ActNowFilm to premiere at COP29

Youth leaders from around the planet join world figures atthe COP29 premiere of a new film demanding global negotiators give young people a say in their own future.

From Portugal to The Gambia, the young people featured in ActNowFilm, offer their compelling personal stories alongside insights from climate actors on the world stage, like Former Ireland President Mary Robinson, African indigenous leader Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim and Paris agreement architect Christiana Figueres.

Both groups express their frustration over the slow pace of current global action to reduce emissions and protect life on Earth.

The film shines a light on youth leaders like Mariana Gomes, who leads a lawsuit against the Portuguese state for non-compliance with National Climate Law.

“Young people need to be at the negotiating table because it's our future that is being discussed,” Gomes said.

“We need to be there, we need to have a voice and be taken seriously."
Mariana Gomes

Mariana Gomes at COP28 UAE/Credit Mariana Gomes

Also featured in the film is Dawda Cham, a Gambian environment and climate youth leader.

“I have seen first-hand the harsh impact of climate change," he said. "Two of my brothers died trying to migrate away from The Gambia, because of the devastation climate change is causing."

ActNowFilm premieres on 16^th November in the 6^th Capacity-Building Hub at the COP29 climate conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, where some of the youth leaders in the film will be available to speak and offer interviews.

ActNowFilm: Youth Climate Leaders as Agents of Change was produced by the University of Bath Institute for Policy Research (IPR) and Cambridge Zero, working with Drummer Television.

“ActNowFilm tells the inspiring personal accounts of young people striving to counter the devastating impacts of climate change on them and the people in their communities,” said Dr Amy Munro-Faure, Co-Director of the ActNowFilm Project.

It is the fourth film from the ActNowFilm Project, launched in 2021, and it showcases the work of eight young people aged 18-35 years old, who come from every continent except Antarctica, as well as experts in climate change.

Dawda Cham on beach clean up in The Gambia/Credit Dawda Cham

“Things will only get worse until the world unites to truly take decisive action.”

Dawda Cham

Mary Robinson the former President of Ireland, former Chair of The Elders, and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and Envoy on Climate Change, appears in the film speaking about global governance.

"Young people must be included in the negotiations that will decide the future of our world," Robinson said.

Youth climate leader Nisreen Elsaim/Credit Nisreen Elsaim

"Young people must be included in the negotiations that will decide the future of our world.”

Mary Robinson

Cambridge Zero is the University of Cambridge’s ambitious climate change initiative, harnessing the power of research to tackle climate change at one of the top global research universities in the world.