UN Climate Change has unveiled a new strategy for its Entertainment and Culture for Climate Action (ECCA) initiative, seeking to use storytelling and the creative industries to strengthen public engagement on climate action.
The strategy, launched during Climate Week NYC, follows consultations with ECCA members and is built around a new ECCA Declaration aligned with Article 12 of the Paris Agreement, which calls for educating, empowering and engaging the public on climate action.
ECCA will focus on three functions: convening a global community of practice, connecting cultural sectors with the Paris process, and highlighting climate storytelling and decarbonization efforts.
Initial workstreams will cover fi lm and television, music and visual arts, with others to follow.
A Steering Committee and annual workplans will guide implementation beginning at COP31.
UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell said climate action needed imagination as well as policy, investment and technology, noting that creative and cultural sectors can reach audiences in ways that formal climate negotiations cannot.
The strategy also advances ECCA’s Accelerator City initiative.
Liverpool, the fi rst Accelerator City, piloted nine decarbonization projects in live music and screen production.
Criteria for selecting the next Accelerator City or cities will be announced at COP31 in Trkiye in November, with applications to follow.
The strategy sets a vision through 2030.