To mark the start of COP28, Oxfam and short film eco-streamers WaterBear have released a series of animated films to amplify the voices of global climate activists.
The series supports Oxfam’s ‘Make Polluters Pay’ campaign, which calls on the public to urge UK prime minister Rishi Sunak to increase taxes on the biggest and richest polluters, including fossil fuel companies, in order to help tackle the rising costs of climate change.
The inaugural series of vivid animated short films sees activists partner with specialised animators to recount stories about their experiences tackling the impacts of climate change in the Philippines, Peru and Kenya.
Available to stream on Waterbear from 8 December, ‘Climate Dispatches’ aims to engage a broader audience through multimedia techniques, including audio postcards, short films of spoken word and playful animation.
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Episode one showcases the overwhelming devastation to activist Marinel Ubaldo’s community in the Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan.
The second episode is an experimental 3D story told in Spanish which documents biodiversity in the Peruvian Amazon and Pavel Matiarena’s efforts to protect it from large corporations, whilst the third episode reflects on Kenyan communities like those of Abigael Kima before and after climate change in weather patterns.
“Communities devastated by global warming have long been sidelined in critical climate talks. At COP28, our films aim to inspire those in power to truly hear the real-life stories of Earth defenders,” said WaterBear CEO Sam Sutaria.
“Harnessing the power of forward-thinking digital art, these beautifully crafted animations don’t simply chronicle adversity; they serve as a stirring call to arms, illustrating that a brighter planet and future are achievable through collective action,” he continued.
“While one voice might not wield much influence, united voices can dismantle even the most formidable fossil fuel giants.”
Oxfam head of Creative Hub Alya Al-Khatib said: “Climate activists like Marinel, Abigael and Pavel deserve to have their voices and their stories heard – particularly in crucial climate talks like COP.”
“These films are a new and powerful way of sharing those stories, connecting more people who care desperately about our future and our planet, and collectively calling on the biggest and richest polluters to pay for urgent climate action through fairer taxes.”
