Climate Change: Pınar Öncel

“From a sustainability perspective, all the ecological and social problems we are facing are interrelated. In a world where there is no gender equality, it is impossible for us to overcome global problems, especially the climate crisis; since all inequalities and the climate crisis have a deep-rooted relationship in terms of both causes and effects. The next 10 years is our last chance to create a sustainable, restorative culture, and to change the exploitative relationships we have with each other and the ecosystem, in order not to pass the point of no return in Climate Change, and the role of women in this struggle is critical. We are now a part of a new struggle in which we understand that the problems are systematic, and that they cannot be dealt with independently under separate headings such as those of women, children, environment and animal rights.

In the last decade, we see more and more women taking action for change in science, business, politics and civil society; it is not difficult to foresee that this number will increase exponentially in the upcoming period and particularly the young generation will take the lead.“ Pınar Öncel, one of the founders of Sürdürülebilir Yaşam Film Festivali (Sustainable Life Film Festival) and Surdurulebiliryasam.net, is a designer and sustainability consultant, focused on facilitating change by creative solutions, and building resilience in the face of the complex problems we encounter. She designs and runs, together with Tuna Özçuhadar, sustainability training and capacity building workshops. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design from METU (Middle East Technical University), and a master’s in “Strategic Leadership for Sustainability” from Blekinge Tekniska Högskola (Sweden).

The Sustainable Life Film Festival (Sürdürülebilir Yaşam Film Festivali) (SYFF) held since 2008, offers its audience a selection of documentaries and short films from different countries that present inspirational solutions to the global environmental, anthropogical and economic problems. SYFF invites the audience to take action for change, as it inspires the audience with stories collected from different parts of the world, providing a better understanding of the systematic problems interacting with each other, and the concept of sustainability. Öncel states that they have designed the Sustainable Life Film Festival, launched in 2008, as a means of change; and that this impact-oriented festival, with its participatory format integrating local stakeholders into the process, and offering a selection of documentaries with a holistic approach and creative solutions which arouse empathy by appealing to the heart, has an important role contributing to the social and cultural change for sustainability in Turkey.