With World Environment Day on 5 June and the UK hosting the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow in November, the British Council launches ‘The Climate Connection’ campaign.

Running until COP26 summit, the campaign kicks off with The Climate Connection: Conversation for Change, a free online event on Thursday 3 June 2021 from 16.00 to 17.30 featuring COP26 president, Alok Sharma; and author and activist, Neil Gaiman, among others. Follow this link to register.

Through ‘The Climate Connection’, the British Council brings together people from around the world to share their ideas and perspectives on climate change, and to look for solutions through global conversations, art and science showcases, university scholarships, funding, research, and training opportunities.

‘We will draw on our expertise in education, the arts, and cultural exchange, to support people everywhere to find innovative solutions to the biggest global emergency we face,’ said Kate Ewart-Biggs, British Council Interim Chief Executive.

Aside from the campaign and regular programmes, the British Council contributes to environmental protection and climate change solutions by exploring how they can deliver their everyday work sustainably.

‘We recognise that our activities impact the environment. We are committed to managing and minimising that impact,’ shared Pilar Aramayo-Prudencio, British Council in the Philippines Country Director. ‘In the Philippines, we work from home as much as we can especially during this time and we travel only when it is absolutely necessary. Our examiners now facilitate IELTS speaking tests for test takers across the Philippines via video conferencing, while we also encourage taking IELTS on computer rather than IELTS on paper. At the office, we reduce our energy, water consumption and waste. When procuring, we take into account environmental and sustainability factors.’

The Climate Connection campaign includes other initiatives such as:

• 17 Creative Commissions from the UK and 28 countries. These projects explore solutions to climate migration, plastic pollution, coastal erosion, deforestation, biodiversity loss, air pollution, wildfire and melting glaciers through art, science and digital technology. The Philippines’ Komiket together with UK’s Lakes Arts Festivals and Creative Concern was chosen for their digital comic anthology ‘10 years to save the world’ to inspire climate change action in young people.

• Green Careers support young people to build successful careers that help the planet through advice on education opportunities and routes to green jobs. A webinar was held earlier this year featuring our very own Newton PhD alumnus Jhud Mikhail Aberilla from the University of the Philippines Diliman. He is working on sustainable production and consumption, with a focus on developing communities.

• FameLab Climate Change Communicators is an exciting competition and training programme for early career researchers, scientists and advocates for climate change. This will be launched in June.

To learn more about The Climate Connection campaign, please visit: www.britishcouncil.org/climate-connection.