French environmental documentaries at EUICC Green Cinema by Maryse Daviet

In July and August, the French Embassy in Kosovo, together with the European Union Information and Cultural Center in Pristina, showed every Thursday at the EUICC recent French environmental documentary films addressing issues such as global warming, pollution, deforestation and hurricanes.

The aim of this Green Cinema program was to raise awareness by providing wide range of relevant information and examples of actions that can be taken everywhere in both global and local levels.

While international mobilization is getting stronger, but global warming itself is also accelerating, there is an increasing necessity to raise awareness. If governments and citizens do not step up action, there is a risk that global warming could have a dramatic impact on climate, public health, cultural or natural heritage and development. Analysis have shown that Kosovo is particularly vulnerable exposed to this risk. Therefore, it is urgent to take action and find new solutions.

Besides the necessity to take measures at government level, there are small simple things that all citizens can do at local level to fight against climate change, like using green transport, saving energy, consuming more reasonably. The films actually show how everyone can be a positive agent of change. In our societies, children and young adults are increasingly aware of the changes and contributing to environmental protection. The Green clubs in several Kosovo primary schools are great example of the commitment of the young population. Such civic initiatives should be further developed and supported.

The green cinema program announces also the next United Nations climate change conference of Parties (COP21), which will take place in December in Paris. The essential goal of this conference is to achieve a new climate agreement that will apply to all countries from 2020 and establish tools for responding to the challenges and to limit the planet’s average rise temperature to less than 1, 5°C or 2°C. The stakes are high: the aim is to reach, for the first time, a universal, legally binding agreement that will enable us to combat climate change effectively and boost the transition towards resilient, low-carbon societies and economies.

Author is the French Ambassador to Kosovo