Untold stories: climate activism and the brutal realities of loss and damage

Webinar

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.

Online
Last updated 1 October 2021
Cartoon head and shoulders of four people on a green background

People who live in least developed countries will share their lived experience at an online event (Image: The Like Minded/IIED)

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

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.  

IIED events newsletter

Sign up to our mailing list for updates and invitations to events throughout the year, including webinars, critical themes and debriefs.

Contact

Anne Schulthess (anne.schulthess@iied.org), marketing manager, IIED's Communications Group