UK Report on Culture-Based Climate Action
The British Council has released a new report, which was researched by KEA European Affairs, reflecting on how culture can contribute to tackling the climate crisis between 2026 and 2030. Learn more about and access the report here.
The findings of the report build upon study maps on culture-based climate action worldwide, interviews, desk research, and focus groups with dozens of experts, centred around six typological domains used to assess their respective contributions and impact on climate: creative climate action and imagination; heritage protection and resilience; indigenous knowledge and community-based adaptation; networks, partnerships and cultural relations; environmental sustainability of the cultural and creative sectors; and evidence and monitoring systems.
The report provides seven main recommendations that build upon its indicative findings, including:
- Moving from short project cycles to long-term cultural infrastructure for climate action
- Closing the gap between growing policy recognition of culture and access to sustained, dedicated climate finance
- Building greater shared evidence and enabling architecture to help make culture’s impact on climate tangible to policy-makers
- Strengthening cultural rights as a normative foundation of culture-based climate action
- Bridging the cultural and climate sectors via shared vocabulary and literature
- Leveraging COPs to institutionalise culture as a pillar of global climate governance
- Positioning creative imagination as essential for climate action, away from a nice to have
Image credit: Studio Madonna, BEYOND 2025: Being Many | Torino, 2025.