Round-Up: 16 October, 2020
Each week at URGE we’ll bring you our pick of the latest developments, resources and debates around how creativity is helping to tackle the climate emergency, plus news of our latest activities
Newsletter
Catching our eye
Stories, announcements and resources that the URGE team would like to share
This Dezeen live interview with Anne Asensio, vice president of design experience at Dassault Systèmes, marked the launch of Design for Life, a collaboration between Dezeen and Dassault Systèmes, which will explore how architects and designers are using advanced software to explore more sustainable ways of making buildings and objects.
The Carbon Trust reports that its 2020 consumer research shows sustained support for carbon labelling on products. Read the details here
The EU has announced plans for a new Bauhaus as part of its €750 billion coronavirus recovery plan. "We will set up a new European Bauhaus – a co-creation space where architects, artists, students, engineers, designers work together,” said European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen.
In the UK, Prince William and Sir David Attenborough announced the launch of the Earthshot prize, with £50m to be awarded to 50 solutions to the world's gravest environmental problems by 2030. BBC report here.
The Sovereign Nature Initiative is an interactive community of visionaries - developers, scientists, artists, and investors - who join forces in the interest of funding efforts towards sustainability. More here
Worth watching
Amid the plethora of sustainable business events taking place recently, we’ve picked out a few favourites:
Economist Sustainability Virtual Week: The Economist’s sustainability conference went virtual this year with an impressive line-up including Bill Gates and Unilever CEO Alan Jope. The latter shared his view that “Capitalism will need to move from a linear model of ‘take, make and dispose’ to a circular model where we design for re-use”. Watch the sessions here
RSA: Can Business Save the World? An interview with economics professor Rebecca Henderson on her new book Re-imagining Capitalism. “Henderson makes a compelling case for the power and duty of socially and environmentally responsible business to transform capitalism, and shares her vision for a system where good business means doing what is right.” Watch it below:
The Good Business Festival. Described as a “summit for the good business movement” this online conference runs over two ‘acts’, in 2020 and 2021 where “the smartest minds from around the world will join us to think big, galvanise our ambition and drive positive change”. Watch the 2020 act here
URGE in the news
URGE member Ella Doran spoke to Design Milk about the Clean Up Plastic Camo chair, a one-off piece highlighting the wicked problems of plastics in our oceans and furniture going to landfill. See https://design-milk.com/ella-doran-turns-waste-plastic-into-an-upholstered-chair-with-a-message/
Creative Review published an interview with Sophie Thomas, Federico Gaggio and John Grant about URGE and our aims and the parallels between digital transformation and reimagining businesses and organisations for a green future https://www.creativereview.co.uk/creative-collective-urge-climate-change/
Sophie Thomas took part in a Futurebuild online discussion about design’s role in the future of cities in a circular economy and design for the citizen. How can we live and build differently? What will be our vision for the future? Watch it back here
Sophie also shared her URGE, explaining why URGE and why now as well as outlining our plans “to build an advisory board solely with the generation still at school who are interested in design and passionate about the planet. Young people have strong moral compasses and alongside helping them to develop their agency to be able to take this into their future career we want them to help us think more about the future, for they will be our ultimate client.” Read it here