Design Declares' Climate Action Cards and New Designers 2025

Contribute your ideas to Design Declares' Climate Action Cards

Design Declares is co-creating a deck of 52 action cards this fortnight to help designers and design-led businesses shift toward sustainable, regenerative and climate-conscious practices. Contributions are invited to this Google Doc before July 18 from designers, educators, studios, organisations, activists, scientists, researchers and policymakers.

The cards will be launched at the World Design Congress 2025 in September and distributed in physical and digital versions to those who pledge to act. The Congress will return to London for the first time in over 50 years and convene 1,500 global leaders in design, business, and academia to address the UK Design Council's theme of Design for Planet.

All 52 cards will provide accessible, meaningful actions aligned with the Design Declares 8 Acts of Emergency or the Design Council's 18 Skills for Planet Blueprint and should be linked to and prompted by a particular quarter or season.

Steps should be inspirational, practical and applicable across disciplines, e.g. running a climate reflection session with your team at the start of the calendar year or creating a sustainability contract clause for the new financial year.

You can find the 8 Acts of Emergency here.

You can read the 18 Skills for Planet Blueprint here.

See the last URGE newsletter for more on the Skills for Planet Blueprint.

Submissions to the Google Document should include the action (max 280 characters), the related Act(s) or Skill(s), your name or organisation (optional), and any supporting link or reference (optional).

Contributors will be notified of their inclusion by the end of July.

Remember, submit ideas by 18 July to this Google Doc.

Download and read the full call for contributions.

Plan your week two of New Designers 2025 around these events

This week, New Designers continues to celebrate 40 years of showcasing emerging talent at the Business Design Centre with ND25. This week is all about furniture, product design, industrial and spatial design, graphic design, illustration and animation, motion and digital arts, and game design.

ND25 promises a strong focus on the future, sustainability, and innovation as a new generation of designers adopts unconventional materials and methods. URGE has selected the sustainability highlights from the ND Educates programme, but you can find the full agenda of tours and talks here.

Thursday . July 10 . 11:00 - 13.15

Talk + Tour: Design Futures

The talk, chaired by journalist Abbey Bamford, will "bring together leading voices in design strategy, creative direction, and innovation to explore what’s truly shaping the future — beyond fleeting aesthetics" and ask, "how do designers across disciplines anticipate change—and lead it?" Speakers include Hannah Craggs (TrendBible), Liam Fisher (Affinity / Canva), Kevin Haley (Kevin Haley Studio) and Wim Wouters (DS Smith).

The tour (Future Icons x New Designers) led by Louisa Pacifico will highlight exciting graduate designers working across product, industrial and graphic-led practices, demonstrating new approaches to traditional techniques, sustainable materials, and original design thinking.

Friday . July 11 . 11:00 - 13:15

Talk + Tour: Sustainability

The talk will "bring together industry leaders across corporate, independent, and start-up spheres to unpack what sustainability really demands from designers today" and ask "what does true sustainability look like? And, how do we ensure the integrity of our actions, claims, and outcomes?" Chaired by Max Fraser (Dezeen), with panellists Jo Barnard (Morrama), Kirsty Dias (PriestmanGoode) and Adam Fairweather (Smile Plastics).

The tour (Creative Conscience x New Designers) led by Eddy Altmann will spotlight "how the next generation is reimagining materials, systems, and storytelling through purpose-driven design — from circular design and regenerative products to design for mental health and climate action".

Friday . July 11 . 15.45 - 16.30

Designing for Durability and Repairability

Tom Jarvis from Kingfisher will discuss the new Erbauer Gen 2 range of tools and equipment, designed from the ground up for durability and repairability. While Kingfisher has long focused on sustainable materials, this range marks a shift toward extending product lifespan. The talk will cover the development process and benefits for the environment, customers, and business.

Saturday . July 12 . 11:30 - 12:45

Designing for a Better Future

Eddy Altmann from Creative Conscience will lead an interactive talk and workshop exploring how creativity can drive positive social and environmental change. This session will invite emerging designers to consider the ethical impact of their work and how purposeful design can address mental health, climate justice, inclusion, and equality. Expect case studies, practical insights, and open discussion.

Saturday . July 12 . 14.00 - 14:45

Designing a Future-Ready Workforce

Bronwen Rees, Oliver Keller, and Kieron Lewis will present the Design Council's Skills for Planet Blueprint, the first step towards upskilling a million designers in green design by 2030. (See the last URGE newsletter.) They will discuss the skills emerging designers need to meet environmental and business challenges, sharing industry insights about the role designers play in a regenerative future for all.