When Professor Sylvia Knight shared a hand drawn mind map about the relationships between around 300 concepts related with climate change, we were intrigued about how we could communicate this in a compelling way. This led to a new brief with the Royal Meteorological Society to design a dynamic infographic that helps curriculum developers and teachers understand the importance and relationship between these key issues.

After much thinking and discussion, we developed a new way of communicating mind maps through interconnected circles.

As all the concepts centred on the climate, we placed earth at the centre of the diagram. When you touch the earth it exposes the first set of concepts, which focus around ‘climate change’. Then you can navigate between concepts, either through related concepts or through an alphabetical list.

To build this we interrogated chat GPT and through conversational computing persuaded some python code to emerge! 

The relationships between these issues are complex and interconnected, and the Society wants to help students, researchers as well as the public and policy makers better understand the challenges and barriers to change. 

Our goal was to unravel the intricate connections between these issues, shedding light on the complexities of climate action.

Let’s start, for example, with the term action, which serves as the primary catalyst for change. Action, in this context, depends on normative feedback, reflecting social influences based on expectations and values. This relationship leads us to the concept of society where communities influence and are influenced by actions, policies and norms. At the heart of society are individuals, whose actions are shaped by factors like scepticism or indifference. The collective actions of individuals drive societal change, representing a transformation in norms, values and behaviours. Importantly, this change can yield co-benefits extending beyond climate stability and delivering broader social and ecological benefits. These concepts are all rooted in the overarching goal of sustainability, aiming to improve well-being for current and future generations.

However, much of society and industry is bogged down in greenwashing where claims of responsibility don’t align with actions. To achieve meaningful change, we must identify solutions including innovations and guidelines that promote positive action while discouraging harmful practices.These solutions are intricately linked to policy encompassing regulations, laws, and taxes that steer societal change. Effective policies and actions depend on individuals, organisations, and governments taking responsibility for the future. The success of our collective efforts hinges on effective communication compelling the world to recognise the necessity for change. Additionally, we must acknowledge and engage with barriers to action spanning cultural, social, political, economic, technical and legal obstacles.

These concepts represent just one interconnected web of issues.

Try out the interactive tool below to discover more:
The tool is best used on a laptop or other larger screen and may not function correctly on a phone

If you’re interested in transforming the impact of environmental knowledge through design we’d love to hear from you.