In 2022, The Climate Pledge and National Geographic Society created the Global Storytellers Fund to empower photographers, writers, filmmakers, cartographers, and multimedia artists working to illustrate the impact of climate-related environmental changes on communities across the world. For the past three years, 15 remarkable National Geographic Explorers supported by the Fund have brought the world face-to-face with the climate crisis, one powerful story at a time.

When we talk about climate action, we often talk in numbers. Degrees of warming. Metric tons of carbon. Miles of coastline lost. But the most urgent call to act doesn’t come from charts or models—it comes from human stories. From the communities already navigating climate upheaval. From the people reimagining what resilience looks like when the effects of climate change are right at your doorstep.

That’s the vision behind the Global Storytellers Fund: A shared goal to equip climate-focused Explorers with the resources to tell human stories that make the global crisis personal, local, and impossible to ignore. Because if we want to change the future, we must first change the story we tell about it.

To date, these 15 climate storytellers have worked across more than 30 countries, documenting the impacts of climate change and the solutions, the resistance, and the innovation rising in its wake.

Their work has appeared in film festivals, museum exhibitions, books, and on the pages of National Geographic magazine, The Atlantic, and many more. Their work has earned global recognition and dozens of awards. But more importantly, it has moved people—policymakers, students, neighbors, and strangers—to feel, think, and act now.

Each of these creators is helping people see the climate crisis not just as a planetary emergency but also as a personal one. Here are some of their stories:

Ciril Jazbec, who journeyed through glacial mountain ranges to film “Dream to Cure Water,” spotlighting how Indigenous wisdom and science are converging to secure clean water in the Himalayas.

Kiliii Yüyan, whose work elevates Indigenous climate stewardship as ancestral knowledge and a roadmap for the future.

Davide Monteleone, who followed the global rush for critical minerals—like lithium and cobalt—and brought to light the geopolitical tensions behind our clean energy transition.

Lynsey Addario, whose lens focuses on climate’s most vulnerable: women and children displaced by drought, famine, and migration, from Colombia to Afghanistan. Read a full Q&A with Lynsey here.

Malin Fezehai, who reveals how water-bound communities—living atop rivers, lakes, and deltas—are crafting innovative models for survival.

Nichole Sobecki, whose in-progress project “Natura” asks a haunting question: How is climate change reshaping motherhood itself?

Climate action starts with understanding. But understanding begins with empathy—and empathy is built through story.

“We know that storytelling—when rooted in science and community—has the power to move hearts and shift systems,” said Kaitlin Yarnall, Chief Storytelling Officer of the National Geographic Society. “Together with The Climate Pledge, we’ve built a platform for storytellers to do just that.”

This work is far from over. As climate change continues to unfold, so too does the need for courageous storytellers who can bring us closer to the truth—and to each other. 

About the Global Storytellers Fund
Launched in 2022 by The Climate Pledge and the National Geographic Society, the Global Storytellers Fund supports climate-focused National Geographic Explorers working across disciplines and geographies to document climate impacts and solutions. The Fund equips storytellers with the tools, training, and resources needed to share authentic, locally grounded perspectives that inspire urgent global action.

About The Climate Pledge
In 2019, Amazon and Global Optimism co-founded The Climate Pledge, a commitment to reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2040 through decarbonization and high-quality offsets. Now, more than 550 organizations have signed the Pledge, accelerating responsible climate action in every industry so our planet’s diverse communities, natural resources, and shared environments can thrive indefinitely. Visit The Climate Pledge site for more information.

About National Geographic Society
The National Geographic Society is a global non-profit organization that uses the power of science, exploration, education, and storytelling to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world. Since 1888, National Geographic has pushed the boundaries of exploration, investing in bold people and transformative ideas, providing more than 15,000 grants for work across all seven continents, reaching 3 million students each year through education offerings, and engaging audiences around the globe through signature experiences, stories, and content. To learn more, visit www.nationalgeographic.org or follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

Top photo credit: Blaise Houekin, a 41-year-old fisherman from Ganvie, Benin, maintains his family's innovative fish farm among stilt structures. Malin Fezehai for National Geographic