Scarlett Westbrook is an 19-year-old leading climate justice activist and journalist, and the youngest person in the world to attain an A level in Government and Politics, which she self-taught at age 13. She is also the youngest parliamentary policywriter, most known for her work on climate education, and for being a lead organiser of the British School Climate Strikes. In 2022, she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Science from the University of London for her work on climate justice.
Simon worked across the branded communications industry and agency-side before joining the business. During his tenure with Lions he has overseen the creation and introduction of more than half of the Lions awards. Simon is deeply passionate about the work and is a tireless advocate for creative marketing excellence that drives business performance.
Simon Mulcahy is President, Sustainability at TIME Inc. He is responsible for founding and launching CO2.com, a new division of TIME, focused on providing businesses with the trusted content, solutions, applications and community that accelerate investment in climate solutions, and progress towards net zero.
Sophia’s work has garnered international recognition, with features in prominent media outlets and accolades such as VICE Media’s youngest Human of the Year, a National Geographic Young Explorer, and a Forbes 30 under 30 honoree. Notably, Sophia is the youngest United Nations board member and advisor in US history.
Sophie Lambin is the Founder and CEO of Kite Insights and of The Climate School. Kite works with companies to take thoughtful action on issues that matter through the development of research & insights, learning content, and programme curation. For more than 20 years, Sophie has worked with the c-suite and other thought leaders to shape private sector action on climate and its intersection with gender, health and people more broadly. Recently, she launched Debatable, a concept designed to enable healthy and respectful public debate on complex issues. The first edition of Debatable: Activism Works, was launched in front of a full Theatre du Châtelet in Paris in June 2023.
She is also the curator for The New York Times Climate Forward series and sits on the editorial board of The Women’s Forum for the Economy and Society.
Before creating Kite Insights, Sophie was the global head of thought leadership at PwC, where she spearheaded the Annual Global CEO Survey and the strategic partnership with the World Eco
Sophie is also a co-founder and board member of ONE ACT AID, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing direct personal aid to Ukrainian refugees, a mentor for the D&AD SHIFT program, and an OWN IT collaborator, an initiative designed to increase the number of female and non-binary owners in our industry.
Susan Joy Hassol is an award-winning climate communicator and author known for her ability to translate science into English. For more than 30 years she’s helped scientists communicate more effectively and provided clear information to policymakers and journalists. She’s written and edited high-level reports including the first three U.S. National Climate Assessments. She’s testified to the U.S. Senate, written an HBO documentary, and speaks and publishes widely including recent commentaries in the New York Times, Washington Post, LA Times, and many more. Susan was named Friend of the Planet in 2023 by the National Center for Science Education, received the 2021 Ambassador Award from the American Geophysical Union (AGU), and is a Fellow of AGU and the American Association for the Advancement of Science for her “exceptional contributions to the communication of climate change science to policymakers and the public.” She tweets @ClimateComms
Dr. Sweta Chakraborty is a climate behavioral scientist who is regularly interviewed on major, international news media outlets (e.g. CNN, the BBC, MSNBC). Sweta is the CEO of We Don’t Have Time-North America, the world’s largest multimedia company for climate content development, broadcast, and distribution. She is a partner at Pioneer Public Affairs and is on the steering committee of the Global Commons Alliance. She is an Independent Director at Lightbridge Corp. where she chairs their Environmental Impact committee, and is on several advisory boards like the New York Academy of Sciences and Climate Power. She is a book author from her time as a postdoc at Oxford University. She is a TEDx, SXSW, and globally recognized keynote speaker and consultant for several Fortune 100 companies.
Thomas Kolster is a frontrunner and one of the most recognised thinkers globally where marketing, business and sustainability meet. He continuously challenges the status-quo with his vocal, and often provocative, views on values, purpose, and leadership. In an over-crowded do-good market, people don’t buy your values or your “why”, but rather who you can help them become.
He has written two books: Goodvertising & The Hero Trap; delivered keynotes and workshops in +70 markets for clients like Facebook, P&G and IKEA and at conferences such as TEDx, SXSW and more. Additionally, he judged top-awards such as Jury President at D&AD and Jury at Cannes Lions, as well as delivered longer training programs with universities and the likes of Cannes Lions and D&AD.
Tim Kelly is the Executive Director of Earth HQ, part of the Global Commons Alliance, uniting over 50 forward-thinking organizations to advance science-based initiatives for global well-being. Tim’s extensive background includes being President of the National Geographic Society, where he transformed the organization into a multimedia giant, launching the National Geographic Channel and winning an Academy Award for “March of the Penguins.” He’s also a Co-founder of Planet3, an EdTech platform for climate solutions, and serves on various environmental and educational boards. Tim’s career underscores his unwavering dedication to leveraging media and technology for positive global impact.
Tom is Chairman and Chief Growth Officer of Stein IAS. He’s been a B2B agency leader and innovator for more than 35 years.
Tom is part of the leadership team that has propelled Stein IAS to global B2B Agency of the Year designation by ANA for an unprecedented nine times over the past 12 years. In 2021, Stein IAS received the first-ever WARC Effectiveness Award for B2B (gold) in association with LIONS. In 2022, Stein IAS won its second consecutive WARC Effectiveness Award for B2B (gold) at Cannes.
Tom also serves as Chairman of MSQ B2B, leveraging the collective B2B capabilities of Stein IAS together and nine other agencies that comprise MSQ.
At APR Traci’s role is both client and industry facing – working with clients on the strategic side of APR ‘s business helping clients devise future proof solutions that drive efficiencies with a high focus on the VALUE those solutions deliver to the business. Traci leads APR’s Sustainability offering managing APR’s Sustainability in Production Service (SPS) and representing APR at board level on Adgreen & Ad Net Zero at an industry level. Sustainability has been a passion for many years spanning both ISBA and APR.
Tyler LaMotte is Marketing Director for Patagonia EMEA, based in Amsterdam. A purpose-driven brand builder with over 20 years’ experience in the outdoor industry, he oversees marketing strategy for the brand.
Hailing from the West Coast of the United States, Tyler has previously held senior roles at organisations shaping the future of outdoor, athletics, and technology, including Adidas, Keen, Salomon and Apple. Tyler returns to Patagonia in his current role, having worked as global business unit director for snowsports, performance baselayer, trail running and accessories, at the global headquarters in Ventura, from 2010 to 2015.
Conservation and Climate Advocacy Expert. Nearly 15 years’ experience in U.S. political campaigning, public policy process, NGO / non-profit leadership, and global environmental issue advocacy.
Download our landmark white paper A New Era in Climate Communications and unlock insights from more than 40 contributing organizations and 60 experts from across industries including advertising, marketing, and communications, as well as the creative and climate science communities. Designed as a key resource for all those who share our vision for a world in which everyone is inspired to play their part in the climate solution, understands what they can do, and has the opportunity to do it.
The Yale Program on Climate Change Communication has identified six unique audiences within the American public that each responds to the issue in their own distinct way; the Alarmed, Concerned, Cautios, Disengaged, Doubtful and Dismissive. Want to know which of the Six Americas you are in? Take Yale’s short quiz now!
HERO is the first subscription service of its kind, empowering citizens to directly fund verified climate campaigners of their choice. This support ensures a monthly stable income for campaigners, so that they can accelerate climate policies worldwide. Subscribe for just €6 a month and get exclusive Q&As, behind the scenes content on campaigns, recognition in policy wins and bi-monthly action reports. Join HERO in changing the way the work of campaigners is valued and how citizens engage in climate action.
Our groundbreaking resource is a climate storytelling playbook for screenwriters. Created by writers, for writers, this expert-informed guide supports screenwriters in telling urgent, nuanced, and engaging climate stories that go beyond stereotypes, to entertain audiences and create unmissable content.
27 of the world’s largest nature conservation organizations, institutes, business and finance coalitions came together together to launch a new initiative aimed at driving alignment around the definition, integrity and use of the term ‘nature positive’ and supporting broader, longer-term efforts to deliver nature-positive outcomes.
Thorough evaluation of our planet’s climate system, encompassing key insights into climate change causes, impacts, and potential solutions. It serves as a vital tool for informing climate policy and driving global action.
The UNFCCC is mobilizing the creative industries to accelerate climate action in our sector and beyond. ECCA is part of the Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action, a framework to support implementation of the Paris Agreement by non-State actors and advance ambition by strengthening collaboration between governments and key stakeholders, under the leadership of the High-Level Champions.
ActNow is the United Nations’ campaign to inspire people to act for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs spell out how we can protect our environment and slow climate change, from forests to oceans to everywhere in between. Think about your electricity use and your travel. Check your dinner table. Reuse whatever you can. Every one of us can make choices to help take care of our planet. The possibilities for action are many – and add up fast!
New Zero World is partnering with H&M Foundation to transform climate communications and empower communicators.
The year-long partnership sees H&M Foundation provide critical funding for New Zero World’s Research Hub and Young Creatives programmes; focusing on creating the tools and platforms needed to build on the momentum and insights generated by our white paper A New Era in Climate Communications.
“We’re on a mission to overcome the barriers to climate action through the power of creativity and communications, and at the heart of this partnership is a shared passion for the power of inspiring storytelling to shift narratives.
“Working together we have an opportunity to build on the momentum created by our white paper A New Era in Climate Communications and ensure insights become action and action becomes impact on the journey to a world where everyone is inspired to be a part of the climate solution.” Natalia Vega, Founder and Executive Director, New Zero World
With the support of the H&M Foundation, our new partnership focuses on developing our interactive Digital Knowledge Hub and new work to help communicators in all sectors cut through the noise and create positive change.
“Through the Climate Communications Accelerator initiative, we’re not just looking to inform – we’re looking to transform. We want to tell stories that inspire, challenge, and drive us all towards a future where we live within planetary boundaries.” said H&M Foundation.
Advertising Community Together (ACT) Responsible is an international non-profit organization
dedicated to showcasing the vital role and responsibility of the advertising industry in promoting
social and environmental awareness while prioritizing sustainability.
Its annual Champions of Good – presented at Cannes Lions – celebrate movement makers, advertisers, non-profits, and ad industry leaders who have played leading roles in advancing social and environmental causes through personal contributions.
This year we were delighted that New Zero World founder Natalia Vega was the recipient of the Movement Maker accolade, alongside this year’s other winners:
Leader – for her relentless advocacy and leadership in advancing women’s rights, LGBT rights, and individual liberties in Morocco through the MALI Movement.
“Since our first Champion, Kofi Annan, in 2009, who united the United Nations with the advertising industry, we have made significant progress and continued to grow. Like the Olympic flame, our four Champions of 2024 will receive their ACT Tributes from past Champions, symbolizing the ongoing legacy,” says Hervé de Clerck, ACT Responsible Dreamlead.
“This work is only possible because of the many people working to support it, so it was an honor to receive this recognition on behalf of all of our fantastic New Zero World allies – thank you,” said Nataia after the event.
When it comes to the creative industries there isn’t a bigger stage than Cannes Lions – which makes it the perfect place for the New Zero World team to engage with allies who share our vision for a world where creativity inspires everyone to take climate action.
On Tuesday, June 18th. We’ll be at the Goals House in Cannes, joined by Katja Iversen, CEO of the Museum for the United Nations, gathering some of the biggest names and brightest minds in creativity, to begin work on a world-changing campaign; ‘The Most Important Brief’.
Delivered through the Earth Public Information Collaborative (EPIC), which we launched in partnership with the Global Commons Alliance, this is a first-of-a-kind collaboration aligning brands, the creative community, global media, storytellers and the science around SDG Goal 13, an urgent call to action on climate change and nature loss.
Convened by Tim Kelly, Executive Director, EarthHQ at Global Commons Alliance and moderated by Natalia Vega, New Zero World founder and CMO of EPIC, discussion will focus on drivers of behavioral change of the global population, how EPIC is set up to scale messages of sustainability across the world, and how we can develop a “generation-defining” creative brief together.
If you would like to connect to find out more about our New Zero World programmes, please email the team hello@epicplanet.org
Here’s what else we’re up to at Cannes:
We are delighted to be partnering with the International Advertising Association and ACT Responsible to bring the New Zero World message to the Sustainability Hall at Cannes Lions. Look out for our displays and panel sessions, as well as our on the ground team, who will be interviewing leaders who are making an impact.
Our Young Creatives initiative is returning to Cannes to focus on how the next generation of creative talent can reshape the industry, including a special briefing for young creators to be held in the Sustainability Hall.
Our founder Natalia Vega was joined on stage by climate communications expert and former Museum of the UN CE Molly Voss Fannon at the Green Media Summit in New York in April, where they delivered the keynote talk Empowering Tomorrow’s Consumers: Best Practices in Communicating Brand Sustainability Efforts.
We are delighted to announce that our landmark white paper A New Era in Climate Communications is available to download for the first time.
Supported by more than 40 contributing organizations and 60 experts from across industries including advertising, marketing, and communications, as well as the creative and climate science communities, this paper has been designed as a key resource for all those who share our vision for a world in which everyone is inspired to play their part in the climate solution, understands what they can do, and has the opportunity to do it.
“We live in an age where each of us is bombarded by messages every day, yet the most important ones are the ones that seem to struggle the most to get through. By bringing together insights from so many incredible contributors, we hope the downloadable addition of A New Era in Climate Communications will help to not only show the world why we need to rethink the way we communicate about climate change, but provide many of the tools for us to do it.” said New Zero World founder Natalia Vega.
The timing of the downloadable edition, updated for 2024, is significant. More than half of the world’s population live in countries due to elect new leaders this year, while at the same time the threats of misinformation, disinformation and polarization – fueled by advances in AI – have the potential to undermine our ability to address the climate crisis relies on how well we can drive trust and engagement in climate solutions.
The white paper is structured around key themes that are crucial for effective climate communication:
Re: focus | Understanding the interconnectedness of climate change with social justice and economic stability.
Re: wind | Addressing the history of misinformation and greenwashing that has hindered progress.
Re: think | Crafting narratives that resonate with people’s lived experiences.
Re: wire | Leveraging insights from psychology and neuroscience to create impactful campaigns.
Re: design | Moving away from doom narratives and equipping communicators with new skills.
Re: imagine | Envisioning a sustainable future with the help of the creative industry’s expertise.
Re: create | Balancing urgency with hope to empower audiences and inspire action.
Re: sist | Challenging the status quo and advocating for genuine transformation².
Re: start | Learning from other efforts.
Our hope is for A New Era in Climate Communications to not only act as a rallying call for those engaged in the climate story, but to be an invitation to communications professionals and creatives to engage deeply with the issue of climate change and to use their skills to supercharge the solutions.
Yes, it’s carbon pollution that is cooking our planet — causing immense human suffering, escalating worldwide chaos, and increasingly dire pleas from scientists.
But the biggest obstacle to solving this problem isn’t the science. It’s the BS oil companies have blasted us with for decades to create confusion and delay.
We’re launching Yellow Dot to combat, correct, and challenge decades of disinformation pushed by oil companies, and amplified by the politicians in their pocket and the large swaths of the media the polluters hold sway over.
We aim to take the constant sales pitches and distorted realities that bombard most of us on a daily basis, shred them, and use the remains to tell a new story based on science and reality. And yes that last sentence was sponsored by American Express.
We’ll use creativity, humor, and the vast well of artistic talent around us, to empower more people to be part of a bullshit-free conversation about what we’re facing and what we can do about it.
Urgency, scale, and clarity are words we like. We also like the word “corduroy” but that is not relevant to this subject.
We exist to cause trouble. Silly trouble, angry trouble, the kind of “trouble” that isn’t trouble at all, but is only labeled trouble by people who profit from you not making any of it.
Yellow Dot is the sun, which is a part of the problem thanks to the heat-trapping pollution from burning fossil fuels… and also a major part of the solution.
It is a yellow light about to turn red.
We are here to make life healthier and safer for people, and to serve all who support that goal, including organizations, scientists, and activists all over the planet.
Do you need something? A video, a documentary team, graphics, billboards, a foot rub? Just ask.
We are non-profit. We accept donations.
The oil companies have more money than God. Really. We saw God’s portfolio. It’s mostly bonds and GE stock.
We also welcome your ideas and thoughts. You can send them here.
Welcome to Yellow Dot. Let’s get to work before it turns red.
— Adam McKay
EPIC (Earth Public Information Collaborative) is a first of its kind, new initiative drawing on world class marketers, the creative community, media and tech power, and climate science experts. The mission is to bridge the gap between science and society, and to catalyze public engagement at a global scale to achieve a more just and sustainable world. This fusion of media, tech, and@ advertising industries with science communicators is the beginning of a new public service ecosystem, drawing on leaders throughout the communications world to support a new era where citizens everywhere have access to vital science, data, and solutions on climate. EPIC will also serve as a centralized communications resource, enabling organizations, companies, campaigners and policymakers to access reliable evidence-based information, mutually learn and effectively communicate the urgency of our human and planetary climate crisis.
As the climate crisis accelerates at an unprecedented rate, a global communications strategy is critical to exposing the problem, translating new scientific tipping points, and harnessing our collective imagination towards a more just and sustainable path forward. EPIC plays a critical role in convening cross-sector stakeholders and ambassadors to collectively engage humanity at scale with public service campaigns, accurate science and reporting, and accessible resources designed for broad public engagement.
New research published today in Nature defines a set of Earth System Boundaries that scientifically quantify safety of people as well as stability of the planet – which until now have not been measured in the same units. This work builds on existing knowledge and marks a leap in understanding of how to protect the planet’s finite resources and create the conditions necessary for communities and economies to thrive.
Co-authored by over forty leading natural and social scientists from the Earth Commission, and led by Prof. Johan Rockström, Prof. Joyeeta Gupta and Prof. Qin Dahe, the Safe and Just Earth System Boundaries provide a scientific foundation for assessing the stability and resilience of the planet and the connection therein with human wellbeing. These Earth System Boundaries can guide companies and governments in evaluating risks, performance and opportunities as they navigate urgent efforts to achieve a net zero, nature positive and equitable future, especially in combination with just transformation practices.
The Earth Commission was established by the Global Commons Alliance – a coalition of 70+ leading organisations working to safeguard the global commons, including the World Economic Forum, World Business Council For Sustainable Development, The Nature Conservancy, Capitals Coalition, and Future Earth – which hosts the scientific secretariat of the Earth Commission.
The Earth System is made up of many interconnected processes that keep our planet stable or, when disrupted, radically alter its ability to provide a habitable environment. The Earth Commission’s research explores processes in climate, air, water – both ground and surface water – biodiversity – within natural ecosystems and working landscapes – and fertilisers – both nitrogen and phosphorus.
While previous research such as the ‘Planetary Boundaries’ have studied the ‘safe’ limits of these processes, this is the first to incorporate ‘justice’ into scientific analysis, using the same units of measurement. This means the scientists identified limits at which humans are protected from significant harm resulting from planetary changes. These ‘just’ boundaries are in some places more stringent than the ‘safe’ boundaries. Additional work from the Commission identifies the conditions needed for people to access resources for a dignified life.
Almost all of the Safe and Just Earth System Boundaries have been breached, adding urgency for accelerating action to meet existing sustainability goals, including the Paris Agreement for climate, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. This science emphasises that these goals must also be achieved in a just manner.
Prof. Johan Rockström, Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and co-author of the report, said: “All the models today that take us to net zero assume that nature will continue to provide buffering capacity against global warming. There are nine biophysical processes and systems that regulate the state of the Earth System – the Planetary Boundaries – the Earth Commission took six of these and scientifically quantified them with safety and justice considerations to indicate a safe landing zone for people and the planet. Working holistically across these domains is crucial to our ability to reach net zero.”
Prof. Joyeeta Gupta, Professor of Environment and Development in the Global South at the University of Amsterdam and co-author of the report, said: “Justice is a necessity for humanity to live within planetary limits. This is a conclusion seen across the scientific community in multiple heavyweight environmental assessments, including our own. It is not a political issue. Overwhelming evidence shows that a just and equitable approach to both goal setting and transformation to achieve the goals is essential to planetary stability. We cannot have a safe planet without justice. Anyone building a resilient company, institution or nation for the long term must work towards this future.“
As the most up-to-date understanding of the planet’s limits to supporting thriving societies, the Safe and Just Earth System Boundaries are set to become the scientific underpinning for the next generation of sustainability targets, expectations and actions. For example, the Science Based Targets Network – a group of organisations providing tools for companies to transform their impact on nature – has just released its first iteration of targets for water and land, which are informed by the scientific literature, and are now being road tested by seventeen major companies. By designing sustainability efforts around the Safe and Just Earth System Boundaries and just transformation, business leaders will be able to stay
This emerging science quantifies both the influence of humans on the Earth System, and the influence of the Earth System on humans. Building on existing frameworks, it integrates a justice perspective for the first time – which includes minimising human exposure to significant harm, and ensuring access to the resources needed for a dignified life and freedom from poverty for everyone. By quantifying these conditions in the same units of measurement as the conditions for stability, the scientists say they have defined the Safe and Just Boundaries.
Of the eight Earth Systems, human activities have pushed seven beyond their Safe and Just Boundaries and into the risk zone – threatening both planetary and human health. This highlights the urgent need for global leadership, rapid decision-making and just transformation toward a ‘Safe and Just space.’
Transforming our economies to operate within the limits of the planet offers huge opportunities for business leaders to stay ahead of regulatory scrutiny, meet the expectations of an increasingly conscious consumer and stakeholder base, and protect the communities, economies and natural resources upon which their operations depend. These boundaries allow leaders to see a more complete picture of the risks they face and supercharge their sustainability efforts, with a comprehensive framework for measurement and action that can be applied across markets, at both national and regional level. Global businesses including AB InBev, Carrefour, GlaxoSmithKline PLC, H&M Group, Holcim Group, Nestle and Tesco are now setting science-based targets for nature alongside their climate targets, informed by the same science that Earth System Boundaries have drawn from.
This work is more prescient than ever following the recent IPCC AR6 Synthesis Report, which stressed that – despite the richest 1% of the world’s population being responsible for double the CO2 emissions of the poorest 50% – climate change has increased inequality, and will continue to do so without action. This science will equip leaders to build justice and human wellbeing into their decision-making on sustainability.
All across Europe, a shift is happening. The shift is to a greener future, the so-called ‘green transition’, where consumers are starting to choose more sustainable paths, businesses are moving to more sustainable practices thanks to both consumer demand and green incentives, and communities, governments and societies at large can see the path ahead to a sustainable future. We can see where we need to go. But how to get there, and get there faster, remains a challenge for many. We have spent the last year at Creative Denmark looking deeply into how creativity can help accelerate this green transition and help individuals, business and societies create a sustainable future. Our new white paper ‘Creativity as a driver for green transition’, that will be launched September 19th, during Climate Week NYC, takes a deep dive into the hidden value of creativity as a tool to drive sustainable change and a green future. In this article you get a sneak peek to the topics we touch upon in the white paper. As Daria Krivonos, CEO of the Copenhagen Institute for Future Studies notes in the white paper, change is uncomfortable, but there is no alternative to creating a sustainable world, so the sooner we can embrace it, the better.
Morten Bødskov, Danish Minister for Industry, Business and Financial Affairs.
There is a multilayered approach to the green transition that takes in individuals, businesses, and systemic change. Each of them plays their part in making the shift happen. Starting at the individual level, creativity has a role to play in helping shape behavioural change. If you consider how marketing and advertising industries use their understanding of how people behave and why to influence behaviour, you can see how it can help in shifting them towards a greener state of being.
Charlie Stjerneklar, CEO of Kreativitet & Kommunikation (Creativity & Communication, red.), the industry organisation looking after the communications and influence industry, has seen the power of Danish advertising agencies first hand, and cites positive examples of brands from Coors to IKEA using Danish creative ideas to shape these new, climate-friendly behaviours.
“While the creative toolbox we use hasn’t changed much,” he says, “it now is being put into action in new ways and for new purposes… We can change the world with creativity – if we want.”
Individual actions and behaviours are important, but so too are actions that take place on a larger scale, including rethinking how businesses operate. Moving the ethos from a ‘take, make, waste’ model to a circular business model takes effort, commitment, and creativity but is an essential action on a planet with finite resources. Critical creative thinking needs to be done to work through problems, educate staff and consumers, and fundamentally rethink how we do business as a whole. Problem-solving at scale with stakes on this level needs a level of daring and a willingness to experiment – traits that require creativity.
In the paper, Circular Economy Expert Sara Lindeblad Wingstrand of Boston Consulting Group discusses how this new business model is an integral part of the solution to the environmental crisis that will need bold investor moves, ambitious policies, and radical innovation if it is to be successful. It’s a daunting task, but as many Danish businesses are able to prove, not an impossible one. From furniture companies offering reuse models and take-back schemes to businesses creating high-end products from waste, Danish businesses are already operating and innovating in this sphere, providing examples to follow.
Torben Klitgaard, CEO, BLOXHUB.
Making the sustainable choice irresistible is another key theme in the white paper. Bridging the gap between knowing about climate change and wanting to do something about it on an individual, business or systemic level is all about shaping a desire for it. Citing examples of storytelling and the power of imagination as drivers for this desire, Julie Hjort, Director of Sustainable Transitions at the Danish Design Center clarifies that science needs a little creative magic to help people bridge that gap.
“Science has told us what to move away from,” she said. “Our imagination must tell us where to go next. We must dare to imagine a living, sustainable, and circular society where people and the planet thrive.”
Beyond shaping individual desires and creating business imperatives, changing the system at a systemic level can accelerate far wider change. In the report, Connie Hedegaard, Former European Commissioner for Climate Action, explains how the European Commission is driving incentives across European societies to lead to a carbon-free future, recognising the global nature of the climate crisis: we are all connected, after all.
In Denmark, the new Bauhaus project Desire works across multiple disciplines, considering how they are all connected, to shape a better future. It’s a unique way to work on a systems level across multiple sectors, using collaboration and a set of principles to create better places to live. By throwing out profit as a guiding factor and instead looking at the values of belonging, circular mindsets, planetary perspective, agency and aesthetics, three pilot projects are ploughing a new path.
From the power of advertising to the problem-solving solutions business leaders need to find, and the systemic shifts that move us all in the same direction, creativity can power a faster and more desirable transition into a greener age. As the examples of Danish businesses in the white paper show, it is possible to adapt and change, innovate with the environment in mind, and succeed in a global and local market.
Creativity is the missing link when it comes to empowering individuals to take action, as well as shaping incentives that drive better business and societal change. It’s the secret sauce that makes us want to be a part of the green revolution, rather than stick to the status quo. And, as we rethink how to live and work in a world that does not have limitless resources, there is no future without it.
Legal Disclaimer:
The information in this white paper has been published on the basis of publicly available information; internal information and other sources are believed to be true, but may not be verified independently and are for general guidance only. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of information contained, the contributors herein assume no liability for any error, omission, or inaccuracy.
