To broaden awareness on climate change issues across India, Ennovate Global, a specialist in climate change research and communication, and Good Relations India, a strategic communications consultancy, in partnership with the United Nations Foundation, hosted the two-day Clima Film Fest 2014 that concluded at MOP Vaishnav College for Women on Saturday. Partners included C P R Environmental Education Centre (CPREEC), and Panos South Asia.

"Climate change is definitely an issue to be concerned about. The Global Assessment Report 5 (AR-5) on Climate Change by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in India has been recently released. And the Secretary-General's Climate Summit will be held at the UN headquarters on September 23," said Alka Tomar, CEO of Delhi-based Ennovate Global and director of the festival which "aims at creating maximum buzz about the impacts of climate change on our lives."

Sixteen films, including "Strange Days on Planet Earth - The One Degree Factor" by Rob Whittlesey, were screened. "We had films in English, Bengali and a couple of other local languages. Wildlife filmmaker Shekar Dattatri was roped in to help select the films," said Tomar. "The films needed to have visual appeal, lasting impact and communicate climate change properly."

The second day of the festival, which saw a heavy turnout from college students and environmental enthusiasts, featured three thematic discourses — adaptation to climate change for Tamil Nadu by the Centre for Climate Change and Adaptation Research, Anna University; climate change in Chennai organized by programme partner PANOS South Asia; and one on climate change and media.

"Apart from showing films, we also wanted to talk to participants about the science of climate change, adaptation and impact," said Tomar. "The whole purpose was to create a conducive environment to understand the climate change issue."