Today, as part of the 2015 U.N. Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris, "Action Day" participants will view the video Call to Earth - A Message from the World's Astronauts, featuring International Space Station Commander Scott Kelly, Flight Engineer Kjell N. Lindgren, and 16 astronauts from 6 countries urging leaders of COP21 to take action to mitigate climate change now, not tomorrow.

The video was produced by astronaut Ron Garan and Planetary Collective, the award winning filmmakers behind the short film Overview, the groundbreaking full-length feature documentary Planetary, and the upcoming space documentary Orbital.

The idea to ask astronauts to give their views on the importance of the UN Climate Conference emerged during the recent One Young World Summit in Bangkok, the annual gathering of thousands of young leaders from all over the world. As a long-time speaker and counselor at One Young World, astronaut Ron Garan reached out to his colleagues requesting they share a simple message of solidarity, hope and collaboration to combat climate change that would reach political leaders during such a crucial time.

In less than three days, an outpouring of messages streamed in from astronauts around the world - eyewitnesses to profound changes to our planet they've seen first hand while in orbit. The messages were produced by members of the Association of Space Explorers (ASE), the professional association of flown astronauts, cosmonauts and taikonauts. ASE assists members to communicate their unique perspective of Earth to help stimulate humanity's sense of responsibility for our home planet.

Astronauts featured in the video:

Germany:

Ernst Messerschmid, Ph.D Space Shuttle

Japan:

Soichi Noguchi Space Shuttle, Soyuz, International Space Station

Naoko Yamazaki Space Shuttle

Netherlands:

Wubbo Ockels, Ph.D Space Shuttle, 1st Dutch Citizen in Space

USA:

Scott Kelly - Space Shuttle, Soyuz, Present International Space Station Commander

Kjell Lindgren, MD - Soyuz, Present International Space Station Crew Member

Piers Sellers, Ph.D Space Shuttle, NASA Climate Scientist

Greg Linteris, Ph.D Space Shuttle

Ron Garan Space Shuttle, Soyuz, International Space Station

Jerry Carr Apollo, Skylab

Nicole Stott Space Shuttle, International Space Station

Loren Acton, Ph.D Space Shuttle

Mary Cleave, Ph.D Space Shuttle

Dan Barry, Ph.D Space Shuttle

Bobby Satcher, Ph.D, MD Space Shuttle

Michael Lopez-Alegria Space Shuttle, Soyuz, International Space Station, US Spacewalk

Record Holder

India:

Rakesh Sharma Soyuz, 1st Indian Citizen in Space

Spain:

Pedro Duque Space Shuttle, Soyuz, 1st Spanish Citizen in Space

Music by The Human Suits

Space footage from:

NASA and ESA, The European Space Agency



"From our vantage point 250 miles above the Earth we can see how precious the Earth really is"

- International Space Station Commander Scott Kelly from onboard International Space Station

"Our atmosphere connects us all. What happens in Africa affects us in North America, what happens in North America affects Asia."

- Astronaut Dan Barry, USA

"Our Earth has Cancer and I have cancer too"

- Astronaut Wubbo Ockles, Netherlands

- filmed the day before he died

"We need a positive course correction and we need it now"

-Astronaut Ron Garan, USA

"We are citizens of space and stewards of Earth"

- Astronaut Soichi Noguchi, Japan

"Sustainable development is impossible if it is accompanied by non-sustainable consumption."

- Cosmonaut Rakesh Sharma, India

"The moment is now"

- Astronaut Pedro Duque, Spain



Relevant Social Media:

Twitter:

@WeArePlanetary

@Astro_Ron

@ASE_Astronauts

@OneYoungWorld

@FragileOasis

Facebook:

Planetary Collective

Ron Garan

Association of Space Explorers

One Young World

Fragile Oasis

CONTACTS:

UK: Steve Watts Kennedy:

steve@planetarycollective.com

PHONE: +44 7877220599

US: Elyse David:

elyse.david@fragileoasis.org

PHONE: +1 917 284 8019



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