Climate themes in creative work

Fascinating new paper from University College Cork on the impacts of arts, creative and cultural initiatives in fostering citizen engagement and advancing climate action. The research, published in #Current_Research_Environmental_Sustainability, evaluated five distinct creative projects, each addressing critical themes such as sustainable agriculture, circular economy, repair culture, consumption habits, sea-level rise, biodiversity, and community-driven climate action. These community based initiatives to enhance public participation in climate action were supported by the Creative Ireland Creative Climate Action Programme funded by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media and the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. The results showed that that interactive, participatory-style creative mediums led by artists and practitioners, such as demonstrations, workshops, presentations, and discussion, effectively engaged participants across cognitive, emotional, and practical dimensions. Respondents reported an increased sense of self-efficacy and capacity to take achievable climate actions. Community-centred, peer-sharing formats emerged as trusted and valued opportunities for accessing relevant climate information, aiding constructive dialogue on complex topics. Artists' unique perspectives and creative expressions generated positive energy and an openness to engage, renewing participants' motivation to act. Findings suggest that targeted creative community events can significantly support climate policy efforts by fostering high-quality citizen engagement. The research was undertaken by Prof Marguerite Nyhan's team and Alexandra Revez at UCC Environmental Research Institute and Research Ireland MaREI Centre. The paper is freely available to download from https://lnkd.in/eKBzyevN

Looking for a coffee read…. The Creative Commissions for Climate Action programme is a series of British Council-supported projects across the world that combined art, science and climate action/activism to address climate change and related environmental crises. This external evaluation report details activity from 2021 to 2023. The combination of arts, science and technology has been at the heart of the Creative Commissions, finding innovative ways of addressing diverse climate challenges at a global scale and bringing to life the data. They highlight the personal stories and local contexts of some of those most affected by climate change, humanising an otherwise overwhelming and complex narrative of the climate emergency and biodiversity loss. Through diverse artforms and culture-led initiatives, the Creative Commissions build understanding and increase dialogue between communities, artists, scientists and digital innovators, and inspire hope for a brighter future. This external evaluation of the commissions serves to provide evidence of the impact and value of such projects when arts and culture are at the heart of climate action. It also helps us to reflect on the process, and learn from the experience to improve future initiatives. Humanizing the climate narrative: By combining art, science, and technology, the commissions made the climate emergency more personal and understandable for diverse audiences. Inspiring action: The projects demonstrated how arts and culture can motivate wider climate action and build understanding among communities, artists, and scientists. Encouraging collaboration: They fostered dialogue and new collaborations, often involving UK-based artists and cultural partners working with international counterparts. Addressing diverse climate themes: Projects addressed a wide range of issues, from deforestation and rising sea levels to sustainable consumption. #cop #climate #MutiraoCOP30 #cop30 #copbrazil #BelémBrazil https://lnkd.in/eyNRiq3u.

If sustainability had a Tinder profile, it would show a windmill, a polar bear, and a seedling in hand? 🎯 Where the hell is our imagination? Our creativity? If we can’t picture a better world – and make it relatable – how can we ever move towards it? 🤯 Getty Images’ report “Sustainability at the Crossroads” explores two decades of insights around climate change’s visual culture, including data from 2.7 billion annual searches and downloads, and insights from 100,000+ consumers across 25 countries. The contrast is striking. In the early 2000s, imagery focused on pollution, oil rigs, smokestacks, melting ice. Fast-forward to today, and the most popular search trend is... a hand holding a seedling. Symbolic of a 2025 where no one dares to say anything concrete, so we go abstract - and reach for imagery of a little green shoot to attempt to say something bigger. 74% of Europeans want to see visuals that show the environment is improving due to individual, corporate, and government actions. And there’s hope. The report offers practical steps to shift the narrative. Let me share one that resonates deeply: the most powerful visuals today aren’t about catastrophe at scale — they’re about honest, human steps forward. Audiences are tuning out abstract icons like glaciers and deserts. What moves them now are grounded, relatable stories of progress. We’re social creatures — we mimic what we see. So a portrayal of simple actions, if authentic and not tokenistic, can truly inspire change. We are dependent on our natural world — not the other way around — so it’s never been more important to find a better way to portray this complex relationship. Images matter. They shape narratives. Personally, I feel that we, as an industry, have failed to portray an inspiring, better tomorrow — and the consequence is apathy and polarisation. So, next time you feel the urge to save the world one symbolic sprout at a time, ask yourself: Is this image going to inspire action? 🐻❄️🌱 👉 Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/dtPk3rT9 #creativity #sustainability #climateaction #visualstorytelling #reimagine #photography

Creativity isn't optional anymore. It's the missing skill in climate work. We keep waiting for lightbulb moments. But the best ideas aren’t flashes. They’re habits. 🌍 In the sustainability space, creativity looks different: It’s not painting posters. It’s solving problems nobody trained you for. Here’s what that looks like: ✧ ♻️ Waste Manager → Resource Alchemist Singapore’s landfill limits forced cities to rethink waste as raw material. Old food → compost. Old electronics → jobs. That’s not fantasy. That’s design thinking—on a deadline. ✧ 📊 Accountant → Carbon Storyteller When your ESG report leads with emissions avoided, not profits made, you build trust. That’s how carbon literacy becomes investor magnetism. ✧ 👩🏫 Teacher → Systems Illuminator A banana peel becomes a science lab. A plastic bottle becomes a wind turbine blade. Hands-on climate learning = lifelong behavior change. 🧠 According to the World Economic Forum, ⤷ 73% of green jobs now require creative problem-solving. ⤷ But most teams haven’t trained for that. ⤷ They’re stuck in checklists, not “what-ifs.” Try this mental gym exercise: 💭 “What if we recaptured [waste stream] as [resource]?” Examples to start: — Coffee grounds → Mushroom grow kits — Shredded paper → Home insulation — Avocado seeds → Water-purifying charcoal This isn’t about hacks. It’s about habits. And creativity is 100% trainable across every role. 🚨 One last truth: If you’re building a sustainability team without upskilling creativity, You’re building in circles. ♻️ 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 🔔 Follow Fredrick Muriithi for bold, sustainable marketing insights.

What happens when Hollywood’s best storytellers convey the present-day risks of climate change in gripping mainstream shows? In the case of an episode of the latest season of “Grey’s Anatomy,” it turns out that viewers come way more concerned and better informed about the impacts of extreme heat. Through the work of the Grey’s Anatomy team, Los Angeles Times climate columnist Sammy Roth shows how, “…Hollywood can play a leading role in turning the tide. Not by preaching. By entertaining.” https://lnkd.in/ehdz4snE Happy to see the research of my Rare colleague Anirudh Tiwathia featured alongside the efforts and voices of Hollywood Climate Summit, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Rewrite the Future, Action for the Climate Emergency, Adam Umhoefer and Creative Artists Agency Foundation—and most importantly: the great creative talent that tells the stories we love, the stories that matter.