While world leaders and business figures flew into Davos, Switzerland for the World Economic Forum (WEF) and stayed in warm hotels, a group of activists chose to camp out on the freezing mountaintops instead.
Arctic Basecamp is a pop-up platform that has been taking place during the WEF since 2017. They work with global scientists and world-class organizations and individuals to raise awareness of the global risks from Arctic change, and come up with high-profile science solutions.
Youth climate activists camp out in subzero temperatures that reach -14 degrees celsius.
"Last night I slept at -14°C (Celsius), -15°C which was quite extreme because I've never done anything like this before," youth climate activist Brix Whiteman told CGTN.
Some of the scientists, researchers and activists involved will be camping out in tents for five days to make their point to attendees of WEF.
The 50th annual January meeting of world leaders, policymakers and entrepreneurs is taking place from 21-24 January tackling several issues under the headline: "Stakeholders for a Cohesive and Sustainable World."
'Unite Behind The Science'
The Unite Behind The Science campaign launched from the Arctic Basecamp on 20 January. It brought together scientists from around the world in "demanding that leaders take action in line with the irrefutable science on the climate emergency."
This year's event is focusing on the intensifying climate crisis, but scientists are calling for attendees to do a lot more.
Scientists join forces for the Unite Behind The Science campaign with a mission to 'bring science to power'
"We're seen as a legitimate place where we speak 'science to power' and bring the facts," Arctic Basecamp founder Professor Gail Whiteman told CGTN.
"We show why the changing climate is specifically manifested in the Arctic and why that's a global risk," Professor Whiteman added.
The campaign is supported by several important figures in the climate change conversation including 17-year-old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, who stayed at the Arctic Basecamp in 2019 for one night.
Scientists are demanding that political, business and finance leaders 'unite behind the science' and base every policy, business and investment decision on the need to limit global warming to 1.5°C by 2100.
They are also calling for an end to fossil fuel expansion, investments and subsidies this year and "tax pollution not people."
"Just like the Amazon are the lungs of the world, the Artic you can kind of look at as the circulation system," said Professor Whiteman. "What happens in the Arctic doesn't stay there it affects the rest of the world we see that with the impact on extreme weather and it is absolutely a problem."