As part of efforts to persuade world leaders to take stronger climate action, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Monday brought a life-like dinosaur to the United Nations’ biodiversity conference, known as COP15.
The dinosaur, named “Frankie the Dino” was welcomed by fellow climate campaigners, world leaders, and civil society.
Along with the 80+ groups in #CollectivCOP15, Frankie the Dino made a special appearance on Montreal’s streets over the weekend as part of the March for Biodiversity and Human Rights.
Additionally, Frankie made a stage appearance at the Montreal One Earth – One Choice Environment Festival, organized by the Canadian chapter of the United Nations Association.
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According to a UNDP press release, Frankie the Dino is the hero of the climate change awareness campaign “Don’t Choose Extinction” which was started by the organization in 2021.
In the campaign’s hero film, a computer-generated Utharaptor bursts into the famous General Assembly Hall and declares to the diplomats and dignitaries in the room, who are shocked and a little scared, that “it is time humans stopped making excuses and started making changes” to address climate change.
The movie quickly became a cultural sensation and a call to action for tackling climate change. To date, more than 2 billion people have viewed promotional films worldwide.
Speaking at COP15, Frankie the Dino said, “We are facing a dual climate and nature crisis. Climate change and biodiversity loss are two profound threats facing humanity. And they are intricately connected. Nature has declined more extensively over the past 50 years than at any other time in human history, while global warming patterns continue to accelerate. So rather than paying for your extinction, let’s save nature and help save humanity.”
Story was adapted from Nigerian Tribune.
