COP21 is almost here!

For those not aware of the significance of the acronym, it’s the UN endorsed climate change conference. This one is aiming to be particularly groundbreaking, as it’s the first time in over 20 years of UN negotiations it hopes to achieve a legally binding and universal agreement on climate – a commitment to keeping global warning below 2°C.

Held in December, Paris will play a leading international role in hosting this seminal conference, and COP21 will be one of the largest international conferences ever held in the country.

The conference is expected to attract close to 50,000 participants including 25,000 official delegates from government, intergovernmental organisations, UN agencies, NGOs and civil society.

We are the Climate Generation is a European campaign to raise awareness and demand action ahead of the event, and Manchester’s Creative Concern has been collaborating within a collective of European communications agencies called DNS (Do Not Smile, donotsmile.com).

Across seven countries, the agencies have enlisted seven award-winning photographers to capture images of generations in seven families.

The aim of #WeAreTheClimateGeneration is to create a movement and form a unified response using social media. Members of the public are invited to join by uploading and sharing a photo to engage in this effort.

Creative Concern has also produced a film of the global families selected, which can be seen here.

The seven UK photographs will be embarking on a touring exhibition of Manchester venues including Central Library, Manchester Metropolitan University and Manchester Museum, to reach as many people as possible.

At such an unpredictable time, this conference is a positive step to mobilise people, connect communities and stand as one against the danger to the environment and – what threatens to be – irreversible damage.

Join the Climate Generation and upload your photo here: www.wearetheclimategeneration.com.

Main image courtesy of Len Grant.