Updated 28 October 2020 at 15:03 IST
Amid climate crisis, artists try to reduce carbon footprint to create 'greener art world'
Amid the ongoing climate crisis, a group of environmentally conscious art-dealers and artists are attempting to reduce the carbon footprint of their artworks.
- World News
- 3 min read
Amid the ongoing climate crisis with greenhouse gas emissions being at an alarming level, a group of environmentally conscious art-dealers and artists are attempting to reduce the carbon footprint of their artworks. These artists have come up with a tool that can help the galleries and the exhibition organisers to not only calculate the carbon emissions in a bid to create a “greener art world”. The Gallery Climate Coalition is the non-profit collective of London gallerists along with other art and culture professionals who have united to more climate-friendly approach in the industry.
Launched earlier this week, GCC has rolled out a ‘free-to-use’ calculator for carbon footprint after it was known how these art exhibitions release skyrocketing emissions into the environmental, making the situation more severe. Therefore to make the art world “more sustainable”, the organisation has been providing guidelines and other necessary sources to collective reduce the greenhouse gas footprint by 50 per cent over the next decade that is also in line with the Paris Climate Accord of 2015.
While informing of the calculator, GCC said in a statement that it “provides users with a general overview to determine and monitor their carbon footprint, and will be freely available for use by GCC members.”
“In addition, our website also contains information on a range of issues including shipping and travelling, packaging, energy and building management, recycling, and more,” it added.
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Carbon footprint of the art industry
The awakening to make an ecologically friendly approach in art world came after the Thomas Dane Gallery’s carbon audit reportedly revealed that the gallery, which is also one of the founding members of the coalition, consumed more than 200,000 kg of carbon dioxide in 2018-19. Moreover, at least 94 per cent of the entire greenhouse emission was credited to the freight of artwork, building energy use and business travel by the entire staff. Meanwhile, another founding member of GCC, Kate MacGarry Gallery witnessed its carbon footprint to surpass 23,000 kg in the same time span.
According to GCC, these examples are far from the outliers. Therefore, the coalition’s website has even extended its resources relating to the possible sources of CO2 emissions by the art and cultural institutions. The aim is to become “a platform for discussion and debate on a spectrum of issues related to the environment and climate change, and their wider social and economic consequences."
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Image: Representative/Unsplash
Published By : Aanchal Nigam
Published On: 28 October 2020 at 15:04 IST