Visualizing Climate Change

Together, Climate Visuals and TED Countdown have released 100 photographs that showcase climate solutions alongside the global impact of climate change. The images were selected from more than 5,500 unique submissions from professional and amateur, gender-balanced photographers - spanning more than 150 countries. 

The images are freely available to key groups communicating on climate - namely the editorial media, educators, campaigners and non-for-profit groups - via the Climate Visuals library. 

“We’re so incredibly grateful, proud, and excited about the submissions received and embodied in our judge’s final selections”, said Toby Smith, Climate Visuals Programme Lead. “The images portray diverse climate solutions, new narratives and voices, and impactful photography—all direct from communities around the world. We reached over 5.2 million individuals in our Open Call in June. However, the real impact starts now as the entire collection becomes accessible to climate communicators.”

The initiative was catalysed by a $100,000 creative fund, with $1,000 per image selected - used to build a new robust, accessible collection of evidence-based photos that document the reality of climate change around the world. Images were selected that communicate positive climate solutions in five key areas, whilst ensuring they are both illustrative and impactful.

Photography brief and collection aims:

The visual narratives in circulation must move from illustrating climate causes and impacts to climate justice, solutions and positive change. Our online submission and licensing process considered a broad range of diversity, equity and inclusion factors to ensure that this opportunity was global, accessible, fair, representative, illustrative and impactful. The collection provides both a platform, voice and now visual tools to people and communities not yet represented in the mainstream climate change narrative.  

“Communication is one of the key pillars in the fight against climate change,” said Logan McClure Davda, Head of Impact at TED. “How we articulate the impact of climate can make or break public opinion, and the ripple effect is seen throughout culture, business, education, media, and more. Together with Fine Acts, we’re pleased to be able to provide climate communicators with free resources to illustrate both the global impact of climate change and the solutions that make us hopeful.” 

The collection will be showcased at the TED Countdown Summit in Edinburgh, UK October 12-15, 2021. 

The collection will be featuring prominently during the UN climate conference (COP26) in Glasgow, UK November 1-12, 2021 with the kind support of Scottish Power as detailed in this blog post.    

“We are absolutely committed to playing our full part in ensuring COP leaves a lasting positive legacy for the world and the people of Glasgow.” said Samuel Gardner,  Head of Climate Change and Sustainability for Scottish Power. “A key part of that must be engaging the public in not only the reality of climate change but the solutions we have to tackle this emergency.”