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The National Geographic Society and The Climate Pledge Celebrate Their Collaboration to Combine Science and Storytelling in Support of Global Communities
The Global Storytellers Fund has supported 15 National Geographic Explorers working to form a powerful, interconnected narrative to drive change globally
Photo by Ciril Jazbec, National Geographic
WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 21, 2025) –– Over the course of three years, 15 National Geographic Explorers around the world have worked to document climate challenges and solutions as part of the Society’s Global Storytellers Fund. Launched in 2022, the Global Storytellers Fund is the result of a mission-driven collaboration between the National Geographic Society and The Climate Pledge — a commitment co-founded by Amazon and Global Optimism to reach net-zero carbon by 2040. Each year, the two organizations have funded a cohort of five photographers, writers, filmmakers, cartographers and multimedia artists working to illuminate the impact of climate-related environmental changes on global communities across 30 countries. To date, the 15 Explorers supported through the Global Storytellers Fund have produced numerous films, books and exhibits, won more than 29 awards and been featured 15 times in National Geographic magazine’s “Pictures of the Year” issues, among several other accolades — igniting a sense of wonder among audiences and inspiring others to take action towards a healthier, more sustainable future.
Some Explorers and projects supported through this collaboration include:
- Ciril Jazbec (2022 cohort), a documentary photographer and filmmaker who has documented the melting of glaciers in the Himalayas, the Alps and the Andes, and the stories of the mountain communities who are being confronted by the effects of globalization and environmental changes. His project culminated in the 2024 film, “Dream to Cure Water,” which examines how these communities have adapted to climate variability for thousands of years through unique and ancient techniques, and are now harnessing modern scientific approaches to revitalise their ancestral solutions. The film was selected for eight film festivals, including the American Documentary and Animation Film Festival and the Indy Shorts Film Festival, and won awards at the Jackson Wild Film Festival and the Santiago Wild Film Festival. “Dream to Cure Water” has also been published as a photo essay in National Geographic magazine.
- Davide Monteleone (2023 cohort), a visual artist and researcher who has collaborated with storytellers around the world on a multichapter project analyzing the social, economic and political implications of a global shift towards renewable energy sources. His recent work focuses on the skyrocketing demand for the critical minerals necessary to facilitate this energy transition: copper, lithium, cobalt and nickel. As part of his project, “Critical Minerals: Geography of Energy,” Monteleone has published a short documentary film, a book, and an interactive StoryMap. His work has earned recognition from numerous prestigious institutions, including winning the 2024 Leica Oskar Barnack Award and being featured in National Geographic magazine’s 2023 and 2024 “Pictures of the Year” issues.
- Kiliii Yüyan (2022 cohort), a photographer whose project “Guardians of Life” explores traditional Indigenous methods of conservation land management and climate impact mitigation through photography and storytelling. His work was featured in five stories on Indigenous stewardship from Mongolia to Palau, comprising the July 2024 issue of National Geographic magazine, and will form the basis for a book of essays and images publishing in 2026. Yüyan is the 2023 recipient of the National Geographic Eliza Scidmore Award for Outstanding Storytelling, and his photography has been featured in the 2022 and 2023 National Geographic magazine “Pictures of the Year” issue as well as the 2024 National Geographic magazine “Wildlife Photos of the Year”.
- Lynsey Addario (2023 cohort), a Pulitzer prize-winning photojournalist working to educate people about climate impacts, specifically on the lives and livelihoods of women and children in communities around the world who are grappling with climate-related food shortages, forced migration, lack of shelter and drought. Her photography documenting the conditions faced by migrants in Colombia’s Darién Gap was featured in The Atlantic, and won the 2025 ASME Award for Best News and Documentary Photography. Addario has also traveled to the Amazon, Afghanistan, and Mexico to capture the challenges and consequences of environmental effects on vulnerable populations. Her work on this project has been presented in three short films, publications including National Geographic magazine and the New York Times, international exhibitions, and an interactive multimedia digital experience.
- Malin Fezehai (2023 cohort), a photographer, filmmaker and visual reporter examining the challenges and adaptations of the nearly three million people in communities permanently living on the water, as they develop solutions for resilience in the face of a changing climate. Her project, “Life on Water,” has taken her to Bangladesh, Benin, the Netherlands and Peru, where she documents both traditional and modern ways of water-based living, highlighting the lessons we can learn from these communities. Fezehai has spoken about her work on stages around the world, including National Geographic’s 2024 Storytellers Summit, the SX Sustainability Expo 2024 in Bangkok, the Chautauqua Institution, and The Climate Pledge Hub.
- Nichole Sobecki (2024 cohort), a photographer and filmmaker who is investigating how climate change has transformed women’s reproductive lives and the nature of motherhood across a web of women’s stories from the Sahara to the Arctic. Her ongoing project, “Natura,” will culminate with a photography series and documentary film that aims to capture the evolution of motherhood in an era of unprecedented ecological change. This work has taken Sobecki to locations across the globe, including to the vulnerable marshlands of southern Iraq, and to Germany, where a growing number of women are opting out of motherhood due to insecurity about our planet’s future.
“We are incredibly grateful for The Climate Pledge’s collaboration who share the Society’s belief that storytelling is essential in raising awareness about and inspiring action around the challenges that define our era,” said Kaitlin Yarnall, the Society’s Chief Storytelling Officer. “Together, we equipped storytellers with the tools they need to tell stories of hope, bring unique perspectives to the planet’s most pressing issues and provide solutions to protect our communities from conservation issues. These 15 National Geographic Explorers prove that science and storytelling can create long-lasting change that illuminates the wonder of our world.”
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About The Climate Pledge
In 2019, Amazon and Global Optimism co-founded The Climate Pledge, a commitment to reaching net-zero carbon by 2040 through decarbonization and high-quality offsets. Now, more than 550+ organizations have signed The Climate 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.
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About The National Geographic Society
The National Geographic Society is a global nonprofit 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.
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