Untold stories: climate activism and the brutal realities of loss and damage
People in the least developed countries (LDCs) have done the least to cause the climate crisis. Yet they suffer its worst impacts. This online event saw activists in the Solomon Islands, Rwanda and Sierra Leone bring their unseen stories to life in a series of powerful animations.
This event brought together activists from the Solomon Islands, Rwanda and Sierra Leone to showcase a series of animations and provided space for a conversation about the loss and damage caused by the climate crisis.
The impacts of climate change are vast. Some – like sea-level rise, ocean acidification and desertification – manifest slowly. Others – like hurricanes, cyclones, drought and flash flooding – hit hard and fast. The loss and damage from these impacts varies too. Some can be repaired at a cost. But others, such as the loss of human life, damage to health, destruction of crucial ecosystems, and loss of cultural heritage and indigenous knowledge, are deep and irreversible.
For people living in the LDCs, these deep and irreversible impacts – while often intangible and unmeasurable – are very real and increasingly unavoidable.
In a series of animations created by IIED and partners, the experiences of climate activists from Rwanda, Sierra Leone and the Solomon Islands are brought to life. Each animation gives us insights into what motivated them to tell their story on loss and damage, and share their hopes that they will drive action. The animations build on a series of blogs the activists published with IIED.
About the speakers
- Ineza Umuhoza Grace (Rwanda), CEO/founder of The Green Fighter, co-director of the Loss and Damage Youth Coalition
- Gabriel Kpaka (Sierra Leone), UNFCCC focal point for Sierra Leone
- Gladys Habu (Solomon Islands), UNICEF Pacific Ambassador, climate activist, Miss Solomon Islands 2019/2020 (pre-recorded remarks)
- Brianna Craft (moderator), senior researcher, IIED's Climate Change research group
Event coverage
Watch a recording of the event below. The video is also available on IIED's YouTube channel where you can find links to take you straight to the contributions of each of the key speakers and the question-and-answer session.
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Contact
Anne Schulthess ([email protected]), marketing manager, IIED's Communications Group