With no time to lose, we're making every year count.
New Lifeline in Union Square, NYC.
Climate Clock is officially one year old! One year of equipping the climate justice movement with an iconic and powerful tool that invites the world to understand the critical time window for global climate action, and take action towards a just and equitable transition, the end of fossil fuels, and a safe climate future.
In just one year, we’ve gone from a viral moment to a powerful movement, building partnerships with a diverse array of climate activists, global Ambassadors, government officials, and partners across the globe. A quick rundown of some of the year’s highlights include:
Launching four Monumental Climate Clock displays in New York City, Rome, Seoul, and Glasgow;
Driving #ActInTime campaigns across every continent (yes, that does mean we have plans for Antarctica!);
Building a network of 20+ active regional Climate Clock hubs, using portable “action” clocks to pressure decision makers and educate their community. Many are actively campaigning for a Monumental Clock in their city, to place our climate challenge in the very center of public life a keep us all accountable to it;
Updating the Climate Clock’s data model and introducing a NEW Lifeline to the Climate Clock!
Living up to our credo — “One Deadline, Many Lifelines” — the Clock now has two Lifelines: the Renewable Energy Lifeline, which shows the percent of global energy coming from renewable sources, and a new Lifeline, just launched this week, which shows the amount of money wealthy countries have contributed to the Green Climate Fund. At a current confirmed total of $9.52 billion pledged, the Green Climate Fund is woefully underfunded from the goal of $100 billion/year by 2020 pledged by developed countries. As world leaders assemble for high-level talks at the UN today, the very latest analysis indicates that rich countries will continue to miss this longstanding $100B/yr pledge for another four years.
With less than 50 days until the critical COP26 UN climate conference, the new Lifeline is one of many Climate Clock efforts worldwide to raise the climate ambitions of governments around the world. Two weeks ago, the Climate Clock was carried through Brazil’s capital at the largest gathering of Indigenous people in the history of the country. Next week, Climate Clock Ambassador to Ghana, Ghanaian music star, and Obama Presidential Award Winner, Okyeame Kwame, will introduce the Climate Clock to a global audience of 10 million at the Global Citizen Festival on September 25. And in Glasgow, preparations are under way to install a second Monumental Climate Clock within sight of the COP26 conference, distribute portable action clocks to climate justice activists and bring the Climate Clock into the UN negotiations themselves.
Samela Awía holding the action clock at the Indigenous Women's March, Brazil.
One year on, the Clock’s existing Deadline has also been adjusted to conform with the latest up-to-date climate science from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s new report, which the UN chief described as a “code red for humanity.” Due to methodological advancements in the Sixth Assessment Report, and the temporary economic slowdown caused by COVID, the Deadline on the Climate Clock has actually increased to 7 years 300 days. According tothe MCC, the scientific agency upon which the Climate Clock’s carbon budget calculations are based, “the remaining budget for emissions is slightly larger than previously calculated. But climate impacts are even more serious.”
With no time to lose, we're making every year and every second count. And so can you. Display the digital clock on your organization's website, share Climate Clock on social media with the #ActInTime hashtag, and most importantly, don't let the bastards grind you down!
Each day, the Climate Clock movement grows larger — and every day we tap into ongoing climate justice campaigns and creative initiatives from all over the world. Climate Clock HQ is thrilled to start sharing these inspiring stories with you, so keep an eye out in your inbox for ways to stay engaged and reasons to believe that we can — and will — win this fight, one way or another.
#ActInTimeGhana members with the action clock, Accra.
