Climate Action Takes Center Stage in Educational Event
The Conscious Fashion Campaign is taking a deep dive into the 13th UN Sustainable Development Goal, Climate Action, in a new virtual education experience.
Discover the SDGs – To Make Peace With Nature, produced by the Conscious Fashion Campaign in collaboration with the United Nations Office for Partnerships, is running through the month of April. The digital learning hub is in support of the Race to Zero campaign, which aims to reach carbon neutrality while also creating jobs and shared prosperity.
Part of SDG 13 is addressing climate change. If the planet warms, there are far-reaching implications, including restricting individuals’ access to fresh water and food. The 13th goal also has an economically disparate impact, since those living in developing countries will be more heavily affected by climate change.
The fashion industry has a significant impact on climate. McKinsey research indicates that the category contributes about 4 percent of total global greenhouse gas emissions, or 2.1 billion metric tons in 2018. The UN’s Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action, established in 2018, aims to bring the industry to net-zero emissions by 2050, reducing GHG emissions by 30 percent by 2030.
With an eye toward a more sustainable apparel system, the Conscious Fashion Campaign was founded to support the Decade of Action campaign that aims to fulfill the SDGs by 2030.
“I see a fashion industry that no longer accepts greenwashing campaigns; it condemns exploitive behaviors, and it works in harmony with nature versus destructive processes of production and waste,” said Kerry Bannigan, founder of Conscious Fashion Campaign. “The Sustainable Development Goals provide a framework and blueprint to guide and action solutions for social, economic and environmental change, calling on businesses, governments and citizens to promote prosperity while protecting the planet.”
At Discover the SDGs, attendees can view and hear on-demand content including short films and documentaries. Topics include the global water crisis, how textile waste travels through the secondhand market and coral bleaching. One documentary looks at how indigenous people living on the equator are fighting climate change and protecting biodiversity. As part of the video content lineup, Lenzing is sharing an inside look at how our wood-based materials are made, tracing production from trees to finished fiber. There are also podcasts with speakers from brands including Chromat, Collina Strada, Triarchy, Ansea and Arc’teryx.
Visitors can check out interactive exhibitions from the event’s partners, including TENCEL™. Participants will have the opportunity to download files to a digital briefcase to take with them and consult later.
“With our continued commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Lenzing is pleased to extend our partnership for a second session of Discover the SDGs – To Restore Our Earth,” said Tricia Carey, director global business development, denim at Lenzing. “As the fashion industry recalibrates to reduce environmental impact and raise social standards, we recognize the need to collaborate in order to reach significant goals. We look forward to an exhilarating program with global participation.”
Registration for Discover the SDGs is free. Click here to register and access the content.