Climate Clock
PUT THE MOST IMPORTANT NUMBER IN THE WORLD UP EVERYWHERE
Climate Clock is a project whose goal is to represent the time left for countries to take the necessary (and decisive) measures to keep the increasing global average temperature below 1.5°C. It is a collaboration between artists, activists, and, of course, climate scientists. Reaching these 1.5ᵒC is synonymous with a point of no return when it comes to global warming and climate change, according to experts.
According to the MCC (Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change), the atmosphere cannot absorb more than 420 gigatons (Gt) of CO2 if we want to stay below the designated limit. However, there is about 42 Gt of CO2 emitted annually, which means 1332 tons per second. These data are the reference to calculate the deadline for taking the ultimate measures for the change needed worldwide.
So, according to the Climate Clock, we have approximately six years and 250 days to change our ecological footprint. The intention is that this number does not decrease day after day and that we achieve an extension of this period.
During Shift Appens, Bernardo Nogueira, former CEO and co-founder of Molecular JE and member of the direction of the project Climate Clock Coimbra came and talked a little bit about the Climate Clock project in Coimbra. “The clock has a concrete number, which is quite frightening. The idea is not, however, to scare people, but to raise awareness. Acting so that our actions have practical results, first at a local level, but then, as we intend to be the first watch in Portugal and not the only one, to create a wave that spreads to the rest of the country.”
The Coimbra Climate Clock team is composed of Molecular JE and jeKnowledge, also having partnerships with JEST and Solve, two other junior UC enterprises, and NEQ. AAC’s general direction is also contributing for this initiative to go further.
According to Bernardo, the goal is to expand these partnerships and contacts to create a growing community and to have strategic partners when it comes to the installation of the clock: both institutional (City Hall and the University of Coimbra), but also local and national companies that intend to join this event. The aim is to remind people every day that time is ticking and that we can quickly reach a point of no return.
Clocks in the world — With the installation of the Climate Clock in Coimbra, we want to be the first ones in Portugal. Worldwide, we already count with many cities joining the movement.
In 2019, the first monumental clock was installed in Berlin, in the city’s gasometer. Other big cities who joined are: New York (USA), Rome (Italy), Seoul (South Korea), Almaty (Kazakhstan) and Glasgow (Scotland).
