Scribing the Climate
Drawn at the Sustainable Innovation Forum 2015 in Paris, part of COP21
Back in 2015 Live Illustration was at the COP21 conference in Paris. It was a time of heightened security - only days after the Bataclan attacks in Paris, the Charlie Hebdo attack was earlier that year. Those incidents would live large in the mind of any cartoonist in Paris, a sense of fear and paranoia that could only be compounded by the terrifying climate science being revealed to the world.
But then again, it’s Paris, one of the greatest cities in the world and it has many ways to cheer oneself up.
In that dark, cold and rainy city there was a growing sense of optimism. Serious political heavyweights were working hard to shape global climate policy. The hard fought notion of restricting global heating to 1.5c seamed entirely doable, rational and the sensible option. Deep beneath the Stade de France at the Sustainable Innovation Forum level headed speakers were able present the facts and move beyond the doom and gloom, putting forward new ideas to a crowd of business people eager to learn more.
A panel image from the event presenting new ideas then that seem normal now
The years following COP21 had momentum, and a sense of optimism held despite setbacks. Things have changed for the better. Yet looking back it is amazing to see what a very long time this process needs. Perhaps due to big players having a severe reluctance to impede short term profitability despite the long term prospects of environmental collapse.
A graphic recording from a Climate conference in 2017
The hope of keeping global heating to 1.5 degrees hinges on the 2030 ‘point of no return’. And the predominance of the catchall phrase “ESG” has allowed climate (as well as governance and social concerns) to be kept out of view as geopolitical attitudes shift. Maybe that has been a convenient tool in the current political climate.
The Children are the Future, and they are probably going to be quite pissed off.
Environmental, Social and Governance reporting is at least happening. The data is being gathered and decisions are being made upon it. Looking back over the last 10+ years the lack of action, newly resurgent petro states and the startling economic impacts of a tightening of hydro carbon supply are clear to see.
But there are, nonetheless, some positives. EV use is up, and becoming ever more cheaper in comparison to fossil fuel based vehicles. The combustion engine may not realise it’s dead quite yet, but it is. Solar, wind and battery power is becoming cheaper. There is a certain inevitability to progress when it starts to become profitable. And while it belches out vast quantities of carbon, China has turned a corner on emissions. All the while putting itself in the position of as one of the biggest global influencers on green tech.
As we race to build nuclear power stations (it only takes 30 years), or scramble to put up new solar and wind, or wait patiently for the EV grid to improve being optimistic is perhaps the hardest thing to do. Especially with the fate of humanity hanging in the balance. Being optimistic in a cheery cartoony style is even harder.
But we will do our best, and, we will always have Paris…
