Force of Nature is hosting a range of cafés in order to foster conversations about the climate crisis, ahead of COP28 which is due to take place in Dubai this year.
The programme launched last year, since then, in total, over 190 individuals in 49 countries over the world have launched climate cafés.
The aim of the initiative is to encourage open conversations about the climate crisis – including how it makes people feel.
People are able to get involved by using free climate café resources on the Force of Nature website, or donating to a fundraiser.
Explaining the premise on a podcast for the publication Edie last year, Force of Nature founder Clover Hogan said: “When the business case for sustainability for sustainability does not work, when the terrifying headlines do not work, sometimes, it takes a dinner table conversation”.
COP28 has come under scrutiny due to being headed by Sultan Al Jaber, who is also chief executive of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC).
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Key issues at COP28
There have also been accusations of greenwashing levelled at the summit over changes to Al Jaber’s Wikipedia page.
Over 70 food companies including Unilever have written to call for action at the summit around and have called for food system actions to be implemented into national adaptation plans before Cop 30 in 2025.
Another key area for discussion at the summit will be fast tracking emissions reductions to meet the Paris Agreement to keep emission levels at less than 1.5C above pre-industrial levels.
Other key issues will include health, with doctors increasingly concerned about the impact of pollution on health, and green finance amid the search for new ways to finance the green energy transition.
