UK: May 4 saw a unique event bringing together the creative industries together to agree upon shared action in relation to the historic COP21 agreement, culminating in the launch of the Creative Climate Coalition.
The launch, led by global creative and sustainability charity Julie’s Bicycle, was in partnership with Arts Council England, London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London, Centre for Sustainable Fashion, Kings College London, Knowledge Transfer Network, Good Energy, Neal’s Yard, D&AD, BAFTA albert and UTOPIA 2016.
Julie’s Bicycle Director, Alison Tickell, opened with a call to action for the arts and creative industries to collaborate on solutions to the climate challenge: “By and large, the creative community has not been considered, and nor has it presented itself, as a critical part of the solution. In spite of the huge impact the creative and cultural sector has on people’s lives, it is still considered peripheral to the global challenges such as sustainability, biodiversity and climate change, and this is such a waste. We are a chronically untapped resource.”
Nick Nuttall, UNFCCC Head of Communications and Spokesperson, celebrated the newly-signed Paris Agreement, and emphasised the urgency of acting to decarbonise the economy and decouple carbon emissions from global economic growth. He said: “The creative industries have a lot they can do from advocacy — and I do not mean just celebrities — to triggering creativity and swinging hearts, minds, hands and feet towards fast tracking this journey. You are also investors, owners and operators of buildings and infrastructure in your own right, decision-makers in terms of supply chains, influencers of government and local authority policies, and individuals in control of the choices you make.”
Delegates – including creative and cultural leaders, artists, funders and policy makers – all converged at Kings College, London for this ground breaking half day event to explore ways to use creativity in an innovative and inventive way with regards to climate change. Speakers and delegates came from across the arts, fashion, film and TV, design and advertising.
The Creative Climate Coalition brings together people from the creative industries taking action on climate change. Signatories to the Creative Climate Coalition Pledge commit to:
- Take action themselves to make our work more sustainable
- Speak out and up, using their voices to accelerate positive change
- Jointly support one another, sharing campaigns and knowledge
- Use their creativity to find, and scale, solutions
With over 380 signatories to date, including major artists and cultural leaders from across the globe, the Coalition invites new creatives to join and take climate action.
