Until recently, Antarctica was considered resistant1 to the effects of climate change. In a recent study published in Current Biology2 it has been revealed that two native species of flowering plants—Antarctic Pearlwort and Antarctic Hair Grass—are growing at scary and unprecedented rates, based on historical comparisons between 2006 and 2019.
To coincide with COP28, the annual climate action conference attended by global government leaders, the non-profit Environmental Leadership Canada (ELC) and Zulu Alpha Kilo’s Toronto and New York offices teamed up to introduce “The Planet’s Scariest Bouquet,” bringing renewed attention to nature and what serves as a symbol of the wide-reaching impact of the climate crisis.
“As an organization committed to building a new generation of environmental leaders for the health of our planet, this campaign is about inspiration and action,” said Beata Rasitsan, Communications Director at ELC. “We want this campaign to inspire people to push for action from elected leaders. A physical bouquet of these flowers should never exist, and sending a digital bouquet shows your expectation for urgent and ambitious leadership at COP28 and beyond.”
The campaign includes a digital film entitled “The Planet’s Scariest Bouquet,” featuring an unsettling arrangement of the now thriving Antarctic flowers. The video goes on to explain that flowers are given to “express love,” “convey sympathy” and “gratitude,” but this bouquet is a “symbol of in-action” and only exists as a result of climate change. The film urges our leaders to act and invites people to send digital versions of the bouquet to their government representatives. There will also be a physical bouquet—a replica of the flowers now growing in Antarctica—on display at the climate conference for decision-makers in attendance to serve as a stark reminder.
Two major reports released by the UN this November reinforce the need for Canadian leadership both at home and on the world stage. According to the latest Emissions Gap report, the world is projected to see warming by as much as 2.9 C by the end of the century, largely because current and planned coal, oil and gas projects would emit 3.5 times more carbon than is possible to limit warming to 1.5 C. Canada, already the fourth biggest oil producer in the world, is projected to increase oil by 25% over 2022 levels by 2035, according to the Production Gap report.
“Clearly Canada needs to step up the scale and pace of climate action and do our fair share on the world stage,” said Rasitsan. “Elected leaders hear a lot from the oil and gas lobby. We need to counter that voice with those of the Canadians who expect ambitious leadership for our planet.”
Environmental Leadership Canada, a charitable organization focused on building a new generation of environmental leaders and boosting the capacity of Canadians to engage in their democracy, is on a mission to make politics work for the health of our planet.
Individuals are encouraged to share the campaign’s messages with their elected leaders by email or tag them on social media. Digital versions of the bouquet will be available at ScariestBouquet.com for anyone to personalize a message to world leaders.
“When the team found this insight about flowers thriving for the first time in Antarctica, we knew right away that was the story that needed to be told to the world at COP28,” said Zak Mroueh, founder and creative chairman of Zulu Alpha Kilo. Tim Gordon, CCO & Partner in New York, adds “It was frightening to think that due to changing temperatures these flowers are growing in a way they normally wouldn’t.”
The film was produced in-house by Zulubot, the independent shop’s production arm and is being supported with additional social and digital executions.
Visit EnvironmentalLeadership.ca to learn more.
1. https://www.wionews.com/science/sea-ice-around-antarctica-recedes-to-historically-low-levels-scientists-636821
2. https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(22)00136-1
