Thinking about environmental sustainability #5

This is the fifth in our ‘Thinking about environmental sustainability’ blog series and focuses on climate justice.

There is no specific question around climate justice in Creative Scotland’s funding criteria, but applicants may find this blog useful for shaping responses to the questions generally.

A key climate justice consideration is to ensure that your work to reduce emissions and adapt to climate change impacts involves, and accounts for the needs of, disadvantaged and marginalised groups. Without rapid action these groups will face worse impacts. Climate change action taken by the cultural sector needs to be fair and equitable and should counter rather than worsen existing inequalities.

Read blog #1 – introduction to the series.

Read blog #2 – on mitigation.

Read blog #3 – on adaptation.

Read blog #4 – on climate change and arts programming.

In this blog:

Climate justice

Climate justice is centred on people, looking at climate change as a social, political and cultural issue as much as a scientific and technological one. The essence of climate justice is that the people worst affected by the climate emergency are the least likely to have contributed to its causes. Often, references to climate justice are about Global South countries that are hit hardest by climate change. Without diminishing international responsibilities in that region, we must remember that disadvantaged people and communities in Scotland and the UK are also affected disproportionately by climate change. And helping to address these more local inequalities is exactly where our cultural organisations can have more impact.

In line with the Scottish Government’s climate change policy commitment ‘to ending our contribution to climate change in a way that is fair and leaves no one behind’, Creative Scotland has embraced climate justice as a core theme of its Climate Emergency and Sustainability Plan.

Culture and creativity have an important part to play in this, helping society to think about difficult and challenging ideas, encouraging debate and challenge. Artists can make the invisible visible, involve different communities, and help imagine different futures, while cultural venues can provide spaces for debate and discussion, both through their artistic work and as venues in civic society. Cultural participation has a strong record in building engagement with people and broader society, increasing confidence and collaboration in tackling major issues.

(p9, Climate Emergency and Sustainability Plan)

Read our blog: Why does arts and culture need to think about climate justice?

Weaving in climate justice

We believe your climate change ambitions are made more effective when climate justice is woven into every aspect of your work, internal and external. As arts, cultural and creative organisations and individuals you have unique skills and bring new and imaginative approaches to tackling complex problems. You are in an exceptional position to tell the stories of our lives, good or bad, and to give hope and provide a space to think individually and collectively about the challenges and opportunities that the climate emergency has placed on our doorsteps.

A climate justice framing for your work can:

Highlight and help tackle local inequalities.
Provide new routes to participation.
Build trust and empower the community.
Influence decision-making.
Increase diversity of staff, volunteers and collaborators.

Read our two extensive guides on this topic: Climate justice for cultural organisationsand Climate justice for artists and collaborators.

Climate justice and EDI

Climate justice stands strongly beside EDI (equality, diversity and inclusion). It’s important that the sustainability measures taken for productions or exhibitions when, for example, aiming for theatre green book or arts green book compliance, are and are perceived to be fair.

Questions an organisation can consider are:

Do your sustainability and EDI plans complement each other?
What are our opportunities to improve EDI and access? For example, sustainability measures like adjusting parking space in favour of people with limited mobility (to decrease car travel by others), or more local touring to areas with less access to the arts.
Do your sustainability actions avoid harm to underprivileged groups? For example, measures like a plastic straw ban and removing parking access can have an adverse effect on people with disabilities.
Who can you work with on climate change projects and whose voices need to be represented or platformed? Who do you need to work with? Remember that some people can take more climate action or in different ways so while some audiences should be encouraged to make changes to their behaviours, others (disadvantaged groups) may need to have a voice in climate decision-making.

Mitigation through a climate justice lens

You should always consider that anything you do to reduce your emissions may impact disadvantaged groups unintentionally. For example, disabled people may find it challenging to travel in more sustainable ways so compelling people to use sustainable travel may make them less able to work with you or attend your performances. On the other hand, touring to smaller venues might both reduce audience travel and enable more people living in remote areas to access high-quality artistic work.

Generally, small, medium and regional organisations have fewer assets and resources than their larger counterparts. Larger cultural organisations can support smaller organisations and independents by offering materials and resources for reusing and repurposing, or by sharing and providing access to assets.

Adaptation through a climate justice lens

As we’re already seeing with the cost-of-living crisis, people may struggle to support culture financially if climate change impacts on infrastructure or agriculture are making daily essentials more expensive. We can also expect to see health impacts with older and younger people more vulnerable to hotter temperatures and people finding it harder to move around in icy and stormy conditions. Practically speaking, as long as they’re physically accessible, cultural venues can be useful and appreciated places to stay cool in summer and warm in winter, so there’s potential for a community hub aspect to come to the fore.

In terms of how organisations’ work relates to the communities they are based in or work with questions to ask could be:

What risks does the neighbourhood or community face, and could the organisation help reduce these risks or help address any problems when they arise?
How does the organisation increase any risks and what could change to avoid this?

Programming through a climate justice lens

If you are thinking of programming content about climate, it’s vital to incorporate climate justice. Global climate justice issues are important, but also think about what matters locally, as this may be where you can have the greatest influence. Telling bold stories about climate change impacts on marginalised communities, and commissioning projects from and with people who are experiencing the effects of climate injustice directly, are ideas to think about. Who is most adversely affected by climate change in your area?

Programming can also show how climate change is connected to other important social issues like fuel poverty or access to transport.

Examples from our website:
Eco-anxiety among children and young people is on the rise worldwide so programmes such as Rowanbank’s creative climate education project – Positive Imaginings – can provide invaluable space and time for this group to have a voice on climate change.

In Banchory, near Aberdeen, artists and a cultural venue work together with the community to create an apple orchard to deepen relationships with and understanding of the natural world. At its heart, The Far Orchard is about creating community and connecting people to nature and environmental issues.

Also read blog #4 – on climate change and arts programming.

Finance and sponsorship

When thinking about climate justice on a more global scale, these sorts of questions may be helpful:

Does your organisation’s bank invest in fossil fuels or other products that may lead to negative climate change impacts like deforestation?
When seeking sponsorship, do you talk to companies about the environmental sustainability of their work?

More resources

Museums for Climate Justice
Creative Scotland’s Illustrated Fair Work Guide for Employers
Culture Collective’s Our Voices: A Diverse Artists’ Guide
Creative Climate Justice resources by Julie’s Bicycle

(Top image ID: Wavy lines in varying shades of green with the text ‘BLOG SERIES: Thinking about environmental sustainability #5’.)

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