About our COP28 E+C Pavilion Impact Report.
Mind the Culture Gap - How Cultural Heritage, Entertainment + Storytelling Are Igniting Climate Action
Our Pavilion hosted 126 events over two weeks, contributing 40% to COP28’s cultural programs, solidifying its role as a central hub for climate discourse. With over 300 speakers from 67 countries, our programming emphasized diverse narratives’ vital role in shaping the climate conversation. We united over 175 partners worldwide, showcasing global support for culture-based climate action, particularly from the Global South. Our efforts generated 150+ press stories, potentially reaching 233 million readers, underscoring global interest in culture and climate convergence. Special thanks to our entire team, all our partners and contributors for their invaluable support.
We are publishing this report as both an act of transparency and accountability with the partners who made the inaugural E+C Pavilion possible and to welcome all interested new stakeholders to join our growing coalition. Our findings will be distributed among key stakeholders including the UNFCCC Secretariat, UN agencies, philanthropies and NGOs funding cultural and climate work as well as artists, frontline storytellers and decision makers in the creative industries.
In November 2023, we proudly unveiled the Entertainment + Culture Pavilion at COP28 in Dubai - a transformative space dedicated to harnessing the power of art, music, storytelling, and cultural heritage in addressing the pressing climate crisis. Today, we invite you to explore the groundbreaking impact of this initiative. Committed to sustaining momentum, we plan events globally to integrate culture into the environmental agenda, forging a greener future, including future E+C Pavilion editions at COP16, COP29 and COP30.
OUR
IMPACT
FROM
COP28
events
speakers
blue zone visitors
partners
advertising value
digital readers
press stories
BIPOC speakers
countries
days of programming
film screenings
housing grants
126
300
4.5k
175
2.1m
233m
150
70%
80
12
29
9
Section 1
Introduction
This impact report explores how cultural heritage, creative industries, and storytelling are catalyzing climate action, especially in settings like COP28, and with the emergence of the first-ever Entertainment + Culture Pavilion. Structured into five sections, it offers an overview of the evolving landscape of existing UNFCCC processes and identifies mission-aligned sectoral stakeholders. The aim is to provide pathways for collaboration and prevent duplication of efforts.
Section 2
Addressing the Culture Gap
The second section highlights notable shifts and milestones from previous COPs in recognizing the role of cultural heritage and the creative industries in catalyzing climate action, leading to key outcomes during COP28. The report provides an overview of mision aligned initiatives addressing such cultural gap and maps out the events and programs that took place both inside and outside Expo City in Dubai.
Section 3
A Hub for Entertainment + Culture at COP28
The third section showcases the wide range of interdisciplinary programming offered at the E+C Pavilion. This report also provides insight into the types of cultural stakeholders more likely to be represented at COP based on the speakers featured in the E+C programming. Over 90% of the featured talent has direct affiliation with the cultural sector, illustrating the significant presence of industry members at the conference.
Section 4
Catalyzing Culture-Based Climate Action
Next, the fourth section examines how E+C is fostering an ecosystem of over 175 partners to raise awareness about culture-based climate action. It also outlines how the E+C team is making efforts to reduce its travel emissions and catalyze collective action beyond COP28.
Section 5
Looking Ahead
The fifth and final section looks forward into the development of our 2024-25 strategic roadmap and our plans to engage with wider audiences worldwide. To sustain cultural diplomacy efforts and deliver continued culture-based climate action we formed the Entertainment and Culture Foundation and plan to engage with new Organizing Partners to host 6 events and pavilions at conferences and climate gatherings across the globe.
Section 1
Introduction
This impact report explores how cultural heritage, creative industries, and storytelling are catalyzing climate action, especially in settings like COP28, and with the emergence of the first-ever Entertainment + Culture Pavilion. Structured into five sections, it offers an overview of the evolving landscape of existing UNFCCC processes and identifies mission-aligned sectoral stakeholders. The aim is to provide pathways for collaboration and prevent duplication of efforts.
Section 2
Addressing the Culture Gap
The second section highlights notable shifts and milestones from previous COPs in recognizing the role of cultural heritage and the creative industries in catalyzing climate action, leading to key outcomes during COP28. The report provides an overview of mision aligned initiatives addressing such cultural gap and maps out the events and programs that took place both inside and outside Expo City in Dubai.
Section 3
A Hub for Entertainment + Culture at COP28
The third section showcases the wide range of interdisciplinary programming offered at the E+C Pavilion. This report also provides insight into the types of cultural stakeholders more likely to be represented at COP based on the speakers featured in the E+C programming. Over 90% of the featured talent has direct affiliation with the cultural sector, illustrating the significant presence of industry members at the conference.
Section 4
Catalyzing Culture-Based Climate Action
Next, the fourth section examines how E+C is fostering an ecosystem of over 175 partners to raise awareness about culture-based climate action. It also outlines how the E+C team is making efforts to reduce its travel emissions and catalyze collective action beyond COP28.
Section 5
Looking Ahead
The fifth and final section looks forward into the development of our 2024-25 strategic roadmap and our plans to engage with wider audiences worldwide. To sustain cultural diplomacy efforts and deliver continued culture-based climate action we formed the Entertainment and Culture Foundation and plan to engage with new Organizing Partners to host 6 events and pavilions at conferences and climate gatherings across the globe.