As the world gathers for the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, the global community must commit to seeing climate change from a new perspective—through the eyes of those who endure its harshest impacts. This year’s theme, Climate Justice and Adaptation, captures the urgent need to address the inequities of the climate crisis and to act on behalf of those who are most affected. For our team, this mission is not just a policy agenda; it is a personal, heartbreaking reality witnessed first-hand.
In preparation for COP29, we traveled to some of the most severely affected communities in Nigeria: Irri, Idheze, Oyede, Okpe, Orie Utue-Irri, and Aviara, spread across Isoko South and Isoko North local government areas. NIMET and IOM reports confirmed that these areas have been among the hardest hit by recent floods. We spent 14 days living side-by-side with the people of these villages, immersing ourselves in their culture, listening to their stories, and seeing, up close, the devastation they endure with each flood season.
Our time with these communities opened our eyes to a way of life under siege. As outsiders, we could have only seen the floodwaters, the destroyed homes, and the ruined fields, but staying with them allowed us to grasp the depth of their loss—the traditions disrupted, the livelihoods shattered, the personal belongings that now only exist in memories. We sat with farmers who lost crops they had painstakingly nurtured for months. We listened to mothers whose children had fallen sick from the waterborne diseases that inevitably follow each flood. In one of the most painful moments, a widow told us the story of her only son, who was taken by a flash flood. Every day we were there, we saw their resilience but also their anguish, their fears, and their desperation to rebuild yet again, knowing that another flood might soon undo all they have tried to restore.
This is the reality of climate change in places like the Niger Delta, where flooding has become so frequent that recovery feels like a distant dream. In these two weeks, we evaluated their loss and damage and understood their needs—clean water, healthcare, housing, and security from the very waters that once sustained them but have now become their greatest threat. These are needs that go beyond emergency relief; they are the foundational supports for survival. Yet, year after year, they are left to face these challenges with little to no assistance, forced to find ways to survive as the world continues to debate solutions.
Our documentary, Heartbeat: A Story of Resilience, premiering on November 10th, encapsulates the heart and struggle of these communities. It isn’t just a documentary; it’s a powerful testament to the human cost of climate change. The film brings viewers into the lives of widows, farmers, and children across Irri, Idheze, Oyede, and other impacted communities, showing the brutal cycle of loss and rebuilding they face each year. The stories we captured are not just tales of survival—they are calls for justice. From the trauma endured in the cramped and inadequate IDP camps to the hopelessness that follows each season of floods, these stories reveal the depth of a crisis that cannot be ignored any longer.
As we go into COP29, we must bring the experiences of these communities into every negotiation and decision. This year’s theme of Climate Justice and Adaptation perfectly frames the urgency of their plight. Climate justice means prioritizing these vulnerable communities, making sure that the policies we draft and the funds we allocate reach those who live on the frontline of climate change. Adaptation means more than just building resilience; it means providing the resources and infrastructure that these people need to live with dignity and security.
The story of these communities is not a story of hopelessness; it’s a testament to resilience, a fierce determination to survive, and a demand for the world to act. We invite you to watch Heartbeat: A Story of Resilience and witness the lives of those who fight every day against a crisis they did not create. Their tears, their courage, and their resolve are what drive our call for climate justice at COP29.
Let us go into COP29 with these stories in our hearts and let the theme of Climate Justice and Adaptation be more than words. Let it be a rallying cry for the vulnerable, for the marginalized, and for the future of our planet.
Watch on https://lnkd.in/dvaVeZsU
