Creative projects aim to tell climate change story

Creative and artistic projects are being announced with the aim of engaging the public about the changes people will have to make to address climate change.

The projects include coastal light installations, reimagined Bord na Mona villages, decarbonisation projects and pop-up energy stores.

A fund of €2 million has been made available for the projects.

Green Party leader and Minister for the Environment Eamon Ryan said the creative and artistic sector has a role to play in communicating the story of climate change.

The projects will allow artists, musicians and others to work with communities to see “how we can make the leap needed to deal with climate change”, he said on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland.

The minister said that recent catastrophic climate events in North America and central Europe show the urgency of the situation.

Approaching climate change just as a “technocratic, scientific and economic story” would not appeal to people as much, he added.

Minister Ryan also said the initiative will be good for the artistic community and will help to get them back working.

Minister for Transport, Climate, Environment & Communications @EamonRyan talks to RTÉ’s @MorningIreland about a new fund to support creative projects highlighting climate change. ‘How we tell the story of what the change is we need to make is actually critical.’ pic.twitter.com/A1jK54qjnE

— RTÉ News (@rtenews) July 29, 2021

Línte na Farraige is one of the creative projects. It will feature visual light installations across six Irish coastal sites in Co Dublin, Wexford and Galway.

The installations show illuminated horizontal lines that represent future sea levels and storm surges.

Another is called Field Exchange, featuring farm based creative events.

It aims to support farmers to implement agricultural practices that combat climate change both in and above the soil in Tipperary.