Starting a few days before the 28th annual United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) and running parallel to Green Friday (24 November), Climate Week offers the inhabitants of Geneva a chance to take a closer look at climate issues. A number of solutions will be presented enabling each individual to reduce their carbon footprint and to contribute, on a personal level, to limiting the repercussions of global warning on health, the cost of raw materials and agriculture.
A necessary wake-up call
Violent storms that topple trees and cause material damage, forest fires, recurrent heatwaves and soaring tiger mosquito populations – the Swiss summer this year has painted a clear picture of the consequences of climate change.
Taking action with regard to this situation requires a general mobilization of the population:
- local inhabitants,
- civil society,
- governments,
- the business sector
are called on to take action at their own level and to whatever extent is possible.
With this in mind, the Climate Strategy of the City of Geneva includes an individual thrust devoted to mobilization.
This 1st edition of Climate Week will essentially be dedicated to themes relating to consumptionin particular food, energy, tourism and fashion. According to Mayor Alfonso Gomez, responsible for sustainable development, “This is a key thrust as it provides numerous, simple solutions that are accessible to all and that will be presented throughout the week. I firmly believe that changing our approach to consumption offers greater freedom and a means of protecting our health and well-being while allowing us to make savings.”
Understanding in order to take action
About forty free events scattered around the entire city will be organized to foster reflection, understanding, sharing and action.
Tea opening evening will take place on 22 November 2023 at the MEG. Exploring the topic of biodiversity, it will begin with a screening of “Une species à part”, a documentary series popularizing science which has won several international awards. Its designer, Franck Courchamp (ecologist and Director of Research at the CNRS) will be on hand to give a lecture and take part in the subsequent round table.
Several activities are organized by and for young people, together with the key partners Swiss Youth for Climate and Step into action. Numerous participatory workshops are on the program, such as the “safari visits” focusing on the circular economy, the creation of short films, a game about compliance with the Paris agreements and household appliance repair workshops.
Intervention by Timothy Parriqueresearcher and author or a successful work on the modern obsession with accumulation, evenings attended by celebrities such as François Gemennea Belgian specialist on climate migrations, and Jean Jouzelwho was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 with the IPCC, a workshop on sustainable theater, a meeting on environmental issues linked to digital technology, round tables on corporate sustainability: the week’s program is intended for a wide-ranging public and aims to provide anyone keen to change their habits with the necessary tools.
Climate Week is an event that meets several goals of the City of Geneva’s climate strategy. Discover all the measures of this strategy at: www.geneve.ch/strategie-climat and the full week’s program together with the list of partners at: www.week-climat.ch
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