Climate & Sustainability, What’s it All About, Albert? Climate Champ–Nemonte Nenquimo!

CLIMATE & SUSTAINABILITY

According to the group Climate & Sustainability, when people are equally convinced of the need to address the planetary emergency, it believes radical collaboration fosters decisions to build trust and unite efforts to act collectively further and faster, beyond traditional institutional boundaries.  In other words, when everybody has the right information, with help, we could all turn that into knowledge. And knowledge can lead to correct action. 

Climate & Sustainability is a Nyon, Switzerland-based non-profit. The group works to foment climate change action in four major areas. They include Real Food Systems, Education Programs, Green Recovery for Europe and Planetary Emergency Partnership. The real food systems initiative is based on the concept that science confirms fixing our current industrial food system is an immediate priority, and that producing adequate, healthy food to meet humankind’s nutritional needs is possible within planetary boundaries. 

The group’s education programs grow from the idea that As our children’s future is most at stake, we have the responsibility to give them the knowledge and tools to understand and act. We need to empower them in order to give them the courage to think differently, speak up and adopt sustainable behaviors in their day to day lives.  Therefore it provides teaching resources from the UN, YUNGA, the Office of Climate Education and Our Climate Our Future. 

The Green Economic Recovery in Europe program is based on three legs—building a strong economic case for green; convening, supporting and influencing policy makers; and better connecting existing networks and building a movement of green recovery champions. Primarily the goal is to make the case that stimulus packages should lead to the restoration of ecosystems, forests and land. 

The Planetary Emergency Partnership brings together leaders from governments, UN,  international organizations, business, civil society, youth movements, scientific institutions and academia. Their common objective is to secure recognition of and concomitant action on the planetary emergency – the convergence of global social inequalities, the climate crisis and vast biodiversity loss. 

And that’s why Climate & Sustainability matters to us. Great initiatives, super focus and great educational resources. 

DEEPER DIVE: Climate&Sustainability, Planetary Emergency Plan, YUNGA

WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT, ALBERT?

And yes, I know the song is really, “What’s it all about, Alfie?” Founded in 2011, Albert supports the global Film and TV industry to reduce the environmental impacts of production and to create content that supports a vision for a sustainable future. Albert believes The creative industries offer the greatest opportunity to mobilise positive action for the planet.

Its goals: 1. Inspire; empowering the industry to create content that supports a vision for a sustainable future; Restore: enabling the industry to make positive contributions to the environment while actively eliminating waste and carbon emissions from production

Albert believes The screen industries have a crucial role to play in solving climate change. Reducing the footprint of productions is important. But, by far, the greatest opportunity to make an impact is through the content we put on screen. How? Heard of product placement? It’s where companies pay to have their products placed in the hands or on the sets of movies, TV shows, etc. Albert also offers guidance on how to place the planet in the hands or in the stories of TV shows, movies, etc.

Why does Albert matter to us? Two reasons: Environmental issues are the stories of this generation. We’re calling on you to tell those stories. And its “Is Your Program Planet Friendly” tool. Actually, it’s more of a five minute game wherein creating content that sets the cultural agenda in a rapidly evolving entertainment landscape. Content that helps you connect with and grow new audiences.

Even if you’re not in the entertainment industry, check out WeAreAlbert.org. Albert works with Netflix, Viacom, UKTV, and Sony Pictures among others.

DEEPER DIVE: Albert, Earth Futures Festival

CLIMATE CHAMPION, NEMONTE NENQUIMO

Climate Champion, Nemonte Nenquimo is an Indigenous activist and member of the Waorani Nation from the Amazonian Region of Ecuador. She is the first female president of the Waorani of Pastaza (CONCONAWEP) and co-founder of the Indigenous-led nonprofit organization Ceibo Alliance. In 2020, she was named in the Time 100 list of the 100 most influential people in the world, the only Indigenous woman on the list and the second Ecuadorian to ever be named in its history. In recognition of her work, in 2020 the United Nations Environment Programme gave her the “Champions of the Earth” award in the category Inspiration and Action.[1]

Nenquimo was the plaintiff in a lawsuit against the Ecuadorian government, which culminated in a 2019 ruling that protects half a million acres of Waorani ancestral land in the Amazon rainforest from oil drilling.

The verdict that the Ecuadorian government must engage in the free, prior and informed consent process according to the standards of international law and the Constitutional Court of Ecuador before auctioning land provides a legal precedent for other Indigenous nations to counteract resource extraction within Indigenous territory. Ms Nenquimo says that from the age of five, she was encouraged by the elders to become a leader herself. “My grandfather was a leader and he protected our land from incursions from outsiders, he literally spearheaded that defence by confronting intruders, spear in hand.”

Nenquimo grew up in a society where historically, the Waorani women have been the ones to make the decisions, the men went to war. In an interview with the BBC, Nenquimo said the role of women in Waorani society continues to be a key one. “When it comes to taking decisions, the women pull no punches, and everyone listens up”.

DEEPER DIVE: Champions of the Earth, Wikipedia, BBC