A piece of Black history and my dad’s life and death have shown me the need for new narratives.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned through my career as a storyteller, it’s this: Everyone has a story, and those stories have power. But in a society that often prioritizes science, data, news of the problem, and traditional voices over personal narratives, this essential truth is easy to overlook.

Now comes the hard part. After decades of inadequate efforts to rein in greenhouse gas emissions and slow climate change, we are running out of time. We need a new strategy. 

The 2023 UN Conference of Parties – or COP28 – like its predecessors, concluded with mixed results. Some have lauded the “historic” consensus text which includes the need to “transition” away from fossil fuels. Others have lamented the vague language and non-binding nature of the text which, once again, leaves countries with too much leeway to circumvent real action while giving the appearance of climate leadership.

From climate-fueled disasters to the just-completed COP28, climate change  has been much in the news this past year. At the same time, Project Drawdown has doubled down on our efforts to accelerate adoption of proven climate solutions.

In this latest in our series of monthly Ignite webinars, Project Drawdown executive director Jonathan Foley reflects on climate solutions action over the past year and shares exciting plans for 2024.