Connect4Climate and the University of Warsaw co-hosted Be the Movement, an international workshop addressing the means of expanding and strengthening the global climate change movement during the November 2013 United Nations-sponsored climate change talks (UNFCCC COP19) in the Polish capital. The workshop was an inspiring gathering of climate change activists, youth and concerned professionals.
“The workshop hopefully would help inspire youth to join the fight against climate change. After all, it is their future that we are trying to protect, and no one will fight for the future of the youth more than the youth themselves.”
-Wael Hmaidan, Director, Climate Action Network – International
Five main needs on how to strengthen the climate action movement were identified and discussed: message for new audiences; empowering educators; innovating campaign strategies; considering costs; and leading for solutions. The workshop confirmed that urgent and bold action is required to tackle climate change.
Participants recognized that the global climate change movement will be enhanced if they: a) increase collaboration and cooperation, b) recognize the intimate and unavoidable link between eradicating extreme poverty and climate change, c) emphasize early climate action to avoid high costs in the future, d) stress that mitigation will not hinder economic development, e) highlight that each and every individual can make a difference, and f) offer assistance for educators.
As Lucia Grenna, Program Manager of Connect4Climate, said in her opening remarks to the workshop:
“The question is ... how do we get into people’s daily behavior? How do we get to the people who don’t know, who don’t care, or maybe are just waiting for a better solution?”
Overall, the proceedings and recommendations serve as a pragmatic compendium of shared knowledge for climate action.
See coverage on the Guardian and a World Bank blog post Be the Movement: 14 Ways to Advance Climate Action
Credit: This work is a product of the staff of The World Bank with external contributions. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this work do not necessarily reflect the views of the World Bank Group, its Board of Executive Directors, or the governments they represent.
Attribution – Please cite the work as follows: Connect4Climate, 2014. Knowledge4Climate Action: Proceedings and Recommendations from Be The Movement, An International Workshop. Washington, DC: Connect4Climate, World Bank Group.
