"It is we the people versus the polluters and the profiteers. Together, we can win.  But it’s time for leaders to decide whose side they’re on. Tomorrow it will be too late. Now is the time to mobilize, now is the time to act, now is the time to deliver. This is our moment of truth." UN Secretary General António Guterres’s special address on climate action, "A Moment of Truth," 6/5/2024  

Today, a handful of powerful people and companies are determining whether 8 billion people have a climate safe future.  

These powerful people are the leaders of the G20, those attending COP29 and next year’s COP30 – a handful of very wealthy individuals and representatives of Big Oil and Gas. Together, they are making commitments, signing deals and giving lip service to reducing carbon emissions,  yet they are not delivering. The Guardian recently reported that just 57 state-owned, shareholder-owned and private oil, gas and cement companies have contributed 80% of greenhouse gasses since 2016 .  

Would you be surprised to learn that 89% of people around the world want their governments to do more to fight the climate crisis?  I certainly was.  It can feel like seeking to build a climate safe future is a lone cause. But If 89% of people want their governments to do more, that means nearly 7.1 billion people are demanding action. 

If we come together, we can shift the balance of power from a handful of people to the mobilized majority, even in this contentious political environment.  

And here’s where those of us in the marketing, media and advertising community come in. We have a responsibility to help people realize that they are not alone, that we all want a climate safe future for ourselves, our families and future generations.   

We are uniquely set up to motivate the public. We have the expertise. Creativity and communication as a discipline for action is a unique skill. It has been used powerfully over the last 100 years for the good and the bad.  

It has helped products and services get into the hands of people who need them. It has been used to raise awareness and money during times of need.  

And…it has been used to sell cigarettes as a healthy weight loss alternative. It has been used to spread misinformation. It has been used to greenwash. Big oil and gas spend huge advertising budgets to convince people they are good global citizens promoting alternative fuel options, yet they invest just 2.5% of their capital, collectively, in renewables. They spend almost half as much advertising their small investments.  Yes, right now, making oil is more profitable than saving the planet. But for how long?  

 Climate shocks are increasing, unpredictable weather patterns are affecting food security, access to water, health, education, livelihoods and economies worldwide. And while these climate shocks are impacting all of us, they are disproportionately impacting people on the front lines - Indigenous communities, people in poverty and especially women and girls.  

The time is now to challenge the status quo, to use our collective powers as an industry to help build a climate safe future for everyone. As Antionio Guterres says ‘This is our moment of truth’.