Why COP28 needs to be covered like the Olympics

Every four years, the world tunes in for a singular, collective, real time viewing experience. (This applies to the #WorldCup of course also).

For what can be an hour, an evening/morning, or even a few minutes (in the case of, say, a single compelling performance), large swaths of citizens across large swaths of continents, with virtually nothing else in common, tune in together to share the common experience of witnessing the possibility of history in the making.

The history being made is of common interest, but perhaps of not particular relative import compared to the moment in time at which we find ourselves.

(This does not diminish the importance of either the watching or performing/competing.)

Everyone smart about the fate of our planet tells us we are at an inflection point.

Attending to the future habitability of our planet is no longer something that can be relegated to those interested, while the majority of the planet’s residents go on with their day- whether that day is full of struggle and survival, or privilege.

In 6 weeks, the #UAE will host the most consequential “Olympics” of our lifetimes.

Instead of the world’s athletes convening to compete for global bragging rights , the world’s most consequential scientists, leaders, decisionmakers and decision influencers will convene to try to agree on a path forward to keep our planet habitable for everyone.

If there has ever been a justification for covering an event with the investment, people power, and air time like we do for the Olympics (or the World Cup), This. Is. it.

NBC News: A thought.

Leverage. Your. Olympics. Talent. NBC Sports

Above. and. Below. The. Line.

Get Bob Costas on the phone. David Neal should also be free right about now. I challenge either one of them to think of a more important challenge for them to step up to. (Note: I choose them as two high profile examples. There are of course countless others).

They are literally the best in the business at what they do. Use their storytelling talent to draw the same captive attention to what happens at COP as they’ve done every four years.

The world needs them to tell the stories of what will happen across the days of COP the way they do across the days of the Olympics.

NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises will be covering COP with news also already- leverage the brilliant talent at Telemundo Sports in the same way.

Our planet and our future needs this COP to get Olympic (+) World Cup level collective attention. I realize it’s late, but tv people can mobilize in amazing ways quickly.

Think. Outside. The. Box.

Leverage. Talent.

Tell. The. #COP. Stories.