Aakash Ranison Advocates Sustainability Through Below 2° Project
As the temperature in North India booms, the India Meteorological Department forecasted a severe heatwave; calling for climate activism. Artist Aakash Ranison’s creation Below 2°—located at the eco-resort Karma Lakelands, Gurugram—highlights the potential climatic disasters on the horizon.
Aakash Ranison Climate Activism via Below 2°
Aakash Ranison’s Below 2° features a five-foot globe made from 1,000 recycled golf balls. These were hand-painted by schoolchildren, a message that the new generation will inherit the Earth. This globe is made with a special wax adhesive and natural chemicals, which will melt at 53°C. As the temperature increases, the wax heats up, alters form, and melts off, mirroring the gradual and irreversible destruction of ecosystems, ice caps, and all that we are destined to endure as a result of the climate catastrophe we are fast approaching.
14 endangered species are placed around the globe. These species are listed in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, which includes the Siberian Crane, African Forest Elephant, and Hawksbill Turtle.
The artwork also incorporates climate stripes, drawing from climatologist Ed Hawkins’ design that depicts Earth’s temperature changes over the past five decades. It illustrates the swift increase in global warming with colours transitioning from blue to deep red. As the wax drips, the seriousness of the alarming situation becomes increasingly apparent.
According to the Indian Express, the name of the climate activism artwork alludes to the fact that “with global temperatures already exceeding 1.5°C of warming, the artwork underscores the devastating implications of breaching the 2°C limit set by the Paris Agreement,”
Aakash Rainson on Below 2°
Aakash Ranison (Founder, Greener Earth Foundation; Author; I’m A Climate Optimist) talks about Below 2°, “Art moves people in ways data and reports cannot, as it speaks to human emotions. Below 2° is a visual, emotional and scientific representation of our planet’s crisis and the urgent need for action. For seven years, I have created climate art installations across India to spark dialogue, and this project continues that journey.”
Image – Aakash Ranison’s Below 2° Courtesy – The Indian Express
Contributor
