Nowcasting Launch

visitors to the Nowcasting launch with Rachel and the model machine

On Sunday 23rd March Radar, Loughborough University Arts launched their programme of artworks – Nowcasting – that will link up to the Loughborough University weather station.

As part of this event I presented a cardboard model of The Prediction Machine, based on my designs, shown behind me in the picture above. I talked about the machine and began a dialogue about how we track, record and respond to the changes in climate.

I also presented my drawings and ideas and the fortune cookies as an informal discussion about the project with the people that came. People could sign up to participate in the workshops and pick up more information about the project.

hands holding a broken fortune cookie and the fortune 'the bananas will run out'

Fortune cookies were presented on three separate plates that signified a different future scenario based on climate change research. People were invited to choose a cookie from any of the plates by choosing which scenario was most likely.  The scenarios were taken from a document shared by Dr Candice Howarth (Climate Scientist):

Plate 1 – A future dominated by consumerism and globalisation (A ‘me’ society)
All bets are off… very high world temperatures, C02, holes in the ozone and air pollution, the Artic will melt, higher sea levels, more pests and disease, problems with growing crops and high demand for water, major loss of biodiversity, extreme storms, tornados and droughts. The UK will lose much of its landmass to floods and the sea.

Plate 2 – A future dominated by the common good, local, environmental concerns and local, national and regional autonomy ( A ‘collective’ society)
A small rise in temperatures and C02, continued unstable weather, rise in biodiversity, organic local farming, not much changes.

Plate 5 – A balance between consumerism and collectivity, where nations work together to support local and regional autonomy
Increasing world temperatures, pollution and C02 in the atmosphere that is managed by local and global solutions. An increased loss in biodiversity, the Artic will slowly melt, the sea levels will rise, more floods, more pests and disease, problems with growing crops and high demand for water, loss of biodiversity, unpredictable weather, extreme storms, tornados, heat waves and droughts.

children choosing fortune cookies from the plates

All photos on this page are copyright of Julian Hughes

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