A recent study by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication found that more than 6 in 10 people across all countries and territories surveyed want more information about climate change. With more than a billion adults knowing little to nothing about the biggest existential challenge facing humanity, raising awareness among the public about climate science is critical.
Climate negotiations and publishing urgent reports have got us so far, but as the outcomes of COP26 have demonstrated, we continue to lack the global political will for bold action at the pace and scale that is needed to address the climate crisis. As cultural creators, we can take action by unleashing brilliant creative storytelling to meaningfully connect with more communities; Stories which challenge & inspire audiences to hold our leaders to account with a transition that keeps global warming to 1.5 degrees celsius.
When future generations look back upon the Great Derangement they will certainly blame the leaders and politicians of this time for their failure to address the climate crisis. But they may well hold artists and writers to be equally culpable – for the imagining of possibilities is not after all, the job of politicians and bureaucrats.
Amitav Ghosh, author
The Great Derangement
