The aim of the project is to demand global leaders act to combat climate change at COP21 in December.
Al Gore, chairman of The Climate Reality Project, will host 24 Hours of Reality and Live Earth: The World is Watching, a live streamed event from Paris. Each hour will focus on the local and global impacts of climate change, as well as the promising solutions that can be found around the world and in South Africa.
Airing two weeks prior to the monumental Paris climate negotiations, the event will serve to remind global leaders that the world is watching. Featuring stories from around the world, presentations by global climate leaders, renowned musical acts, interactive components and celebrity video segments, this year's 24 Hours of Reality will be the most expansive yet. The time has come for countries, including South Africa, to take significant action and make strong commitments to reduce emissions, combat climate change and set us on a path towards a better future.
"We have been focused during the last year on improving the chances for success at the Paris negotiations, and building the political will necessary for significant action at COP21," said Gore.
"When global leaders arrive in Paris for the most significant round of climate negotiations for the last two decades, we will truly be at a turning point. Millions of individuals worldwide have called for a strong emissions reductions agreement at COP21. We are working to make sure those requests are honored so we can move on to the next phase of our journey to a healthy and prosperous future."
"Working with over fifty coalition partners towards more climate action and awareness, The African Climate Reality Project hopes that strong, equitable and binding agreements will come out of COP21," said Jeunesse Park, branch manager at the African Climate Reality Project, a programme of Food & Trees for Africa. "Our call for more renewable energy to lower South Africa's carbon emissions and address our energy crisis, improve lives and reduce poverty is being heard, and is one of our country's successful solutions to dealing with climate change."
Adding South African voices to the global refrain ahead of COP21 will raise awareness of the significant impacts of climate change while also examining both local and global solutions to put us in the best position possible to make a global impact.
