From April 9-11, leaders in media, education, climate, and more will convene in Los Angeles for a content screening, a day of programming discussing how storytelling can inspire hope and action, and visits to LAUSD schools to see climate learning in action.
Speakers include Arnold Schwarzenegger, Stephanie Hsu, Gary Knell, Joe Hanson, Dean Willow Bay, Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, Wendy Abrams, and many more.
Los Angeles, CA, April 9, 2025 – The first Planet Media Summit kicks off this evening and runs until April 11. Organized by the Aspen Institute’s This is Planet Ed initiative in partnership with the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, Los Angeles Unified School District, and the Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County, the summit focuses on the vital role of media and education in developing children’s climate literacy.
The full speaker list is available here and the agenda can be viewed here.
“Protecting our planet for future generations is a shared responsibility,” said Gary Knell, co-chair of the Planet Media Task Force and former CEO of National Geographic, Sesame Workshop, and NPR. “The Planet Media Summit is about collaborating on climate storytelling with hope, enabling us to amplify vital messages, share effective strategies, and empower children and youth to understand our changing world.”
The Summit opens today at 6:00pm at the Museum of Natural History. The evening will screen content from the Planet Media Call for Pitches Awardees, with the opportunity to hear from creatives about how they leveraged essential climate principles in their work, as well as their advice to other creatives looking to integrate climate in storytelling.
On Thursday, April 10, the summit takes place at USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism featuring mainstage interviews, panel discussions, and breakout sessions. Programming includes:
Former Governor and Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger and USC Annenberg Dean Willow Bay will open the summit discussing the “climate conversations we need,” fostering climate understanding in a way that inspires hope and collaboration.
Conversations spotlighting content, including:
- Academy-award nominated Actress Stephanie Hsu is interviewed by Dean Elizabeth Daley, USC School of Cinematic Arts.
- Leveraging YouTube and social media, with Joe Hanson, BeSmart (PBS Digital Studios) content creator; and Jessi Knudsen Castañeda, host of SciShow Kids, speaking to Katie Kurtz, YouTube Global Head of Youth and Learning.
- The role of NGOs in climate resilience, with UNICEF USA Chief Strategy Officer Cristina Shapiro on their research into climate’s effect on children’s learning; and Save the Children President and CEO Janti Soeripto discussing their partnership with Sesame Workshop; speaking to Gary Knell, former President and CEO of National Geographic and Sesame Workshop.
- How Apple TV+’s “Jane” and Netflix’s “Spirit Rangers” inspire young viewers to connect with nature and embrace environmental stewardship, with JJ Johnson, Creator, Jane, Sinking Ship Entertainment; and Karissa Valencia, Showrunner, Spirit Rangers, speaking to NBC News Climate Reporter Chase Cain.
- Climate collaboration in museums: USC Annenberg’s Center for Climate Journalism and Communication Director Allison Agsten interviews Sean Decatur, President of the American Museum of Natural History; Lori Bettison-Varga, President of Natural History Museum; and Wendy Abrams, founder of Cool Globes and the Eleven Eleven Foundation.
- How Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is transforming education to address climate change head-on: with LAUSD Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho; 10th grader Samuel Paik-Heintz; and Virgil Middle School’s Jimmy Duong interviewed by TIME Senior Correspondent Justin Worland.
Breakout sessions on games that highlight environmental stewardship, creating climate curriculum beyond the science classroom, and intergenerational power for climate action.
“Addressing climate change with action and optimism requires that we learn to critically evaluate and creatively communicate sustainability and climate solutions,” said Willow Bay, Dean of the USC Annenberg School. “At USC Annenberg, we provide training to enhance journalists’ and communicators’ climate literacy and reporting skills, starting with our students. We are pleased to host the Planet Media Summit here at USC and to support the programmatic aim of leveraging storytelling to foster climate literacy and inspire hope in young people.”
On the morning of Friday, April 11, attendees will be taken by electric bus to LAUSD schools to see climate learning in action, with site visits to 9th Street Elementary, Virgil Middle School, and Sotomayor High School, involving senior LAUSD officials and educators.
Research suggests that there is a strong need for more and better climate learning opportunities. During the summit, the full results of a youth climate literacy survey will be unveiled, revealing that many young people do not feel confident in their understanding of climate change and climate solutions and demonstrate misconceptions . Delivered by This Is Planet Ed at the Aspen Institute in partnership with EdWeek Research Center, the research will show that while 85% of teens are moderately or very worried about climate change, only 12% feel they know a lot about the causes of climate change, and only 10% feeling they know a lot about the solutions. Only 54% of teens understand emissions related to human activity as the primary cause of climate change, and only 33% recognize our changing climate is affecting the area where they live now.
“We can’t solve a problem we’re not talking about,” said Katharine Hayhoe, chief scientist with The Nature Conservancy and co-chair of Planet Media Summit. “The Planet Media Summit recognizes the power of open and honest conversations about climate change, especially with our children and their families. By increasing these dialogues, we empower the next generation to understand the challenges we face, envision the solutions we need, and understand how their voices and actions today can shape the world of tomorrow.”
Journalists interested in attending the summit or speaking to organizers should contact Aspen Institute media relations director Jon Purves: jon.purves@aspeninstitute.org.
Planet Media was established by This Is Planet Ed at the Aspen Institute to harness the reach and influence of media to support children and their families in building scientifically-grounded awareness and understanding of climate science and solutions to empower them to take action. It is co-chaired by Gary Knell, former President and CEO of National Geographic and Sesame Workshop, and Katharine Hayhoe, Chief Scientist at The Nature Conservancy.
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This Is Planet Ed is an initiative of the Aspen Institute Energy & Environment Program that intends to unlock the power of education as a force for climate action, climate solutions, and environmental justice to empower the rising generation to lead a sustainable, resilient, and equitable future. This Is Planet Ed works across Early Years, K-12, Higher Education, and Children’s Media to build our societal capacity to advance climate solutions. Visit www.thisisplaneted.org and join the conversation by following This Is Planet Ed on X (Twitter) and Instagram.
The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization whose purpose is to ignite human potential to build understanding and create new possibilities for a better world. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve society’s greatest challenges. It is headquartered in Washington, DC and has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, as well as an international network of partners. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org.