In Common: Differing Impacts of Climate Change
In 2023 communities across the global south are more likely to experience natural disaster and climate change injustice due to the practices of the Western world.
Taking the London Festival of Architecture's 2023 theme, In Common, HTA opened this subject to an expert guest panel to expand on the nuances of climate inequality and provide new ways of challenging accepted practices within architecture and the wider industry.
Shawn Adams, Outreach Lead at HTA, was joined by:
- Dean of the School of Architecture at the Royal College of Art, Dr Adrian Lahoud, who discussed the concept and realities of recompense, in particular with relation to rising sea-levels in the global south.
- Journalist and documentary filmmaker Leah Borromeo explored decarbonisation and decolonisation in the arts using the Venice Architecture Biennale as a launchpad for conversations about adaptation and sustainability in the built environment.
- Climate justice campaigner, facilitator, and organiser, Simmone Ahiaku presented the history of climate injustice, tracing its origins in the slave trade through to the current day, where air pollution in cities disproportionately affects black and ethnic minority communities.
- British-Somali activist and advocate for young people and the environment Zamzam Ibrahim discussed failings in community engagement within architecture and the extent to which legitimate care for communities must expand in order to protect people and their environments.
