Climate change is one of the greatest threats facing culture today. Performing arts, social practices, festive events and traditional knowledge are all vulnerable on our changing planet. But cultural influence holds the key to perceiving the challenges of climate change and coalescing around solutions.
Despite the power of the creative industries to explore uncertainly or inspire change, the cultural sector is largely absent from scientists’, governments’ and policymakers’ discussions on climate change. Cultural solutions are not systematically integrated into the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Paris Agreement, or the Assessment Reports of the IPCC. However, it is stories and narratives, rather than raw information, that motivate or demotivate climate action. Creativity itself is essential for finding new solutions to environmental challenges and a great space exists for creatives themselves to step up.
This event will begin with a keynote speech from Brian Eno, a highly influential musician, producer, visual artist and activist who as a co-founder of EarthPercent is reforming the music industry’s action towards climate change. This will be followed by a panel discussion that will include other artists and creators of culture. The panel will discuss how culture can shape collective mobilisation, individual behaviour change and action in tackling climate change in our modern world.
The event will be in person at Imperial College’s Great Hall and live-streamed for an online and international audience as well. After the event, there will be a networking reception where our Imperial start-ups that are tackling real-world climate and environmental problems will showcase and demonstrate their innovations.
Keynote address:
– Brian Eno, musician, producer, visual artist and activist, co-founder of EarthPercent
Panel discussion alongside Brian Eno:
– Nilesha Chauvet, novellist, short story writer and Managing Director, GOOD Agency
– Jason deCaires Taylor, Sculptor and creator of the world’s first underwater sculpture park
– Carly McLachlan, Professor of Climate and Energy Policy, University of Manchester
Chair:
– Baroness Young of Hornsey OBE, actress, author, and Chancellor of the University of Nottingham
Agenda:
18:30 – Introduction by Professor Hugh Brady, President of Imperial College London
18:35 – Introduction by Professor Sir Brian Hoskins, Chair of the Grantham Institute
18:40 – Keynote speech by Brian Eno
19:00 – Panel Discussion
19:35 – Live Q&A with audience
19:55 – Closing statement
20:00 – Event Ends, networking at the innovation space.
21:00 – Innovation space closes
Livestream links:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VetGA-fRnDI
Microsoft Teams: https://bit.ly/3EYanPO
Watch Grantham Institute’s former Annual Lectures on our YouTube playlist
[Photo Credit: Cecily Eno]
