UN Flips the Script on Climate Action With New Film and TV Committee

The world’s storytellers are taking center stage in the fight against climate change. In a significant step towards leveraging popular culture for global good, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has announced its first-ever Film and Television Steering Committee.

—

Following the enthusiasm for the Climate Content Pledge launched at COP26, and building on the recent success of the Entertainment+ Culture Pavillions, the new initiative aims to harness the unparalleled power of entertainment to accelerate climate awareness and action on a global scale.

The Film and Television Steering Committee is a key component of the UN’s Entertainment and Culture for Climate Action (ECCA) alliance, which seeks to engage creative industries in the implementation of the Paris Agreement. It is also part of the Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) initiative, which aims to empower all members of society to engage in climate action through education, public awareness, training, public participation, public access to information, and international cooperation.

By uniting filmmakers, producers, and other entertainment professionals, the committee aims to promote sustainable production practices and foster storytelling that inspires climate awareness and action. 

The development follows the recent formation of the Art Charter for Climate Action (ACCA) – the visual arts pillar of the ECCA alliance. 

Together, these initiatives represent a long-awaited, and concerted effort to leverage culture to its full capacity in the fight against climate change. By bringing together behavioral scientists, media creators, and visual artists, the UN is taking steps to ensure that climate stories not only reach wide audiences but also lead to meaningful action.

The newly elected Committee members represent a diverse group of leaders from across the globe who bring a wealth of experience at the intersection of entertainment, culture, and climate action.

Speaking about the initiative, new Committee member Tamseel Hussain, CEO & Founder of PLUC.TV said: “As someone who has been working on community storytelling and decentralising the production ecosystem for over 7 years through pluc.tv, I am excited to take on the role. I feel we can increase Global South representation and include more production houses/studios and other stakeholders from the region in the global endeavour to reduce emissions and promote sustainability narratives across the film and TV industry. The entertainment industry globally has taken steps already on this and I am excited to see how we can achieve more impact together in the coming years.”

Committee member Rezwan Shahriar Sumit, a Bangladeshi filmmaker and producer at mypixelstory, also sees the initiative as an opportunity to elevate Global South voices on the world stage.

“It’s pretty surprising how few stories come from countries on the frontlines of the climate crisis. Let’s exclude branded content, advocacy films, and news bites for a moment. We have barely scratched the surface of artistic forms such as fiction, comics, poems, music and paintings, that showcase our unique firsthand perspectives and help to create a more balanced view that highlights BOTH the struggles and the opportunities in our communities.”

Sumit celebrated the inclusion of frontline youth leaders in climate storytelling, saying the new space will allow people to “come together, share ideas, have discussions, and really influence how stories are crafted and shared.”

After co-producing Stories to Save the World, hosting Climate Storytelling Sessions at Solutions House for NYC Climate Week, and cameoing on The Apprentice, Chief Solutions Officer of Futerra and author of The Solutionists Solitaire Townsend is excited to contribute to the UN’s latest initiative as a Committee Member.

“Imagination is our ultimate renewable resource. This new committee will work to inspire the power of Film & TV to stir our hearts, thrill our senses, and inspire action. Solving climate change is the greatest adventure story of our time,” she said. 

The ECCA Film & TV Steering Committee will play a pivotal role in promoting sustainable production practices, fostering innovative collaboration, and supporting storytelling professionals who seek to inspire climate awareness and action through the narrative power of film and television. It represents the first coordinated effort to nurture industry-wide environmental action on an international scale.

This initiative comes at a time when the entertainment industry is increasingly recognizing its role in addressing climate change. From sustainable production practices to climate-themed content, writers, producers, and directors are evolving to meet the challenges of our time

The entertainment industry has always shaped the way we see the world. Now, with the growing climate storytelling movement and the UN’s Film and Television Steering Committee at the helm, it might help shape how we save it. 

Featured image: Mark Speight/IPCC via Flickr.