Big headlines and news bites concerning COP21 abound. With roughly 50,000 people in Paris for the summit, and countless others networked indirectly, it’s the lesser-heard voices bubbling beneath the surface that bring the big stories to life. Canadian student movements, the Arctic Indigenous, and just-plain-clever climate reporters have lots to say. Here’s where to hear them.
On the ground
#COP21
News / @COP21_News
The most up-to-date news on the COP21 conference
and its progress on the climate file.
Christiana
Figueres/@CFigueres
News from the Executive Secretary of the UN
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) herself.
Catherine McKenna/@cathmckenna
Canada’s Minister of the Environment and Climate Change already spent a few days in Paris earlier this month alongside fellow ministers in preparation for the conference.
Civil society
Coalition Climat 21/@Climat21
Paris 2015 will have an unprecedented number of protests, art, and civil disobedience. To follow the voices and actions of civil-society, follow these organizers of citizen mobilization.
350 dot org/@350
When it comes to global climate movements, Bill McKibben’s 350.org cannot be ignored. This nonprofit is named after the now surpassed “safe limit” of 350 parts per million CO2 in theatmosphere. Follow their live blog throughout COP21 at: http://350.org/paris-live-blog/
Canadian Youth Delegation/@CYD_DJC
The Canadian Youth Delegation is the voice of the Canadian youth climate movement at COP21. They are a coalition of organizations such as the Council of Canadians, Bringing Youth Towards Equality (BYTE) and student groups like the Canadian Federation of Students, but also include individual youth members.
The Arctic Institute/@ArcticInstitute
The Arctic Institute is an independent research centre that understands disproportionate effects of climate disruption in the region will have lasting impacts on international relations, economics and human rights.
Best in media
Climate Desk/@ClimateDesk
This climate desk is a journalistic consortium of some of the best in media: Slate, Mother Jones, Grist, The Atlantic and the Huffington Post. Their mission is to counter “fractured and compartmentalized” environmental coverage.
See: Indonesia Fires Seen From a Million Miles Away, and The World’s Plan to Save Itself, in 6 Charts.
RCI- Eye on the Arctic/@eyeonthearctic
The Arctic is ground zero for climate disruption. While we all focus attention on the heavy-emitter and economically-powerful states, the urgency facing the Arctic and its peoples is often ignored. The Radio Canada International web site, Eye on the Arctic “brings together circumpolar media focused on the Arctic and climate adaptation.”
See: Fossil-Free Sweden initiative aims to lead by example
Inter Press Service/@ipsnews
News from the Global South often falls off the mainstream climate press radar. IPS has local correspondents in more than 400 locations, and is funded by an assembly of individual nations and the UN.
See: Central America Seeks Recognition of Its Vulnerability to Climate Change
Yale Environment 360/@YaleE360
This publication of the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies publishes innovative research-based reports on climate change.
See : A Tale of Two Northern European Cities: Meeting the Challenges of Sea Level Rise.
Road to Paris/@road2paris
An International Council for Science @ICSUnews media project, Road to Paris focuses on “what is new and under-reported in this fast changing space where science, politics and economics collide.”
See: Is your pension fund safe from climate change? Fiduciary duty is the key
Notable individuals
Brad Plumer/@bradplumer
Brad Plumer is a senior editor for Vox, self-described as “on the apocalypse beat.”
See: Low prices are squeezing Canada’s oil sands industry. Shell’s the latest casualty.
Assaad Razzouk/@AssaadRazzouk
This Singapore-based journalist and co-founder of a global clean energy company covers climate change, natural capital and clean energy, often for The Independent.
See: If you’re worried about immigration, then you should be terrified about climate change
Elizabeth May/@ElizabethMay
The leader of the Green Party and Saanich-Gulf Islands MP is a prolific tweeter with plenty to say on the environment. She will also be a delegate at COP21.
Open Canada/@OpenCanada
And of course, don’t forget Canada’s online hub for international affairs.
See: All Eyes on COP21
