The power of the creative industry to accelerate climate action has been recognised as a climate solution at COP30 held in the Amazonian city of Belém. Officials from nearly 200 countries have gathered for what Brazil is calling “the COP of implementation.”
The formal COP30 agenda was adopted on Monday without the drawn-out procedural disputes that have bogged down previous climate summits, though some negotiators warned that key topics such as climate finance risked being pushed aside yet again. For the first time, culture and communication have been formally included in the UN’s Global Climate Action Agenda—a move that places the advertising and marketing industry on the frontlines of climate advocacy rather than on the sidelines.
Opening the conference, veteran Brazilian diplomat and COP30 president André Corrêa do Lago described this year’s meeting as “the COP of truth," and urged delegates to focus on transparency and accountability.
In a charged plenary, Tuvalu’s climate minister Maina Vakafua Talia condemned the United States’ past withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, calling it “a shameful disregard for the rest of the world.” Pakistan’s climate secretary Aisha Humera went further, describing the climate crisis as “the biggest human rights violation of our time.” The US — the world’s largest historical emitter — was notably absent from the opening day, with no government officials and few media outlets in attendance.
Creativity enters the climate conversation
Against this diplomatic backdrop, Creatives for Climate, a global network of marketers and communicators, has launched The Creative Integrity Playbook to position the advertising and communications industry as part of the climate solution, rather than the problem.
It outlines how creative companies can reduce their carbon impact and make ethical choices about clients, campaigns, and procurement and introduces The Agency Integrity Curve—a roadmap to help agencies move from “participant” to “pioneer” status—and The Brief for Better Initiative, a toolkit that connects brands with fossil-free agencies.
“This is the first time our industry’s influence is being recognised as a climate solution on the COP30 Presidential stage,” said Lucy von Sturmer, founder and CEO of Creatives for Climate. “The Creative Integrity Playbook turns that recognition into action and offers the clarity, tools, and pathway for agencies and brands to transform. What we say, how we say it, and who we choose to amplify shapes the world, and the future we all share.”
The Playbook was developed in partnership with the Ethical Agency Alliance, a network of independent agencies across ten countries, including Lucky Generals, Studio Birthplace, The Onlii, Nice and Serious, Blyde PR, RUN Aotearoa, Profile, Worth Your While, Enviral, and Strike.
“This isn’t about doing less but using the power of influence to build the future we need,” said Lameya Chaudhury, head of social impact at Lucky Generals. “Ethical, low-carbon creativity isn’t about making your work smaller. It’s about making it smarter.”
The Playbook’s launch comes as the industry faces mounting scrutiny over its own contradictions. Many agencies continue to represent fossil fuel clients while publicly pledging climate leadership. The tension is visible at COP30 itself: Edelman, long criticised for its oil and gas contracts, serves as the summit’s official PR agency, while LLYC Brasil, recently revealed to have ties to state oil firm Petrobras, was hired by the Earthshot Prize.
“As we head into COP30, the message is clear: influence is the biggest untapped lever for change from the creative industry,” said Alexis McGivern, head of stakeholder engagement at Oxford Net Zero. “Every campaign presents an opportunity for us to act on the climate emergency. My hope is that this sector continues to lead with courage, creativity and integrity.”
