In 2015 – the year of the highly anticipated Cop 21 climate talks in Paris – the key will be sustaining the momentum from last year’s People’s Climate March, and encouraging even more people to participate in climate action. With Ban Ki-Moon stating this week that ours is the last generation to fight climate change, there is surely no better moment to bring in new voices and new stories to inspire climate action.

For years, influential figures in the worlds of sport, film, music, art and fashion have used their status to raise concerns about issues important to them. Perhaps most famously, Bob Geldof rallied fellow musicians for Band Aid and Live Aid to raise funds for famine relief in the 1980s, and for Ebola treatment last year. The annual Comic Relief and bi-annual Sports Relief campaigns in the UK bring together comedians and athletes to help raise money for development projects across the global south.

So how can these diverse sections of society be used to encourage people to take action on climate change? Ice climber Will Gadd is raising awareness of global warming through photographs of the rapidly receding glaciers he has climbed. Sports teams and stadiums around the world are going green. Even children’s films are getting in on the act.

But can a photograph, film or song go beyond raising awareness and inspire behaviour change? Do prominent athletes and artists have a duty to lead by example and go green themselves? How can policymakers use climate and sport to promote changes in behaviour, and should these more creative methods feature in Cop 21 discussions?

On Thursday 22 January, 1-3pm GMT, join an expert panel to discuss these questions and more.

The live chat is not video or audio-enabled but will take place in the comments section (below). Get in touch via globaldevpros@theguardian.com or @GuardianGDP on Twitter to recommend someone for our expert panel. Follow the discussion using the hashtag #globaldevlive.

Panel

Leszek Sibilski, consultant, Connect4Climate, Washington DC, USA, @Connect4Climate
A former Olympic cyclist, Leszek has a Master’s degree in education and sport science, and a PhD in Sociology.

Julie Doyle, reader in media, University of Brighton, Brighton, UK, @JulieDoylej
Julie researches the role of media, arts, popular culture, and the visual in climate communication. She is on the board of the International Environmental Communication Association.

Njenga Kahiro, programmes manager, Zeitz Foundation, Nanyuki, Kenya, @njengakahiro, @ZeitzFoundation
Njenga has worked on community-based conservation projects in north-central Kenya for 15 years. He manages the Zeitz Foundation’s Laikipia Unity programme.

Kathleen Rogers, president, Earth Day Network, Washington DC, USA, @Kathleenedn, @EarthDayNetwork
Kathleen leads the Earth Day Network, a policy and activist organisation seeking to advance the green economy and integrate civic participation into activities.

Yvonne Senouf, co-founder, Meld, Athens, Greece, @yvonnegabrielle, @meldcc
Yvonne co-founded Meld, an interactive global art platform producing ground-breaking and evocative artwork to cultivate social change.

Kevin Buckland, artivist coordinator, 350.org, Barcelona, Spain, @change_of_art, @350
Kevin is an artist and organiser who facilitates artists to take leadership in recreating and re-imagining human society.

Paul Hunt, project officer, sportanddev.org, Biel, Switzerland, @sportanddev
Paul works for sportanddev, the sport and development sector’s primary online communications platform and networking hub.

Kenny Young, founder and director, Artists Project Earth, Brailes, UK, @kennyyoungape, @artprojectearth
A musician and producer, Kenny founded and directs the climate change awareness organisation, mobilising musicians and artists.