C40 Cities is delighted to announce an upcoming series produced for them by BBC StoryWorks, the award-winning commercial studio of BBC Global News, exploring how cities around the world are delivering inclusive climate action. The series will go live on a dedicated microsite on BBC.com later this year, with a launch event anticipated at the World Mayors Summit in Buenos Aires in October 2022. C40 will be working alongside the BBC StoryWorks team as they develop the series for its cities, who will have the opportunity to propose stories for potential inclusion.
With the scale of the climate crisis becoming increasingly clear, and its impact on inequality exacerbated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the need for far-reaching and transformative solutions have never been more urgent. The combined effects of the climate and pandemic crises are felt most acutely in the world’s cities, in which social and environmental challenges undermine residents’ quality of life. At the same time, these cities are at the leading edge of climate action, using their influence and agility to effect rapid change through innovation, partnerships, and policy. Driven by city leaders alongside a broad coalition of stakeholders, these cities are using the resources at their disposal to deliver a vision of climate action that is rooted in equity, and builds a more resilient and equitable future for all.
BBC StoryWorks is to produce a series of in-depth written and audio pieces and vivid short films for C40 Cities, spotlighting innovative, impactful and inclusive solutions emerging from cities to help achieve vital climate targets, improve the health, wealth and happiness of city residents, and build strong, fairer economies that work for everyone. The series will showcase some of the most ambitious action taken by cities around the world by bringing case studies to the screen, uncovering the untold stories of those most affected by the climate crisis, along with the inspiring individuals, communities and organisations that are delivering meaningful and ambitious climate action. Taken together, the stories will be a powerful showcase of how these cities are moving toward a green and just future: as leaders collaborate with stakeholders from labour groups, industry, and youth; integrate their cities behind a common purpose; and improve the quality of life for urban residents.
The series will be hosted on a dynamic and immersive commercial microsite on BBC.com, which will launch at the World Mayors Summit in Buenos Aires in October 2022. A year-long campaign will drive relevant audiences to the site from among BBC.com’s 130 million monthly users, alongside coordinated communications from C40’s cities and their network. The site will continue to be updated following the campaign launch, as new stories of impactful climate and social action emerge.
Cities within the C40 network and their partners will shortly be invited to propose stories of positive change across key impact areas: climate resilience, urban mobility, energy, the built environment, food systems, air quality and waste management. Those selected will have the opportunity to engage BBC StoryWorks Commercial Productions’ creative teams to develop pieces for the series.
Mark Watts, Executive Director of C40 Cities, said: “As the timeframe for climate action narrows day by day, it is global cities who are stepping up, delivering science-based emissions cuts and achieving better health, equity and quality of life for their residents. I am absolutely delighted that C40 is working with BBC StoryWorks to tell these stories and showcase city leadership on climate.”
Simon Shelley, VP Programme Partnerships at BBC Global News, said: “Cities are striving to meet the challenge of environmental and societal change at scale with speed and effectiveness. We’re thrilled to be working with C40 Cities to develop a series charting the positive changes in cities across the globe, as they seek integrated and collaborative solutions that are improving the health of people and the planet. We hope this will be an inspiring and hopeful watch for BBC.com audiences as we celebrate our centenary”.
We look forward to engaging cities and their residents across the world with these inspiring stories later this year.
For further information, please contact:
- Elan Shuker, Series Development Lead at BBC Global News, elan.shuker@bbc.com
- Matthew Kendall, C40 Senior Content Strategist, mkendall@c40.org
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