A 2022 report by UNEP finds that, currently, we are falling far short of the goals set in the Paris Agreement, the international climate treaty, with no credible pathway to reaching the 1.5°C warming limit in place. “Only an urgent system-wide transformation can avoid climate disaster,” it states. More than ever, it is vital for every industry, including the creative sector, to drastically change its practices – but also to point audience attention to the climate and ecological emergency with whatever tools we have available to us. In fact, another recent report has discussed the potential capability the creative industry has to lead the way with good practices.
There have been several impactful creative projects alerting and educating audiences about the climate crisis and working to push for more sustainable design practices. Below, we revisit five of them, seeing how typography, research projects, and material-based innovation can call for action and facilitate education.