WHY ACT?

We are living through an incredible turning point in human history, one of extraordinary technological advances, and a dawning self-awareness that human activities over the past few hundred years have had destructive impacts on the planet. It is accepted by the majority of climate scientists worldwide that if we don’t address ‘climate breakdown’, if left unaddressed, will cause devastating consequences and threatens the potential for life to continue on planet Earth.

We already see the impacts of climate breakdown today. We have lost almost 70% of earth’s biodiversity since 1970, and are forecast to see Earth’s sixth mass extinction event - this time, caused by humans. The year 2023 was the hottest on human record. We are on track to fail meeting the globally agreed target in the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to 1.5˚C, beyond which we may see a catastrophic collapse of our societies and natural systems. We see accelerating extreme weather events, in the form of drought, wildfire, floods, extreme heat, and erratic weather patterns. We are approaching critical tipping points that affect vital planetary systems, including rapidly declining sea ice in Antarctica, and the potential collapse of the Gulf Stream. We have exceeded six of the nine ‘planetary boundaries’, which outline the safe space for humanity for Earth’s major systems.

These issues have been widely reported on by scientists, journalists, governments and other independent organisations for decades, and there is no doubt we must take radical action across all sectors of our societies.

WHY NOW?

We accept the science and the need for us to take urgent, community-led action. We cannot rely on governments or corporations alone to make this change. We must work together as individuals and communities to achieve a just transition to net zero, seek climate justice, advocate for a global fossil fuel treaty, and protect a liveable future for people and the planet.

Alongside many inspiring climate advocates, activists, professionals, researchers, policy makers, businesses, inventors and individuals worldwide who are taking action - we have compiled 100 solutions you can act on today. Only action leads to hope - and we already have the knowledge, resources and skills we need to solve the crises and transition to a net-zero future.

The graphics below show the Warming and Biodiversity Stripes created by Ed Hawkins (#showyourstripes). These visually represent the urgency for change, with the sharp increase in global warming (see Warming Stripes, darker red bands representing warming temperatures) correlating directly with the accelerating decline in global biodiversity (see Biodiversity Stripes, grey bands representing species loss).

We have the capacity to positive make change today - the time to act is now.

WHO ARE WE?

100 Climate Actions is a climate advocacy project created by architect and artist Lucy Humphrey, founder of Studio Ecology and Lucy Humphrey Studio. With over 15 years experience in the building and construction industry (one of the highest emitters by sector, accounting for almost 40% of global emissions), this project combines creative research, trans-disciplinary collaboration and a positive mindset to offer actionable solutions, so we can collectively address the complex challenges of climate breakdown.

We each have our own agency and capacity to act - whether as individuals at home, in our workplace, or through our social and professional networks. This project compiles current information on a diverse range of climate actions individuals can take. We believe the answer lies in increasing bottom-up and top-down actions (both large or small), and that we have extraordinary power in numbers.

We seek advice from expert consultants and researchers, who assist with an ongoing review and updates to the Action List as circumstances change or new information is released. We welcome feedback and are open to suggestions and collaboration.

Our purpose is to share, connect and accelerate change. We want to empower individuals to take positive steps towards the repair and regeneration of our planet, and believe every action counts. We can do this, if we act together.

A HOW-TO GUIDE

100 Climate Actions offers a diverse range of actionable climate solutions. There are 100 actions you can take, with the call for you to take action as quickly as possible. You could start with the action that is the most easily achievable for your own unique situation.

We recommend setting a target of taking a minimum of one action per month, and ideally more. We cannot overstate that we need to make positives changes to our lifestyles as quickly as possible - this is an emergency.

Not all actions will suit everyone and any actions relating to health and wellbeing should first be consulted with your doctor (such as moving towards a plant-based diet). There is no one size fits all, and the actions are not listed in any order of priority.

Different actions will have different impacts, depending on your own personal circumstances and current lifestyle. Some actions are extremely easy (such as changing to a 100% renewable energy provider) and others may require more consideration, research or budgeting.

There are many ‘carbon footprint’ apps that help set goals and track your personal emissions. But the biggest emitters are global corporations and oil, gas and coal companies, who are fuelling the crisis by selling fossil fuels. The answer is simple - we need to stop using fossil fuels as quickly as possible, and many of the actions relate to reducing your support of the fossil fuel industry.

We acknowledge climate change is an equity issue - meaning we are not all equally placed to respond to this challenge. There may be social, financial, cultural and ethical hurdles with some of the solutions. The Action List can be taken as a starting point for your own discussions with family, friends and coworkers, where additional resources for each topic will be shared in a weekly post, so you can make more informed decisions.

We have compiled this list from existing open source resources and reports, with external advice and peer reviews, but note that none of this constitutes professional advice of any kind. We encourage you to do your own research and ensure you make decisions that are safe for you and your family. You may also discover solutions that are not on the list - change needs to happen everywhere, at all scales, so you can also investigate and create your own climate actions.

START YOUR JOURNEY

Sign up to receive notification when the Action List goes live, and subscribe to receive our weekly newsletter for a more detailed explanation and resources for each action. Thank you for joining us on this journey - we believe we can do this, together.