Pictures worth thousands of words

Words alone can’t possibly tell the story of youth engagement on climate. They simply can’t capture the energy, passion, emotion and creativity of young people. Fortunately, we can have words with pictures, and great ones at that. Together, they can tell that story (or at least a version of it).

2degreesC is producing a photographic story that presents a powerful and inspiring story of youth engagement on climate change. A spoken word production debuted at the Asian Youth Climate Summit in Hong Kong in July 2008 and has also featured in the United States. Additional presentations are scheduled in Canada, Germany, Wales and the Netherlands. A print exhibition is currently being developed and will be shown in Europe and North America in 2009.

Elements from these productions will also be included in a major international photographic production called POLES APART, which will launch in early 2009 and which honour and celebrate the contributions of polar science research to the betterment of society globally.

The project is somewhat unique, as it is being developed as a dynamic story that changes as the youth experience on climate change changes. “Think of any particular version of as a chapter in a book. As the youth experience on climate change evolves, new chapters will be written. So will our interpretation of the past. We can go back and re-write the past chapters,” says David Noble, who is directing the project.

It can also be adapted for different audiences and for different purposes. The initial intention was to use the photo story as a tool for inspiring youth engagement and for fundraising for developing country youth participation in the international process. Noble is now working on a version that frames the youth experience in terms of  ‘active citizenship’ and ‘public diplomacy’. “I think this will increase the legitimacy of youth participation in the international process. This isn’t about young people painting their faces and holding up signs – its about young people participating in the ongoing conversation about the world we want and how to create it.”

The first generation draws heavily from the work of Robert vanWaarden, who photographed much of the youth experience at the Bali climate negotiations in 2007. Additional photographs are from avaaz.org and Maia Green.