Oceans

Tara’s story: A 26-year-old’s fight to unite a community to save Belize’s vital marine ecosystems

As part of the Climate Champions’-led Ocean Breakthroughs, the Edges of Earth team spent time in Belize to learn from and spotlight the incredible efforts of local leaders, including Tara Scarborough. Through interviews dives, and deep conversations, Tara shared her commitment to uniting her community to safeguard Belize’s precious marine ecosystems.

Impact Makers: Dr. Allen Hershkowitz

Meet Dr. Allen Hershkowitz, whose work is transforming how sports and culture can contribute to a more sustainable world. As the environmental adviser to the New York Yankees, NBA, and Broadway, Allen is helping iconic institutions engage millions in the climate conversation, setting new standards for environmental action in these influential spaces.

Impact Makers: Rajesh Shah

Meet Rajesh Shah, Managing Trustee of VIKAS Centre for Development, championing community-led climate resilience through the Great Green Wall of Gujarat. Rajesh’s initiative empowers marginalized communities to restore coastal ecosystems while creating sustainable livelihoods.

Race to Zero

Microsoft CSO, Melanie Nakagawa: “Sustainability is a team sport”

Over the last 20-years, my sustainability career has intersected three industries at the centre of climate action: policy, finance, and technology. Much like a team, these sectors work together, each with their unique strengths to drive climate progress at scale. But before I entered the field professionally, I began learning about sustainability and environmental protection […]

Impact Makers: Deepa Lama

Meet Deepa Lama, Co-founder and President of Kalpavaatika Society Nepal, who is championing urban sustainability by transforming kitchen waste into compost and using rooftops for farming in Kathmandu. Her project, “Enhancing Urban Sustainability through Nature-based Solutions,” empowers over 500 community members to address waste management and food security challenges by composting organic waste and cultivating rooftop gardens.

Impact Makers: Nduka Miracle

Meet Nduka Miracle, Co-founder and Director at Kitovu Technology Company, who’s transforming Africa’s agriculture sector through climate-smart solutions for smallholder farmers. Kitovu’s innovations empower farmers to boost productivity, reduce post-harvest losses, and cut emissions – paving the way for resilient, sustainable farming across Africa.

Impact Makers: Zeinaba Narabene

Meet Zeinaba Narabene, President of Réseau des Jeunes Sahéliens pour le Climat au Mali (RJSCLIM), who is leading the Green Schools Project to embed environmental education in schools across Mali. Through her GreenKids initiative, Zeinaba is empowering young students to understand and act on climate issues in their communities.

Finance

From Cali to Baku and Belém: Why we must unite both climate and biodiversity goals

Daniel D’Elia da Costa, Finance Youth Fellow with the Climate Champions Team, shares his perspective on the critical intersection of climate finance and biodiversity as we look beyond COP29. Reflecting on recent global climate events, Daniel highlights the role of the Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action in mobilizing capital for nature-based solutions and building bridges between project developers and financiers. With Brazil’s upcoming role as COP30 host, Daniel envisions a future where financial stakeholders champion both climate and biodiversity goals, transforming regional challenges into global opportunities for sustainable growth.

Six insights on green demand and systems thinking

In a world where “systems change” is frequently cited as essential for tackling global challenges, what does the term truly mean? Why do we refer to these structures as “systems,” and what does transforming them actually entail? Richard Shen, Climate Champions Systems Transformation Youth Fellow, explores these questions through a nuanced perspective on green demand and systems thinking.

Impact Makers: Franny Collingham

Meet Franny Collingham, founder of Wild Clouds, a sustainable fashion brand dedicated to reimagining design and production with sustainability at its core. Driven by a commitment to ethical practices, Franny ensures every detail – from compostable fabrics to plastic-free trims – reflects her vision of thoughtful, low-impact fashion.

Impact Makers: Shelly Jarina Kerketta

Meet Shelly Jarina Kerketta, who’s empowering rural India through clean energy. With her project, the Clean Energy-based Micro Enterprise Development project, Shelly’s helping build resilient businesses, enhance agricultural productivity, and reduce reliance on harmful fuels like kerosene.

Impact Makers: Khaled Mohamed Noby

Meet Khaled Noby Mohamed, Executive Director of Nature Conservation Egypt (NCE), where he’s working to balance renewable energy growth with biodiversity protection in Egypt. As renewable energy projects expand, Khaled is leading critical efforts to safeguard Egypt’s unique ecosystems, from migratory birds to vulnerable native species.

Impact Makers: Ramil Azmammadov

Meet Ramil Azmammadov, CEO of Dr. Agro, who’s empowering Azerbaijani farmers to make data-driven decisions for sustainable yields. Dr. Agro’s platform equips farmers with tools for crop planning, budgeting, disease alerts, and climate insights – helping them navigate challenges and increase productivity.

Impact Makers: Pablo Castellanos Ramelli

Meet Pablo Castellanos Ramelli, Co-founder and COO of BATx, who’s transforming energy sustainability in Latin America by giving EV batteries a second life. Through repair, refurbishment, and repurposing, his initiative is reducing waste, creating economic opportunities, and advancing a circular economy in Colombia and beyond.

Impact Makers: David Henry

Meet David Henry – Co-founder of ReThink Youth and CEO of Strategy Reloaded, and a dedicated advocate for sustainable agriculture in Saint Lucia.
Through the Vetiver Smart Farms initiative, David is equipping local farmers with regenerative agriculture techniques to strengthen land resilience, increase crop yields, and empower communities in the face of climate challenges

Race to Zero

Net zero leaders: Brian Unsted on driving South Africa’s real estate sector to net zero

Brian Unsted, Lead Specialist for Environmental Sustainability at Liberty 2 Degrees, shares his journey from working in finance to driving sustainability in South Africa’s real estate sector. Learn how L2D is cutting carbon emissions, transforming waste management, and leveraging solar energy to achieve ambitious net zero goals, and why Brian believes that embracing change is key to overcoming the challenges of climate action.

Race to Resilience

Race to Resilience welcomes 3 new regions as part of RegionsAdapt to boost climate resilience  in India, Senegal, and Brazil 

Three new regions — Assam (India), Louga (Senegal), and Pernambuco (Brazil) — have joined the Race to Resilience campaign through RegionsAdapt, committing to enhance climate resilience. Discover how these areas are empowering local communities, from rural farming to coastal restoration, to protect their environments and create sustainable futures.

Race to Resilience

Surf’s up, risks down: How a bold insurance plan could preserve surfing hotspots amid climate threat

Rising sea levels, more frequent storm surges, and erosion are jeopardising the intricate coastal features and ecosystems that create perfect waves, threatening both the sport and the economies it supports. In response, Race to Resilience partner, the Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance (ORRAA), are supporting Save The Waves with their pioneering and innovative insurance model in El Salvador, aimed at protecting precious surf ecosystems and the communities that depend on them. 

Transport

Electrifying Public Transport: a Route to Africa’s Just Transition

Jit Bhattacharya, co-founder of Kenya-based electric vehicle technology company, BasiGo BasiGo is an electric vehicle technology and financing company dedicated to introducing electric bus services in sub-Saharan Africa. Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, the company provides state-of-the-art, electric buses, along with charging and maintenance services for city bus operators. We spoke to BasiGo’s co-founder, Silicon-Valley innovator, […]

Oceans

Saving Cabo Pulmo, Mexico’s 20,000 year old reef: Judith’s story

As part of an ongoing series to support the Climate Champions’ Ocean Breakthroughs, the Edges of Earth expedition team met with a woman whose family has been at the centre of Cabo Pulmo for generations —Judith Castro. During their conversation, Judith talked about how she has grown up alongside Cabo Pulmo, sharing the losses and the wins — and how she and her family transformed the oldest coral reef on the west coast of North America.

Race to Zero

Universities leading the net zero transition

Smith College (Massachusetts, U.S.), Strathmore University (Nairobi, Kenya), Tecnológico de Monterrey (Monterrey, Mexico) and Western Sydney University (Sydney, Australia) are universities from across the globe with one thing in common – a commitment to decarbonize and innovate in the race to zero emissions.

Race to Resilience

The Nature Conservancy CEO, Jennifer Morris: We are in the age of adaptation

Jennifer Morris, CEO of The Nature Conservancy, addresses the urgent need for more innovative climate adaptation strategies. Morris emphasizes transforming stakeholder engagement and enhancing financial support mechanisms, advocating for governance by Indigenous Peoples and local communities. She calls for radical collaboration across governments, businesses, and civil society to address the climate crisis and close the adaptation finance gap swiftly and fairly.

Race to Zero

The Race To Zero – Mobilising ‘All Hands on Deck’

An interview with Professor Thomas Hale, University of Oxford Dr Thomas Hale is a Professor at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford, where he focuses on how societies can manage global problems effectively and fairly, with a particular emphasis on environmental, economic and health issues. To mark the 4th anniversary of the Race […]

Race to Zero

VMI: Business improves when you take climate action

Discover how VMI is leading the charge in the TV industry’s Race to Zero. From solar panels to electric fleets, learn how the cameral rental company’s sustainability mission is revolutionizing business practices, inspiring its team, and shaping a fairer and healthier future.

Race to Zero

The story of a global film and camera rental company determined to reach net zero by 2030

This month marks the fourth anniversary of the Race to Zero campaign, a global campaign to accelerate climate action across diverse sectors. VMI, a leading film and camera rental company, has been part of this journey, setting ambitious net zero targets. Over the past four years, the company has committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2030, eliminating single-use plastics, and becoming a net exporter of renewable power. This timeline highlights VMI’s milestones and ongoing efforts in its sustainability journey.

Inclusion

Introducing the 2024 Climate Champions Youth Fellows

The Climate Champions Team is proud to introduce its fourth cohort of ambitious and stubbornly optimistic Youth Fellows. These seven dynamic young professionals — aged 20 to 29 and hailing from seven countries across four continents — will work within the team supporting the UN Climate Change High-Level Champions for COP28 and COP29, H.E Razan […]

Oceans

A community’s fight for resilience: Saving Sri Lanka’s vulnerable marine ecosystems

As part of a new series to support the Ocean Breakthroughs, the UN Climate Change High-Level Champions and the Edges of Earth expedition explore how a community is adapting to and combating the impacts of climate change in the capital of Sri Lanka. The Edges of Earth team had the opportunity to spend two weeks living alongside Hafsa Jamel (pictured), learning about their work supporting local nature-based solutions that aim to mitigate climate challenges in their home country.

Race to Resilience

Revitalizing landscapes damaged by intensive agriculture in Brazil’s Paraná State

Race to Resilience partner Initiative 20×20 is working with MIROVA and the SLB Group in Brazil to restore degraded land caused by intensive agriculture in Paraná. This project seeks to rejuvenate 1,400 hectares previously used for intensive farming practices by implementing innovative forestry methods that promise greater biodiversity and environmental sustainability.

Transport

Women shaping the future of maritime: Jaeda Sutherland

To celebrate International Day for Women in Maritime 2024, the Climate Champions with Lloyd Register Foundation interviewed women steering maritime onto a cleaner and fairer future. In this interview, Jaeda Simone Sutherland, Project Officer at the Belize Port Authority explains why she’s committed to shaping a brighter, more inclusive future for generations to come.

Transport

Women shaping the future of maritime: Aideé Saucedo Dávila

To celebrate International Day for Women in Maritime 2024, the Climate Champions with Lloyd Register Foundation interviewed women steering maritime onto a cleaner and fairer future. In this interview, Aideé Saucedo Dávila, Technical Officer at the UN International Maritime Organization discusses her work in reducing emissions from international shipping and examining their potential impacts on States.

Accelerate the Race to Zero

Kadin Net Zero Hub Accelerates Indonesia’s Net Zero Journey by Joining the Race to Zero

  The Kadin Net Zero Hub, an initiative by the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin Indonesia), has taken a significant step towards supporting Indonesian businesses in their transition to net zero emissions by joining the Race to Zero campaign as an Accelerator.  Race to Zero is the largest  campaign, rallying non-State actors to […]

Race to Zero

Google CSO Kate Brandt: In 2023, terms like “carbon footprint”, “charging station” and “solar energy” reached all-time highs

Google Chief Sustainability Officer, Kate Brandt explains why a CSO’s daily work is no longer simply confined to decarbonizing a businesses. For Google this means empowering individuals, businesses, organizations and governments with quality information through products and platforms, and by helping drive systems change to accelerate climate action.

Youth & Civil Society

The Climate Champions Youth Fellowship 2024

Find out if you are eligible for our paid fellowship programme, and apply before 10pm GMT on Wednesday 10th April   Young people and future generations are environmental stewards of the future. Many are also leaders and subject matter experts today. The Climate Champions Team, in support of the UN Climate Change High-Level Champions, are […]

Water

Salt resistant crops and the race to secure the resilience of smallholder farmers in Egypt’s Nile Delta

For Egypt’s Nile Delta, a critical area for the country’s agriculture and home to a quarter of its population the impacts of climate change are looming large, posing significant threats to farming, livelihoods and even the national economy. A rise in sea level, as a result of global warming, increases the risk of saltwater intrusion, […]

Race to Resilience

Empowering Jamaica’s climate resilience through innovative green finance

Partner: YAPU Solutions Implementer: COK Sodality Co-operative Credit Union  Country & Region: Jamaica, Caribbean SAA Impact Systems: Human Settlements Impact / Beneficiaries: Members of COK Sodality Co-operative Credit Union, which includes over 275,000 individuals, encompassing Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and low-income households across Jamaica.  Jamaica, an island nation celebrated for its breathtaking landscapes […]

COP28

Race to Zero at COP28

Race to Zero showcased real economy global progress with the release of its 2023 Progress Report. Under the leadership of 26 Partners and 31 Accelerators, the campaign has nearly doubled in number since COP26, with 13,500 non-state actors from over 145 countries working towards the global halving of emissions by 2030. Race to Zero’s COP28 […]

Nature & Land Use

Voces indígenas en la COP28: “Imploramos a toda la humanidad que se una con un objetivo único: declarar, ‘Ya es suficiente'”

Tres miembros de la Delegación de la Comunidad de Primera Línea (FCD), María Pedro de Pedro, Briseida Iglesias López de Guerrero y Maricela Fernández Fernández, arrojan luz sobre las realidades urgentes enfrentadas por quienes están más directamente afectados por el cambio climático. Sus historias revelan no sólo los desafíos, sino también la resiliencia y las soluciones encontradas dentro de las comunidades de primera línea.

Nature & Land Use

Indigenous voices at COP28: “We implore all of humanity to unite with a single objective: to declare, “Enough is enough”

Three members of the Frontline Community Delegation (FCD), Maria Pedro de Pedro, Briseida Iglesias Lopez de Guerrero, and Maricela Fernández Fernández, shed light on the urgent realities faced by those most directly impacted by climate change. Their stories reveal not only the challenges but also the resilience and solutions found within frontline communities.