by Thinus Ferreira
When WarnerMedia's Cartoon Network did a multi-territory survey under kids, the results were astounding: 94% of South African kids are concerned about climate change, 95% would like to do more to fight climate change, and 90% are eager to learn more about climate change.
That led to Cartoon Network launching its Cartoon Network Climate Champions initiative in 2021, a project aimed at giving kids the tools to act and fight against climate change, inviting kids across the Africa, Europe and Middle East (EMEA) region to take part in challenges to help protect their environment.
This includes some South African kids (featured on the Cartoon Network Climate Champions website), like Hannah Levecque, who reuses water and has infiltrated a greywater system at home.
Kristen Marshall made a worm farm
to reduce household waste, while Rocco &
The Future Kids created a group to do beach clean-ups
and educate their community.
Yola Mgogwana reduces waste by making eco-bricks.
TVwithThinus asked Monika Oomen, the head of brand, communications and franchise management at Kids EMEA more about Cartoon Network Climate Champions.
To reach children, how does WarnerMedia and CN go about approaching the topic with
children - to not scare them, but to still get them to engage and to try
and get a response and to educate them? How does Cartoon Network find the
balance?
Monika Oomen: From the
research we have commissioned, we know that climate change is a top concern for
kids and that they are keen to take action to combat the issue.
We have
developed Cartoon Network Climate Champions to empower our
young audience and give them the tools to join the fight against climate
change.
Our partnerships
with the Climate Action Project and WWF ensured that the information we are
sharing with children is factual, informative and considered.
The Cartoon Network Climate Champions initiative focuses on positive change, inviting kids to take on small and fun challenges that can make a world of difference to help protect their environment.
We have also created a community of Climate Champions,
showing kids that there are many other young advocates out there just like them
and that we can make a real difference together.
All of the children do something, for instance, they are active agents in their world. But even for kids who end up
doing nothing or can't do anything – for instance, they just receive the
message – what is the core message that Cartoon Network would like kids or
their parents to take in or to remember about the environment?
Monika Oomen: Our recent
survey revealed that 94% of kids in South Africa are concerned about climate
change, so this is a genuine issue for our audience.
We want to send kids the message that anyone can become a Climate Champion.
Every single
action, however small, has a positive impact. It could be as simple as
turning off the water when they brush their teeth, taking a shower instead of a
bath or committing to a plastic-free lunch day.
We want to inspire kids to take
on small challenges that can make a world of difference to the health of our
planet.
Brands have made rapid "little"
changes that collectively make big differences, for instance, the use of
plastic straws in South Africa is diminishing rapidly. Is there anything
that Cartoon Network perhaps noticed over the past while in terms of how kids or their
parents' behaviour might have changed?
How
is the behaviour or attitude of the Cartoon Network viewer perhaps changing as it pertains
to the subjects of climate change and environment and being more
environmentally conscious?
Monika Oomen: Kids are
realising that they need to make small changes to have an impact.
We can also
see that children become the educators in the home, share what they have
learned with their families, and become the change-makers we need.
Since this
initiative launched in Africa in June, 135 000 challenges have been accepted by
kids across the region, with South Africa standing out as the number 2 performing
country in the whole of EMEA in terms of the number of visits to the Cartoon Network Climate Champions website.
We're incredibly proud of our "Climate
Champion Change Makers" across Africa.
These include Hannah Levecque who reuses water and has infiltrated a greywater system at home and Kristen Marshall who
made a worm farm to reduce household waste.
What learnings or findings have there been from the
Cartoon Network Climate Champions initiative that possibly
surprised you, that you didn't expect or that was an interesting outcome?
Monika Oomen: We knew this
issue was important to kids; however, the biggest surprise for us remains
children's sheer passion and desire to help their planet.
Kids across EMEA have
already completed over 668 000 small actions that collectively have a
significant, positive impact on the climate.
It's been an incredible response,
especially here in Africa, with children campaigning to get more trees planted,
volunteering to pick up litter around the neighbourhood and advocating for water
conservation and a reduction in charcoal.
