Cultural & Creative Industries Skillnet, one of 70 Skillnet Ireland Business Networks, presents this online Sustainability Toolkit, developed by Native Events.
When it comes to sustainable practices, now more than ever reliable resources are needed to guide those working across the cultural and creative sector in Ireland. This online guide provides tools & best practices verified by key industry stakeholders.
The toolkit is divided into four categories: Sectors / Impact Areas / Resources & Toolbox. Each area contains relevant information for the four main sectors: Audio Visual Media / Cultural Heritage / Performing Arts / Visual Arts. You can find more information on how to use this toolkit through the video link below and on the how-to page.
If you work in any cultural or creative sector in Ireland, this toolkit is for you. Whether you are a large company, or a freelancer, this toolkit will provide you with a starting point of inspiring examples to adopt more sustainable practices in your workplace.
No matter what level you are at in your journey, the best time to take action is now.
This sustainability toolkit was inspired by the Arts Councils – Life Worth Living report (2020) which identifies that if Ireland is to reach the goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050 this can only be achieved by: ¨integrating sustainable policies into all aspects of our society and economy… towards a decarbonised future that thrives while protecting the natural environment¨ (Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, 2020).
According to the IPCC’s (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) AR6 report , human activities, principally through emissions of greenhouse gases, have unequivocally caused global warming, with global surface temperature reaching 1.1°C above 1850-1900 in 2011-2020. Global greenhouse gas emissions have continued to increase, arising from unsustainable energy use; land use and land-use change; lifestyles; and patterns of consumption and production. The graphic below from the State of the Environment Report by the EPA (2022) shows the indirect and direct drivers, as well as human pressures that cause biodiversity loss in Ireland. The climate crisis and biodiversity loss are inextricably linked. We can not address one without addressing the other.
Our collective goal to preserve our planet is to ensure warming does not exceed 1.5°C. We are on the brink of climate breakdown. We recognise that there is no time for complacency. Although the climate emergency is impacting all areas of our shared planet, it is disproportionately affecting communities in the Global South who contribute the least to the global emissions, but stand to lose the most at the hands of an unequitable, resource extractive global capitalist economy.
Tackling the climate crisis is no easy task. It will take a reimagining of economies, societies, nations, regions, and relationship to place. The best way that we know to reimagine is through the arts, culture and creativity. By coming together with a shared vision, we can all take steps towards a better future for everyone. This huge global reimagining presents many new challenges as well as shared opportunities for those working in the cultural and creative industries in Ireland and we hope you will join us on this journey.
So where does the Sustainability Toolkit fit in?
To facilitate the kind of thinking and collaborative action that is needed to protect, restore and regenerate ecosystems and communities, there has to be a shared understanding of the world. This Toolkit contributes to ensuring there is a common language within the creative and cultural industries, so that individuals and organisations know where they are now, and what they can do to improve their sustainability practices.
The Sustainability Toolkit showcases this worldview shift at work through resource organisations, case studies, new policies and best practices. It has been created with the backing of leading professionals and organisations in the Creative and Cultural industries, so that their pioneering work in sustainable practices can resonate more widely in Irish culture.
Being climate ready is a key part of professional development for both creative individuals and organisational representatives, and we hope to expand this toolkit into specialised training in the future. For now, please consider recommending this toolkit to a colleague or friend who works within the cultural and/or creative industries in Ireland.
If you’d like to learn more about what climate change is, please take some time here to explore:
