Most people think about the climate crisis from the frame of everything that can go wrong. Certainly, human-accelerated climate change is the existential crisis of our time, but is it all bad? We aren't going to argue that record-breaking weather events are ever a good thing, but there's a positive in all of this. When humanity faces a crisis that is so all-encompassing, it brings people together—case in point: the 2024 EMA IMPACT Summit.

For two days at the EMA Green Seal for Hospitality recipient Pendry West Hollywood, over 60 speakers, two hundred attendees (sold out!), and various media partners did the impossible: they listened to each other. What motivated leaders from entertainment, advocacy, education, science, and politics to listen? Solutions!

As EMA CEO Debbie Levin clarified, "The whole point of IMPACT is to educate and motivate the public to think about the solutions for each sustainable issue impacting us." As the "movers and shakers" in our respective industries, it's our responsibility to inspire change. Further, it's EMA's responsibility as an organization to bring these minds together and share their solutions with the public.

Thankfully, the 7th annual EMA IMPACT Summit, presented by our friends at Toyota Motor North America, did just that! With over 14 billion media impressions and 10 million more on social (and counting), we reached a massive audience from our humble stage at the Pendry.

While we can't fit all we learned and experienced over the two days in a newsletter (stay tuned for videos), we'd like to share a few important takeaways.

Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton’s Mission to Save Families from Climate Change

It was our great honor to host Secretary Hillary Rodham Clintonto discuss climate storytelling, specifically speaking to pregnant women, their children, and the media. The former Secretary of State is now encouraging Hollywood writers and producers to embed ideas and content about the effects of environmental factors on women in their most vulnerable state." Our hope is that we can help people make the connections between children's mental and physical health and the impact of climate change."

Along with her panel moderated by Tamara Krinsky and featuring Anna Jane Joyner and Gloria Calderon Kellett, they illustrated the opportunity for scripted films and TV to share the reality of the potentially dangerous effects on women and their fetuses. Of course, they offered concrete solutions and examples of valuable storylines to educate global audiences about climate change in their films and TV shows. Let's make it happen! Nothing could be closer to EMA's decades-long mission.

Progress Built on Partnership

You'll be hard-pressed to find partnerships in Hollywood that have lasted longer than that of EMA and Toyota Motor North America. On the surface, an international automotive company might seem like an unlikely partner in tackling climate change, but we think differently. EMA is fearless in bringing new faces to the table if it means we can reach people outside our echo chamber.

As covered inThe Hollywood Reporter's annual Sustainability issue, few partnerships have resulted in more carbon reductions than Toyota and EMA's efforts to make hybrid cars cool. Now, Toyota is on a mission to increase its share of hybrids by making the most popular sedan in the country, the Camry, a hybrid. And we aren't talking about a hybrid option; we're talking ALL hybrid. As Doug Coleman, General Manager - Advanced Product Strategy at Toyota North America, illustrated in his keynote, doing so has the potentialto shift over 250,000 cars from gas to hybrid.And as we celebrate our cultural win with hybrids, EMA is all-in on supporting Toyota's ultimate goal to"ensure mobility for all…that we leave no one behind in the shift to electrification."

Another strange bedfellow that makes a lot of sense, thanks to IMPACT, is the merging of video games and the efforts to plug gas wells. IMPACT sponsor Tradewater showcased its collaboration with gaming behemoth Epic Games. Featuring the first eco-minded island in the popular game "Fortnite," gamers utilize arrows and other weapons to plug abandoned gas wells, a real-life contributor to climate change. The gameplay is a learning experience and a fundraising opportunity for Tradewater and Earthshot to plug gas wells in real life! How cool is that? Give the island a try here.

Hollywood’s Sustainable Sequel

Not to age ourselves, but the EMA Green Seal for Sustainable Production turned 20 this year! As always, IMPACT highlighted various things our industry is doing to tell compelling climate stories without emissions and waste. Like any environmental issue, solving the problem is complicated, but we'll briefly sum it up with actions taken behind and in front of the camera.

Behind the camera includes a commitment to sustainable pre- and post-production actions. IMPACT featured various panel discussions on how Hollywood is going green. From utilizing solar power to eliminating plastic pollution on sets, there are many things studios can implement today to make a difference. But how do we get to the next step? We need more collaboration and willingness to try new approaches.

Thankfully, EMA isn't alone; groups such as Earth Angels and SolarPunks assist productions, and companies such as Stealth Power offer new technology. As EMA Board Member and Head of Physical Production Amazon Original Movies, Amazon MGM Studios, Glenn Gainor, explained, "The idea of sustainability means it's repeatable—that we have an industry where we can continue to do what we love to do."

The next step is what we put in front of the camera. EMA Board Member Eli Roth and "True Detective: Night Country" director Issa López shared that genres like horror and sci-fi have a long history of environmental messaging. Issa said, "The stories we tell reflect who we are and a seed of who we want to be." Despite the horror of it all, Eli reminded the audience that inspiration is more effective than shame. "It's not shaming people. You got to find a way to inspire them."

Saving What We Love

Thanks to our annual check-in with the Climate and Health doctors, our audience knows the connection between climate change and health. We even took a trip to space this year during EMA Board Chair Lance Bass and EMA Board Member Dr. Jay Lemery's check-in! But how do we communicate this health crisis to the public? How do we discuss all we could lose without adding to mental health issues such as anxiety? Fear is one avenue, but we prefer hope.

The minds behind Climate Basecamp, Professor Gail Whiteman and Rainn Wilson, proposed an idea to motivate the public: save what you love. While many know climate change puts polar bears and ice caps at risk, fewer people know our feel-good indulgences, such as wine and chocolate, are also at risk. This type of thinking makes the climate crisis more personal. To bring the point home, our friends at Tony's Chocolonely and Rodney Strong Vineyards offered the audience a sustainable pairing of wine and chocolate. Some things are too delicious to lose!

And who doesn’t love fashion? EMA Board Member Amber Valletta led an insightful panel on sustainable fashion. The biggest takeaway? Stop making so many clothes! According to Ayesha Barenblat, Founder & CEO of Remake, “Today we are making 100 billion units of clothes every year. There are 8 billion people on the planet. This overproduction is why we have so much waste.” Sometimes moderation is key to saving the things we love.

Climate Change is Personal

With all the talk about climate storytelling in Hollywood, it was imperative to remind the audience that the effects of climate change are far from fictional for many communities. How can we ethically tell stories that reach such communities with hope? Sierra Club Executive Director Ben Jealous suggested, "We have to make clear to people that where we're leading them is to a place of better health, to a place of better jobs." Hollywood must support storytellers from these communities. As EMA Honoree Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr. stated during his conversation with Dream Hampton,"What needs to happen now is YOU, the writers, the poets, directors. You are the last line of defense for humanity."

For an industry obsessed with superheroes, look no further to the bravery of environmental warriors. Enter Kalālapa Winter, one of the youth plaintiffs in the constitutional climate lawsuit Navahine v. Hawai'i DOT. During her panel moderated by EMA Board Member Shailene Woodley,Kalālapashared her emotional story of why she joined fellow youth in suing her state of climate inaction. "I was raised that if something is right, you fight for it." We are thrilled to share that, since IMPACT, Hawaii has settled the lawsuit, a major victory! Hey, that would make a good movie.

Finally, during a hilarious live recording of Phil Rosenthal and David Wild's popular podcast, "Naked Lunch," special guest Ted Danson reminded us of what it's all about. "There's a lot that has come before you, and hopefully, there's a lot that will come after you. And this is not about you, it's about your stewardship." Listen to the podcast here!

Thank You!

Professor Gail Whiteman succinctly summarized our expectations for IMPACT: "I come here because I'm looking for hope. And I'm looking for hope so that an audience will do more after today than they would've done before they arrived." We hope attending IMPACT or watching the panels on ourYouTubechannel will make you feel the same way!

We are overwhelmed with gratitude for all the people who make IMPACT possible. First and foremost, we thank our amazing sponsors who share our vision. Further, we thank our team, our Boards, all of our inspiring speakers, attendees, the Pendry staff,SennoVa, theHip Hop Caucusfor their help in crafting two unforgettable parties (and a knockout performance by Antonique Smith),Traditional Medicinalsfor the lovely tea time, our NGO partners, and YOU forsupporting EMA's ongoing missionto harness the power of media to change the world for the better.