The arts have a leading role to play in tackling climate change | Nicholas Serota

Cultural organisations are in a unique position to challenge, inform and engage audiences in conversations about the environmentIf we are to avoid irreversible global warming that will have devastating economic and social consequences for the world, "rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society" are required. This was the conclusion of a special report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published in October. We - the collective "we" - have been given 12 years to arrest climate change. The message is clear: everyone is responsible for creating a more environmentally sustainable world. And the arts and cultural sector is no exception.We have been talking about these issues at the Arts Council for a long time, and over the past decade have worked with the climate change charity Julie's Bicycle to help arts and cultural organisations reduce their environmental impact. In 2012 we became the first cultural body in the world to include environmental reporting and action in our long-term funding agreements with arts organisations. Recognising that we had to create the conditions for change to happen, the Arts Council buttressed these requirements with a programme of support from Julie's Bicycle. Together we substantially increased understanding about the role of the sector in addressing environmental issues and associated social challenges. Continue reading...