Climate Heroes is a project by Zongbo Jiang representing unique species most affected by the climate emergency. The World Wide Fund of Nature (WWF)(Groc, 2021) urges that the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C for 2050 will not be met. Instead, a temperature rise of 2.4°C is forecasted by the end of the century.
Complete with their own stories to tell, Jiang has created 12 striking digital characters to spotlight the environmental impact on endangered species, and consequently on their environment, if climate targets are not met.
Situated on a wild and turbulent amalgamation of their respective ecosystems, and ranging from the humble Bumblebee to tropical Coral, these heroes will undergo the terrifying physiological changes threatened by the predicted 1.5°C+ increase in global temperatures.
While half a degree sounds insignificant, an IPCC Special Report identified it will lead to a 100% increase in flood risk, a further 10 cm rise in sea levels, severe drought and many more monumental changes affecting humans and non-humans alike.
Climate Heroes is an immersive and accessible experience to engage with empirical information regarding the climate emergency. In support of Earth Day, Jiang will also host a creative workshop where attendees will be invited to create their very own climate hero. Limited tickets on Eventbrite, available from early April.
About
Jiang considers himself an earthling and his practice to be visual activism. Focusing on issues such as animal rights and the environment, Jiang offers an alternative digital representation of the dilemmas within these areas, to open and continue the conversation of how we can improve the way we all live on this planet as earthlings.
His work centres around creating digital characters, which often take strange and whimsical forms. These characters are placed in virtually crafted spaces to solidify the narrative he creates to share the concepts he is portraying.
