Creativity in Motivating Climate Action

Andy Love, founder of Shade the UK, discusses the launch of Shade Islington and the role of creative expression in collective climate action.

“We need the creative industry to help inspire climate action"  - Brian Eno 

I attended the Grantham Annual Lecture in November 2022, which featured keynote speaker Brian Eno, a renowned musician, producer, visual artist, and activist. He emphasised that stories and narratives, rather than raw data, have a greater impact on motivating climate action. Creativity and expression are critical for finding new solutions to environmental challenges, and there is plenty of room for creatives to step up.

“The mistake we make with the climate movement is we assume that humans are information processors,” said Mr Eno, “as if they are computers and if we stick enough data in, they are bound to respond in one way or another – and that clearly hasn't worked."

The younger generation's creativity is their individual reaction to everything they see, hear, feel, and experience. Let us listen to what they have to say about their future and act on it! 

Shade the UK will hold a climate change adaptation competition across Islington schools this year. Students are challenged to think creatively about how Islington can adapt to better support its most vulnerable residents during hot weather.

Students will work in groups to investigate pressing issues concerning climate change in the United Kingdom. Where are the most people at risk of heat-related illness? How can we make our schools less likely to overheat? How can we protect the most vulnerable people from rising temperatures? What can we do to improve green space equity?

If you’d like your Islington school to take part in Shade Islington, please see more details here.