Two new street art murals emerge in Madrid as world governments continue to deliberate the Paris Agreement during the longest UN Climate Conference on record in the past 25 years.

MADRID, SPAIN – December 19, 2019 — During the recent United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) conference — COP 25 — in Madrid, Spain, NYC-based Greenpoint Innovations (GPI – www.gpi.nyc) teamed up with Barcelona-based artist Jorge Rodriguez-Gerada (Gerada – www.gerada-art.com) to create two new street art pieces for the first international activation of GPI’s ‘art plus purpose’ series, GreenPoint EARTH (www.greenpoint.earth).

The mission of GreenPoint EARTH is to leverage the incredible power of public art to inspire climate action with positive messages about the interconnected themes of nature, people, and climate. Curated by global climate sustainability expert and founder of GPI, Stephen Donofrio, artist Gerada was perfectly suited for this project. He has since the 1990’s in NYC been producing works with a social and ecological commentary, and is most well-known for his pioneering ‘Terrestrial Series.” Bios below.

Completed for COP 25 with support from local and global organizations including the City and Community of Madrid, UNFCCC, National Wildlife Federation International, Arbor Day Foundation, and Forest Trends, the wall host for the murals is the Occupational Center in Lineal City (Centro Ocupacional Ciudad Lineal), a center for people with intellectual disabilities. Naturally aligned with the goals of GreenPoint EARTH, this freely offered facility is dedicated to helping people in the development of professional, personal and social skills.

This display of the climate crisis through the beauty of nature and its people emerges after 14 days of the longest UN annual climate conference, during which the world’s highest level of world governments failed to make the political progress needed with even the UN Secretary-General António Guterres officially stating “I am disappointed with the results of #COP25.” Symbolically, this project represents how the people of the world are no longer willing to wait for the top to take the decisive action required to set our economies on the sustainable pathway needed to ensure the long-term health of Planet Earth. Fridays for Future has proven this, with millions of youth and adults rising up to take a stand against climate change. Visit www.greenpoint.earth for ideas for how individuals can get involved in climate solutions by planting trees with Arbor Day’s Team Trees, purchasing art by Gerada, and donating to Greenpoint EARTH.

Featured in one of the murals is a portrait of Hilda Pérez, a leader of the Indigenous Ashaninka Community located in Peru. The team chose to feature indigenous people as they occupy 25-50 percent of the Earth’s land and the direct result of their stewardship keeps 51 GT of CO2 from being emitted into the atmosphere, a huge contribution to avoid and revert climate change. Notably, each of the feathers that make up the headdress she is wearing represents each of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. She is also the Vice President of the National Organization of Andean and Amazonian Indigenous Women of Peru (ONAMIAP). ONAMIAP was founded on November 25, 2009, the International Day Against Violence against Women, as a result of a long process of formation, debate and articulation between sisters from different regions.

The second mural, ‘Forest Focus,’ is an eye of Planet Earth, with the Amazon rainforest as the pupil and Chile clearly visible as a homage to the official COP 25 host country. The mural shines a light on the opportunity in addressing natural forest loss as pathway to climate stability, habitat conservation, and ecosystems preservation.

All photos for media herein and here are credited to Fer Alcalá (Instagram: @feralcala) :https://shwca.se/GPEARTH-Madrid2019

GreenPoint EARTH Curator & GPI Founder, Stephen Donofrio with Artist Jorge Rodriguez-Gerada

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About the Artist Jorge Rodríguez-Gerada (www.gerada-art.com):

Barcelona-based Jorge Rodríguez-Gerada is contemporary artist, with works on display in galleries such as the Duran Gallery (Madrid), Nelly Duff (London), Mathgoth (Paris), Neo2 (Barcelona), Huberty & Breyne Gallery (Brussels), and public art on walls and surfaces in Spain, NYC/USA, France, Lebanon, Bahrain, Argentina, and other locations worldwide. He predominantly creates his work in urban spaces on a large-scale with ephemeral charcoal drawings of his Identity Series, painted murals, is uniquely known for the Terrestrial Series, which are earthworks so expansive that they are visible from space.

GPI & GreenPoint EARTH Background (www.gpi.nyc & www.greenpoint.earth):

Established in 2014, GPI is an arts production, storytelling, events, and creative activations company dedicated to advancing awareness and understanding of local and global sustainability initiatives. Since 2016, GPI has teamed up with artists (namely with artists ASVP, Arlin Graff, AskewOne, Danielle Mastrion, FAILE, Lexi Bella, SONNYSundancer, and Vexta) during the UN Secretary General’s Climate Summit and Climate Week NYC. Prior project collaborators have included UNICEF, Global Landscapes Forum, Wildlife Conservation Society, Nature4Climate, NYC Parks Department, NYC Department of Education, among others.

Related GPI activities during COP 25:

> December 06: Action Hub – GPI hosted an event “GreenPoint EARTH Film Premiere & Panel Discussion” (watch video recording: https://vimeo.com/greenpointinnovations/gpearthcop25, media assets: https://shwca.se/GPE-COP25-ACTIONHUB)

> December 12: UNFCCC Pavilion with SDG Action – GPI hosted an event “GREENPOINT EARTH: Helping Communities Act on Climate Change through Street Art+Purpose” – speakers included Marina Silva, Former Environment Minister of Brazil and Nathalie Walker of NWF International (media content: https://shwca.se/GPE-COP25-UNFCCC-SDG)

Creator & Curator – Stephen Donofrio (https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenjdonofrio/):

Stephen is a regular speaker and panel moderator at major industry conferences, meetings and seminars and launched this mural project on December 6 during an official session of the COP25 Action Center that the company organized and at a separate session at the UNFCCC Pavilion on December 12. In addition, he spoke at three official side events as Director of Forest Trends on December 5 (Theme: Restoration Forestry for Business), December 09 (Subject: Increase in voluntary action under the Paris Agreement), and December 12 (Subject: How will companies be using carbon offetting in 15 years?). Stephen offers 15 years of experience working with companies, communities, governments and nonprofit organizations within the contexts of evaluation, strategy and reporting of “environmental and social management” of natural capital (ESG), responsible investment, carbon offsets and environmental markets, production of sustainability stories and arts, and remote sensing for landscape monitoring.