The World Meteorological Organization joined forces with the UN Development Programme and the Weather Company to launch a new Weather Kids campaign ahead of World Meteorological Day on 23 March ,taking the theme “At the Frontline of Climate Action”.
Desighed to emulate weather reports television viewers see every day, the Weather Kids campaign will feature children from around the world reading a fictitious – but scientifically-based – weather forecast warning viewers on the climate crisis as well as actions to combat them.The Weather Kids will air on news channels in more than 80 countries around the world.
“The climate crisis is the defining challenge that humanity faces and is closely intertwined with the inequality crisis. The year 2023 was by far the hottest on record, as were the last 9 years. Extreme weather events are increasing, and have huge socio-economic impacts .Our decisions today will shape the future of many generations to come. This campaign is a call to urgent action for the sake of people and the planet,” said Celeste Saulo, Secretary General, World Meteorological Organization (WMO) .
The campaign is part of UNDP’s efforts to boost awareness , inspire public conversation and mobilisation around the world to take meaningful climate action for future generations.
The Weather Channel also had support from different global celebrities and UNDP Goodwill Ambassadors, including Oscar-winning Malaysian actor Michelle Yeoh, American actor Connie Briton and Danish actor NikolajCoster-Waldau.
“While their weather reports are fictional for now, it is crucial for us to takemeaningful action to protect the planet for our children and future generations and mitigate the effects of the current climate crisis. I encourage everyone to sign the climate action pledge. Let’s stand together, empower vulnerable communities, and drive meaningful change for our planet’s future.” Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, actor and UNDP Goodwill Ambassador.
In their report, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), confirmed that 2023 was the warmest year on record.Warming rates show a particularly strong increase in the past two decades and expected to continue rising – a change which is irreversible on scales of hundreds to thousands of years.The impact is projected to affect 94% of the world’s children, threats to food security and a potential rise in taxpayers’ bills globally of trillions of US Dollars.
Connie Britton, actor and UNDP Goodwill Ambassador, said it was time to act upon the climate action pledges through supporting the Weather Kids campaign.
“Climate change is the defining challenge of our time, and through my work with UNDP and projects like ‘An Optimist’s Guide to the Planet,’ I’ve witnessed firsthand the resilience of communities combating environmental threats. These Weather Kids know what’s up! As most of us know we are in the midst of a climate crisis. So let’s join UNDP’s Weather Kids to increase awareness of the impacts of climate change and energize people around the world to take meaningful and urgent climate actions. Solutions already exist that can help us to cut emissions in more than half by 2030, but it’s time to act,”emphasized Britton.
The segment ends with a powerful plea from the children: “It’s not just a weather report to us. It is our future.” The campaign provides a link for adults to sign a pledge to act through voting, making financial decisions that align with sustainability, and educating themselves on climate solutions and climate action in their own country.
The launch also comes ahead of COP30 climate negotiations set to be held in Brazil 2025 while marking it’s ten-year anniversary of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement .The launch will see countries submit new plans of climate actions and goals they plan to undertake. These plans – known as ‘Nationally Determined Contributions’ (NDCs) – are at the very heart of the global fight against climate change.
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