Technology, the arts, psychology and community action all have a part to play in responding to climate change. The RSA’s director of design and innovation introduces the latest issue of the Journal, which celebrates these ‘courageous climate’ ideas.

Climate change is the single most pressing existential crisis of our time, with its impact threatening all living things through flooding, food and water scarcity, extreme heat and wildfires, disease and economic insecurity. The 2015 Paris Agreement saw a global movement of nations collectively agree to keep warming well under 2°C. Although this pledge incentivised a proliferation of innovations worldwide, projections indicate that global warming will still rise well above 2°C by the end of the century.

The 2015 Paris Agreement saw a global movement of nations collectively agree to keep warming well under 2°C. Although this pledge incentivised a proliferation of innovations worldwide, projections indicate that global warming will still rise well above 2°C by the end of the century.

Whether through the arts, technology, psychology or community action, this issue of RSA Journal celebrates a diverse range of ‘courageous climate’ initiatives that go beyond simply doing less harm, to doing more good, for people, places and the planet.

In this edition, David Morgan of Without Walls demonstrates how a network of cultural organisations can shift hearts and minds on the climate agenda through the support and development of outdoor interactive arts. Environmental artist Andrea Polli’s work highlights how immersive sound installations can blend the arts, technology and data science to improve public understanding of climate. The power of sound for change is explored further by Sounds Right, a groundbreaking initiative from the Museum for the United Nations – UN Live initiative by which nature can receive royalties when sounds are sampled in the music of recording artists.

Many of these innovations are enabled by advances in technology, and journalist Karina Montoya writes about the role that Big Tech-developed AI might play in addressing the climate crisis, and the importance of public awareness of the potential benefits, and costs, of the current industry push to develop such platforms.

From ideas to action, we are excited to celebrate 100 years of the Student Design Awards. This year’s winners produced courageous innovations that show how AI and technology can be a force for good, whether for regenerative farming, wildfire detection or circular tech.

This issue also profiles the Earth Defenders Toolkit, a collaborative digital space that combines science, tech and justice in solidarity with Indigenous and marginalised communities in the Global South, to facilitate connections and learning to protect ecosystems.

Undoubtedly, climate psychology plays a significant role in how we contribute to, process and adapt to climate change. Chair of the Climate Psychology Alliance Judith Anderson writes passionately about the impact of climate issues on young people, the support they need, and how growing up having never known a world without the climate emergency impacts their capacity to innovate in the future.

Eighteen-year-old Kabir Kaul, our inaugural RSA NextGen Fellow, models the role that young people play by sharing his incredible work as a London-based conservationist and activist. Another young Fellow, Amy Meek, leads our ‘In conversation’ interview with Hannah Jones, CEO of The Earthshot Prize. We learn about how the prize stewards optimism and inspiration in the next generation by scouting and investing in game-changing innovations that help us repair the planet.

And, in similar spirit, we share the work the RSA is doing in this space. Playful Green Planet is an ambitious initiative aimed at growing children and young people’s connection to nature through outdoor-based play and learning.

We hope this issue is as informative as it is inspirational, demonstrating how, through the RSA’s community and beyond, a diversity of disciplines, approaches and communities are working collectively to do more good in response to climate change.

Jo Choukeir is Director of Design & Innovation at the RSA.