Dr. Yalda T. Uhls Speaks at the Hollywood Climate Summit

Jun 26

Written By The Center for Scholars & Storytellers

June 26, 2024

Yesterday, founder and CEO of the Center for Scholars & Storytellers at UCLA Dr. Yalda T. Uhls spoke at the 2024 Hollywood Climate Summit, an annual convening of cross-sector entertainment professionals looking to improve mainstream access to climate literacy in the media ecosystem. Now in its fifth year, the 3-day event included interactive programming and networking opportunities for filmmakers, executives, artists, activists, scientists, and other experts looking to make a difference through collaborative efforts towards research-informed storytelling. Notable appearances included Jane Fonda, Roxane Gay, Nava Mau, and more.

Dr. Uhls was featured on a panel of experts alongside Bill Nye (the Science Guy), Karissa Valencia (Spirit Rangers), Carson Smith (Nickelodeon), and Isabel Gonzalez Whitaker (Moms Clean Air Force) about the crucial role of media in educating and inspiring young people about environmental conservation and climate action. The discussion was moderated by singer and actor YDE, who framed the conversation with statistics from the Children’s Media Association:

91% of kids surveyed are concerned about climate change (48 million kids under the age of 12 are already experiencing first-hand effects of climate change);

74% of parents want information about climate change and climate solutions in children’s television and popular family films (but only 1.4% of kids’ nature-related media has mentioned climate change); and

18% of teachers haven’t addressed climate change or solutions with students because they don’t feel well-versed in the science behind it and feel out of their depth discussing it.

“The problem of climate change involves all of us,” Bill Nye explained. “Every kid starts out curious. We all started out as scientists. We have to help young people understand the problem, and be excited about finding solutions: when you have a hammer, every problem is a nail.”

“Adolescence — now being defined in research as ages 10-25 — is a really important time filled with cognitive flexibility,” added Dr. Uhls. “Young people are trying to figure out who they are and make sense of the world around them, all while using screens 24/7. This is a time where media can really have the most positive impact, which all of us in the business should really be thinking about more.”

Watch the full talk here. To learn more about the 2024 Hollywood Climate Summit programming, visit hollywoodclimatesummit.com.