Hollywood Takes Center Stage at Climate Week NYC
New York City's Climate Week, a massive event featuring 900 events from September 22-29, saw a significant presence from Hollywood stars, studios, and streamers. From Matt Damon and Benedict Cumberbatch to heads of sustainability at Netflix, NBCUniversal, and Paramount Global, the entertainment industry played a prominent role in discussions, speeches, film screenings, and even a vegan hot dog truck (thanks Rainn Wilson).
Hollywood's Climate Commitment
The Climate Film Festival debuted with 59 films, including Ecocide, Farming While Black, Hot & Toxic, and The Wild Robot. Wildlife filmmaker James Honeyborne delivered a keynote speech.
René Jones, chief of social impact at UTA, has been attending Climate Week since its inception and noted a recent surge in entertainment industry involvement. UTA, in partnership with its foundation, hosted a Climate Week kick-off event with Rainn Wilson, who co-founded the Climate Basecamp nonprofit. Wilson emphasized the importance of reaching the “movable middle” with engaging storytelling and activations to normalize climate science.
A Call for Action
Benedict Cumberbatch announced his support for the Green Rider campaign, urging actors to include a green clause in their contracts to prioritize climate action on set and on screen. Cumberbatch highlighted the importance of working with sustainability experts to implement scalable solutions across the industry.
Matt Damon and Water.org co-founder Gary White discussed the nonprofit's success in providing clean water to millions through microloans. Damon emphasized the importance of empowering people to solve their own problems.
Industry Leaders Take the Stage
Netflix sustainability officer Emma Stewart highlighted the company's commitment to nature-based carbon credits, emphasizing their effectiveness in restoring natural ecosystems and supporting vulnerable communities.
AJR's Adam Met, an environmental advocate, spoke at the New York Times Climate Forward conference about the band's environmental efforts on their tour, including voter registration and petition signing opportunities for fans.
Kevin Schneider of the Earth Law Center and Maya van Rossum of the Delaware Riverkeeper Network discussed legal avenues for securing protection for nature and people, emphasizing the importance of green amendments in protecting the environment.
Jennifer Strachan, CEO of Cinereach, highlighted the power of storytelling in driving cultural change and the importance of engaging audiences with compelling narratives.
Rainn Wilson, in a closing speech, emphasized the vastness of the climate crisis and the need for diverse approaches and collaborations to address it.
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