How do we mobilise society to take environmental action?
28th June 2024
As we reach the end of London Climate Action Week 2024, the theme of "Mobilising Whole of Society Climate Action" takes centre stage. Today, we're looking into the necessity of engaging every sector of society—from education and healthcare to arts and culture—in our collective fight against climate change. This isn’t just about top-down mandates; it’s about empowering communities and individuals to take tangible actions that make a difference.
The Comprehensive Approach
True progress in combating climate change requires an all-encompassing approach. This means integrating climate action into every facet of our daily lives and societal functions. Schools must incorporate climate education into their curriculums, healthcare systems need to address the impacts of climate on public health, and the arts and culture sectors should use their platforms to inspire and mobilise communities.
Pavegen’s Role in Community Engagement
At Pavegen, we understand the power of community-driven solutions. Our kinetic energy technology is designed to turn everyday actions—specifically footsteps—into a renewable energy source. This innovation makes climate action tangible and interactive, engaging people directly in the sustainability mission. Every step on a Pavegen tile generates a small amount of electricity, helping to power low-energy applications like streetlights and public information displays.
Our installations in schools, shopping centres, and public spaces worldwide demonstrate how small actions can collectively contribute to significant change. By making sustainability visible and participatory, we educate and inspire individuals to be part of the solution.
Political Leadership and Public Engagement
Our CEO, Laurence Kemball-Cook, recently co-signed a letter with other business leaders, urging political parties to prioritise ClimateTech innovation. This call to action underscores the need for policies that foster public engagement and support innovative solutions. However, leadership isn’t just about setting policies—it’s about fostering a culture where everyone feels empowered to act.
Controversial Truth: Incremental Changes Aren’t Enough
Here’s the controversial truth: incremental changes won’t suffice. The climate crisis demands radical, transformative action across all sectors. This means challenging the status quo, pushing for systemic changes, and holding industries and governments accountable. It’s time to move beyond token gestures and embrace comprehensive strategies that drive real impact.
The financial sector must also pivot from investing in fossil fuels to supporting green technologies. This isn’t just an environmental necessity—it’s an economic imperative. Sustainable investments are not only ethically sound but also financially prudent, as the risks associated with climate change continue to grow.
The Power of Arts and Culture
Arts and culture play a pivotal role in shaping public perception and inspiring action. Cultural institutions like museums, theatres, and galleries have the power to highlight the urgency of the climate crisis and mobilise communities. Initiatives such as the Culture Declares movement, which was launched at London Climate Action Week 2019, show how the arts can lead the way in climate activism.
A Call to Action for All Sectors
This is a call to action for every sector of society. We must demand more from our leaders, support groundbreaking technologies, and foster a culture of sustainability. Every individual, organisation, and community has a role to play in achieving our climate goals.
Together, we can turn the tide on climate change and ensure that every step we take helps power the world towards net zero.
For more information, video content and photos of Pavegen, contact press@pavegen.com
About Pavegen
Pavegen is a purpose-driven technology business that helps power change and generates positive outcomes for people and planet. Laying underfoot inside buildings, public spaces and at events, Pavegen Kinetic Paving harnesses the power of people’s footsteps, creating not only a small amount of energy – but also imaginative, interactive experiences and data, to help educate, engage and enable meaningful actions around sustainability and Net Zero intent. Pavegen calls this Citizen Impact; powered by Pavegen.
Pavegen helps power Kinetic Street Furniture applications such as USB charging, LED lights, and Green Wall irrigation systems, whilst data from the system can be used for public educational purposes on digital display screens. Kinetic Brand Experiences at live events, expos, festivals and public spaces produce data to provide gamified experiences that help brands engage meaningfully with consumers.
The company was founded in 2009 by Laurence Kemball-Cook who invented the Kinetic Paving technology that can now be seen in over 37 countries around the world.