Mary Robinson launches ActNowFilm at COP28
8 December 2023, Dubai
ActNowFilm launched at COP28 with an address from former Ireland President Mary Robinson, who urged world leaders to include young people in the climate negotiations that will decide their future.
ActNowFilm features young people from Lesotho to London in candid conversations with world figures, such as Robinson (Chair of The Elders) and Christiana Figueres, architect of the 2015 Paris Agreement and Chair of Prince William's Earthshot Prize.
In ActNowFilm, young people and global climate experts tell each other about their personal experiences of the devastating effects of climate change and express their frustration over the slow pace of current global action to reduce emissions and protect life on Earth.
Youth leaders like Moliehi Mafantiri from Lesotho, express confidence in the younger generation's ability to drive change at a faster pace. Experienced players on the world stage say young people must be included in the efforts to secure their own future.
“I find hope in the actions of youth that we are brave enough to take governments to task. We simply need to work together, learn from each other from across regions. There is far more that unites us than that which divides us.”
"We need to work quickly and we need to combine the energies, talents and insights of every generation."
Mary Robinson
ActNowFilm producers and participants at the COP28 premiere in Dubai
ActNowFilm producers and participants at the COP28 premiere in Dubai
Some of the participants involved in the film
Some of the participants involved in the film
The film sees 30 pairs of youth climate leaders and leaders of indigenous communities, in business, policy, activism, the third sector, international organisations and academia put their heads together on climate change.
Youth climate leaders who contribute to ActNowFilm also include Inés Yábar, who successfully campaigned for Peru to ban single-use plastic bags and Raina Ivanova, a climate justice activist from Germany who was part of the ‘Children vs. Climate Crisis’ petition, alongside Greta Thunberg.
Three of the young people featured in the film are also part of the COP28 International Youth Climate Delegate Program, as well as youth founders of start-ups and charity foundations, Forbes 30 under 30 winners, and UN youth ambassadors and delegates.
The 30-minute “Act Now” film was led by Cambridge Zero, the University of Cambridge's climate change initiative, and the University of Bath Institute for Policy Research (IPR). The film was supported by the UK Universities Climate Network (UUCN), in partnership with One Young World, and produced by Octopus Films.
The UAE is hosting COP28 from 30 November to 12 December, where governments from nearly 200 countries across the world are negotiating the actions needed to address the climate crisis.
“The young people in ActNowFilm understand what action is needed, have witnessed first-hand the destructive effects of climate change and are determined to influence the agreements that will define their future on this Earth."
Dr Amy Munro-Faure,
Cambridge Zero Head of Education and Student Engagement.
ActNowFilm lead from the University of Cambridge.
ActNowFilm was selected to screen in the Green Zone, Terra Auditorium, on Friday 8 December as part of COP28’s Youth, Children, Education and Skills Day. The film will also screen at COP28 on Saturday 9 December 15:00-16:30 in the GAUC Pavilion.
ActNowFilm is available to stream online now. Click on the play button below or find it online here.
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.
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