Voices from the Frontlines – Africa Climate Mobility

— Background

Climate change is reshaping our world. Across Africa, climate change is already increasing forced migration and displacement, referred to as ‘climate mobility’.

To show the impact of climate mobility in Africa, the Africa Climate Mobility Initiative, an initiative coordinated by the Global Centre for Climate Mobility, conducted 2-year research to create an overview of the problem. They provided evidence, knowledge, and policy recommendations for COP27 climate change negotiations in Egypt.

— Challenge

The challenge for our team was to translate this immersive 2-year research into appealing storylines of climate mobility for those learning about the topic to those managing the future, in a way that makes climate mobility visual and easy to grasp.

— Idea

Working with The Global Centre for Climate Mobility and their collaborating researchers, editors, photographers, and policy experts, we designed and developed a visually rich platform. We helped the Africa Climate Mobility Initiative distill the right insights and translate their research into stories that present the problem in an understandable and tangible way for those who are affected, the general public worldwide, journalists, and policymakers.

The website reflects a proactive and optimistic outlook, visible in the vibrant and colourful design. We focused on putting people first, showing the local impact of climate change, which results in a touching and human-focused story. We also show the bigger picture and challenges that require action. To better inform and aid understanding of the topic, the microsite and report insights are backed by graphs and charts that present a detailed view of the project data.

To highlight the challenges in certain areas of the African continent, we used 3D texture maps, included portraits and stories of people that might or are already affected by climate mobility using photography and documentaries. We also opened the research in an interactive data portal allowing everyone to explore the data themselves. This resulted in showing the impact climate mobility has from different angles.

Ultimately, the Voices from the Frontlines microsite opens up the data, images and personal stories, about climate mobility in Africa in multiple ways. It allows users to gain insights that can build their interest, knowledge, and adaptation strategies to help people in Africa deal with climate mobility challenges.

— Relevance

We explain the complex topic in multiple ways and show the bigger picture of the challenges that Africa faces due to Climate Mobility, for those learning about the topic to those managing the future of Africa, while not losing the perspective of how climate mobility is already having a huge impact on people's lives daily.