for Climate Empowerment

The Dialogue is an annual forum for Parties and stakeholders to share their experiences, exchange ideas, good practices and lessons learned in the area of climate change education and public awareness. Connect4Climate will take part in this event, presenting Fiat Lux initiative amongst other public engagement and outreach activities as best case examples of Actions for Climate Empowerment.

Fiat Lux: Public art projection featuring images of humanity and climate change to illuminate St. Peter’s Basilica on the opening of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (2015). Photo credit: Joshua Brott-Obscura

  Film4Climate at Cannes Film Festival

Connect4Climate’s film arm, Film4Climate, attended the 69 edition Cannes Film Festival to solidify and build on work done in recent years to green the silver screen by enlisting further support for more sustainable film production and encouraging the inclusion of climate action in content creation.

- Cannes 2016 - Lucia Grenna & Lawrence Bender

  Connect4Climate and Columbia University Center for Research on Environmental Decisions (CRED) hosted a webinar “What is the real role of the Creative, Media & Entertainment and Advertising Industries in addressing climate change awareness?”

- Connect4Climate, CRED webinar: the recap

  Connect4Climate joined the #WildforLife campaign launched by UNEP

WildforLife campaign - launched by UNEP - aims to tackle illegal trade in wildlife, warning that such trade is driving many species to the brink of extinction. The campaign is part of an ambitious agenda that is being driven by the UN which recognizes wildlife crime as a serious crime and a threat to our shared sustainable development.

- Going #WildforLife

  Film4Climate Global Video Competition Opens for Submissions

The competition offered filmmakers a chance to have their work reviewed by a jury chaired by Bernardo Bertolucci, and including other preeminent directors, producers, writers and political leaders.

Just during the launch day, #Film4Climate was received more than 4.2 million impression and 211 mentions. The Film4Climate website received about 2000 visitors.

[video:https://vimeo.com/171117213]

  Business & Climate Summit in London

The Business & Climate Summit is the leading annual forum for businesses, investors and policymakers on climate action. It is where business and governments come together to agree on a roadmap for reaching net zero emissions over the next half century. It demonstrates how low carbon strategies are good for business and good for growth - and it builds the partnerships needed to scale up and accelerate the low carbon transition.

- UN announces Common Ground Initiative with Advertising’s ‘Big Six’ in support of the SDGs

  Connect4Climate organized a climate change discussion during the Festival of Participation promoted by the Italia, Sveglia! (Italy, Wake up!) alliance

Connect4Climate facilitated the discussion on climate action, engaging several stakeholders from different private sector industries, including construction companies, energy providers, tourism players, as well as the local public administration, academia and citizens.

Max Falcone, Connect4Climate, Sandro Polci, Legambiente, Lorenzo Santilli, Unioncamere Abruzzo, Pietro Laureano, UNESCO, Marco Frey, Cittadinanzattiva, Marco Girolami, Touring Club Italiano. Photo Credit: Connect4Climate

- Festival of Participation

  1.5C: The Record We Must Not Break

The ‘1.5C: the record we must not break’ campaign raises awareness about the impacts of global warming and the need for a substantive increase in ambition by governments and business to hold the global temperature increase below 1,5 C and meet the Paris Climate Agreement targets. It calls for action to prevent warming beyond 1,5 C and therefore avoid risks such as inundation of low lying territories, failed crops and other social, economic and health threats.

[video:https://vimeo.com/178943792]

  #Teach4Climate social media campaign

This coordinated social media effort is a commitment to education, engagement, and lifting up innovative and effective climate change education resources and opportunities. In order to create a powerful presence during this school year, we need your help! #Teach4Climate builds on the #Youth4Climate social media campaign launched in 2015 around the COP21 Climate Talks.

  Film4Climate at Venice Film Festival

Workshop and talks presented by Connect4Climate, World Bank Group, in collaboration with Green Cross Italy and FIMA - Federazione Italiana Media Ambientali.

  C4C Video Message presented at the Peace and Sustainability Workshop UAE hosted by Green Hope UAE

In a lead up to the forthcoming International Day of Peace, youth organisation Green Hope conducted an epoch conference cum workshop on “Peace and Sustainabilty.". It was attended by scores of students from different schools and universities, as well representatives from corporate.

  Launch of the Earth To Marrakech Global Climate Movement

At an event at United Nations headquarters, the United Nations Foundation and GOOD magazine announced the launch of Earth To Marrakech, a global movement to raise the volume and profile of the discussion around climate action.

  Connect4Climate joined our partner Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Climate CoLab’s Crowds & Climate conference

At this year’s Crowds & Climate conference, 27 climate change projects were recognized including the grand prize winner, the Vancouver, BC company Climate Smart for its Business Energy and Emissions Profile (BEEP) Dashboard - a carbon mapping tool that connects cities and businesses working to cut carbon emissions.

[video:https://vimeo.com/185661285]

  Pakistani Youth for Climate Change: Gilgit Baltistan

The primary purpose of the workshop was to raise awareness about climate change among the youth of Gilgit Baltistan, a region heavily affected by periodic floods, one of the effects of climate change. This workshop was part of the Pakistani Youth for Climate Change initiative, a multidisciplinary project aimed at involving Pakistani young people in the global conversation on climate change.

[video:https://vimeo.com/185184528]

  Sport4Climate recognized on the White House’s press release “Tackling Climate through Sports”

Sports and recreation are vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and extreme-weather events. Millions of athletes, from children to professionals, play sports that are directly impacted by weather and climate. A number of athletic facilities and infrastructure are in low-lying, flood-prone regions. Extreme weather and climate change can affect the health and performance of athletes and pose risks to spectators and event staff. 

  The Vancouver International Film Festival

The Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) is renowned across the world for encouraging and giving a voice to important new trends that can influence thinking for the future. Connect4Climate was pleased to partner this year to support the Sustainable Production Forum – a day of discussion and illustration offered by the Festival to explore what is happening in the film industry, both locally and internationally.

[video:https://vimeo.com/188209926]

  Film4Climate Shortlist Announced

After receiving climate stories from every corner of the world 80 videos were selected for the shortlist of the Film4Climate Global Video Competition. The finalists include 20 Public Service Announcement video and 60 short films selected by a technical review committee, who analyzed and evaluated a grand total of 864 exciting and thought-provoking videos submitted to the Film4Climate Global Video competition over a 3 month period.

  COP22 in Marrakesh, Morocco

The 22nd session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 22) to UNFCCC took place in Marrakech, Morocco, 7-18 November 2016. Connect4Climate joined the world leaders in declaring fighting climate change is an urgent duty. We were so excited to showcase inspiring climate change solutions stories from young people around the world that raised their voices through the Film4Climate Global Video Competition and truly pleased to award them for their creativity and efforts solving climate change.

Max Edkins, Connect4Climate, speaks to youth audience with Ahmad Ahlendawi, UN Youth Envoy, at COP22. Photo Credit: Giulia Braga

- COP22 Marrakech Climate Change Conference

- Connect4Climate at COP22

- Ratification Watch: India is positioned to inch the Paris Agreement closer “into force”

- Road to COP22: Protecting Morocco's Coastline

- Agriculture must adopt climate-smart practices to better help poverty reduction – UN report

- SPECIAL COP22

- Young and Future Generations Day

- COP22: Are you listening to our voices?

- Sustainable Innovation Forum - UNEP

- Celebrating Youth Voices at COP22

• The hashtags #Film4Climate and #Youth4Climate generated more than 5.1K mentions and 3.9K retweets and received more than 134M impressions during COP22.
• #Youth4Climate was top-mentioned hashtag for Youth Day and Education Day 
• #Earth to Marrakech generated over 875M impressions through more than 34,000 posts and reached more than 90 million people in over 100 countries
• Film4Climate Competition generated more than 500 articles published in 85 countries in 27 different languages since its launch in June. USA, Italy, Korea, and Morocco are the countries that published articles the most
• The hashtag #Film4Climate created more than 314M impressions just on Twitter and received 15K mentions and 11K retweets from its launch in June. The Film4Climate winners announcement is the top tweet with 281 retweets and 315 Likes and over 80K impressions:

  Film4Climate Competition Winners Announced

860 videos from 155 countries. Connect4Climate received inspiring climate change solutions stories from young people around the world that raised their voices through the Film4Climate Global Video Competition showing that it is possible to take on climate change. We truly believe that young people can alter the course of history and Connect4Climate is extremely proud to be their platform, by helping them transform the planet. As so we are truthfully pleased to award the for their incredible work, creativity, and time invested solving climate change. Check here all the winning entries.

  Winners of the Italian High School Competition offered Pope Francis a Connect4Climate gift to celebrate #OurCommonHome and advocate for climate action during COP22

Pope Francis accepted this symbolic gift with great joy, thanked the students who briefly talked about the environmental education competition and their dedication to climate action. In response Pope Francis congratulated them and said: "Well done guys, keep it up, you are the future." 

- High School Game e Connect4Climate: Una t-shirt per il Papa

  "Energy 21" workshop at the U.S. Embassy in South Africa

Global and local experts and leaders within the renewable energy industry believe the time to champion renewable energy is now – as South Africa’s energy mix is currently being decided and debated.

Bulding bridges and establishing partnerships to better combat climate change. Photo credits: ENERGY21

- ENERGY21 - Renewable Energy for the 21st Century

- Building social currency for climate leadership

  Digital Media Zone at World Bank Headquarter during the World Bank’s Law, Justice and Development Week and the Climate Investment Funds annual meetings

More than 30 climate change and social development experts, academics, young leaders and climate leaders enriched a four-day program of panels, short talks, conferences and screenings of Leonardo DiCaprio’s documentary Before the Flood and Years of Living Dangerously, that brought together an online audience of over 65 thousand people through our Facebook live videos, and more than 30 million impressions were reached on twitter using the hashtag #C4CZone.

Connect4Climate Digital Media Zone at the World Bank, in parallel to Law, Justice & Development Week and Climate Investment Funds annual meeting. Photo Credit: Kaia Rose

- Digital Media Zone at Legal Week

- Law, Justice and Development Week

- C4CZone: Time For Climate Action Is Now

The Connect4Climate team still mourns the passing of our dear colleague, friend and mentor, Donald Ranvaud. He will always be in our thoughts and actions. May he rest in peace.