COP29 SOCIAL MEDIA
CLIMATE ACTION IN THE AGE OF TIKTOK TikTok, the short-form video social media platform with over a billion users, is a prime destination for youth dialogue on environment and sustainability issues. A growing number of young people are using the stage to raise awareness and inspire action through captivating content and engaging storytelling By Julia Zacharenkova, OPEC Fund
S ocial media has changed how we connect, communicate and campaign for causes that matter. The climate movement is no exception. TikTok, in particular, has been rocket fuel for a new generation of climate activists who use creative storytelling, humor and emotional appeal to communicate urgency around environmental issues. The app’s visually driven, fast-paced content enables users to engage with
action. The collective says that “climate doomism” – the belief that the fight against climate change is already lost – is as harmful as climate denialism. To counter this, EcoTok creates content that shares the everyday reality of the climate crisis, while promoting hope and proactive solutions. They believe that education will be the decisive factor in the fight against climate change. Their TikTok channel aims to “provide a platform for voices that may otherwise be marginalized or go unheard, empower people of all generations to make an impact for the future of our planet, and to celebrate community support and growth.” While EcoTok exemplifies the educational and hopeful approach to climate communication on TikTok, another group demonstrates the scale and influence that these platforms can achieve. Gen-Z for Change (referencing the generation born 1997-2012) is a youth-led, non-profit advocacy that positions itself as the “place where the creator economy and progressive politics intersect.” Leveraging the power of social media, followers educate their audiences on issues that range from climate to reproductive justice. It is a coalition of about 500 progressive social media influencers spanning the internet’s most popular social media platforms. On TikTok, the Gen-Z for Change network boasts upward of 500
million followers – far exceeding the five million viewers in the USA who watch Fox News, CNN and MSNBC combined. While groups like Gen-Z for Change highlight the broad reach and influence of TikTok for climate advocacy, initiatives such as those that spotlight climate creators further underscore the critical role of social media in shaping the climate narrative. Recognizing the growing impact of social media creators in the climate movement, Pique Action and Harvard Chan C-CHANGE released their annual list of 17 climate creators to follow in 2024. This initiative, a collaboration between the US-based climate media startup Pique Action and Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health/C- Change Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment, celebrates content creators who are shaping the climate narrative with original, engaging and educational
climate topics in a way that feels both personal and immediate. By sharing their experiences, insights and solutions, young creators make the issue of climate change more tangible, breaking
down complex environmental problems into accessible, digestible content that drives awareness and inspires action.
content. By highlighting these innovative creators, the project emphasized the role of social media in combating misinformation and mobilizing global audiences for meaningful climate action.
An example of this is EcoTok . This collective of 21 young environmental educators and activists with around 116,000 followers and two million likes uses the platform to promote environmental education and inspire
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