When the glaciers disappear, so do we
CHALLENGE
Complete melting of the glaciers would raise sea levels to a record high.
Glaciers store 69% of the world's available fresh water, making them vital to millions of people, agriculture and energy supply. Even if not every country has a glacier, our future depends on the survival of the glaciers.
"We have been using our technology to support environmental scientists in documenting and researching the effects of climate change for decades. We know how difficult it is to convey complex data and connections. With the Meltdown Flags we hope to raise awareness of the importance of environmental science and to inspire people to make a contribution to protecting the environment. Not because it's our business as a green technology company. But because we all depend on it as humans."
VP Marketing
METER Group
Interactive flags for maximum awareness
Solution
Meltdown Flags is a climate initiative that visualizes the extent of global glacier retreat by reducing the amount of white in the flags of countries with glaciers. From 1995, the year of the first United Nations Climate Change Conference, to 2050, the year set by the UN to achieve net-zero emissions and limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C.
The aim of the project is to visualize complex data and science, educate about the importance of glaciers and draw attention to the dramatic effects of their retreat, ultimately to put pressure on politics. Meltdown Flags is an open source project initiated by environmental technology company METER. It uses data from METER, UNESCO and NASA, the World Glacier Monitoring System (WGMS), the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), the University of Zurich and the University of Innsbruck.
In December 2019, the Meltdown Flags project was presented to the world public at the COP25 in Madrid. On the website www.meltdowflags.org the flags with all data and further information can be experienced interactively by everyone. A network of activists and events around the world is being built up via social media – www.instagram.com/meltdown.flags.
“The Serviceplan Group is aware of its responsibility and has been climate-neutral at all German locations since November, and the international ones should also follow as soon as possible. Our earth and its preservation are important to us. With 'Meltdown Flags' we want to appeal to decision-makers worldwide to lead the world we all call home out of the climate crisis."
Serviceplan
Awards
1x Silver
1x Silver
3x Bronze
1x Gold
3x Silver
1x Bronze
1x Gold
