Until recently, Antarctica stood as a symbol of resilience against the impacts of climate change. However, a recent study published in Current Biology has unveiled unsettling news. Native species of flowering plants, specifically Antarctic Pearlwort and Antarctic Hair Grass, have experienced unprecedented growth rates from 2006 to 2019, challenging the perception of Antarctica’s climate resistance.
In alignment with COP28, the annual climate action conference, Environmental Leadership Canada (ELC) collaborates with Zulu Alpha Kilo’s Toronto and New York offices to present “The Planet’s Scariest Bouquet.” This campaign aims to spotlight the profound consequences of climate change and inspire urgent action, emphasizing the need for environmental leadership.
Beata Rasitsan, Communications Director at ELC, emphasizes the campaign’s dual purpose: inspiration and action. The goal is to motivate people to demand decisive action from elected leaders. The heart of the campaign revolves around “The Planet’s Scariest Bouquet,” a digital film featuring the thriving Antarctic flowers. The film challenges the conventional meaning of flowers, usually associated with expressions of love, sympathy, and gratitude. Instead, this bouquet symbolizes inaction, a consequence of climate change.
ELC encourages individuals to send digital versions of the bouquet to their government representatives, reinforcing the call for ambitious leadership at COP28 and beyond. A physical replica of the Antarctic flowers will be displayed at the climate conference as a stark reminder of the urgency to address climate issues.
Two recent UN reports underscore the significance of Canadian leadership in addressing climate change. The Emissions Gap report highlights the global trajectory towards a 2.9°C temperature increase by the century’s end. The Production Gap report projects a 25% increase in Canada’s oil production by 2035. ELC advocates for Canada to play a pivotal role in global climate action.
“Clearly Canada needs to step up the scale and pace of climate action and do our fair share on the world stage,” asserts Beata Rasitsan. ELC aims to counter the influence of the oil and gas lobby by amplifying the voices of Canadians expecting ambitious environmental leadership.
As a charitable organization focused on nurturing environmental leaders and enhancing civic engagement, ELC is committed to making politics work for the planet’s health.
Individuals are invited to share campaign messages with elected leaders via email or social media. Digital versions of “The Planet’s Scariest Bouquet” can be personalized at ScariestBouquet.com to send messages to world leaders.
Zak Mroueh, founder and creative chairman of Zulu Alpha Kilo, expresses the team’s commitment to sharing the story of flowers thriving in Antarctica, a compelling narrative for COP28. The film, produced in-house by Zulubot, is supported by additional social and digital executions.
Visit EnvironmentalLeadership.ca to delve into the campaign and its vital mission.
This impactful campaign, titled ‘The Planet’s Scariest Bouquet,’ was unveiled in Canada in November 2023, marking a crucial initiative by Environmental Leadership Canada and Zulu Alpha Kilo in the realm of public interest and non-governmental organizations.
