During the past 20 years, Johannes Stripple has researched climate policies, how to regulate carbon dioxide emissions, what happens between the parties at the negotiating table, how states work with renewable energy, and more recently on the climate transition that is already underway – often independently of directives from above. It is in this context that he became increasingly interested in how climate issues are expressed through various forms of culture. Among other things, he teamed up with two colleagues from literature and engineering to start a book club where they only read fiction that somehow relate to climate change. Johannes Stripple points to a long list of titles in his bookcase at the Department of Political Science:
“Fiction makes it easier to understand how climate change will affect people’s daily lives. The political rhetoric surrounding the climate is usually very dry and lacklustre in its focus on how we are to achieve the 2-degree target”, he says.
Therefore, he argues that arts institutions can help by dealing with tough issues and thereby playing an important role in tackling climate change.
“It can be compared to a grieving process over the fact that we will no longer be able to continue to live in the way we have and be carefree about using up fossil fuels and other resources”, says Johannes Stripple and continues: “This is where fiction and culture can help us look into the future”.
The increasing significance of culture is apparent in how the climate negotiations in Paris have been organised. Climate initiatives by cities, businesses and organisations have been highlighted as usual, but also art installations, film screenings and various types of performances have taken place and become part of the broader discussion of what it means to live in a climate adapted society.
One of the reasons that Johannes Stripple became interested and chose to participate in Riksteatern’s project “Run for your life” was that it focused on what climate change means for the individual.
“All participants were asked to write a short text about why they chose to participate in the relay race. When you read them, it becomes very clear that the fear of a climate catastrophe and the hopes of a different society greatly differ from one individual to the next, from one place to another”, he says.
The entire race – from the Arctic to Paris – was streamed live. Johannes Stripple ran a short distance through Lund, side by side with hip-hop artist Promoe.
“I chose to run in my regular clothes to illustrate that when you run for life you don’t have time to put on running clothes”, he says.
Text: Ulrika Oredsson
Photo: Gunnar Menander
Facts
Johannes Stripple, together with his colleague and former visiting professor Harriet Bulkeley, has received funding from the Dutch national research council to organise a one-week workshop in the Netherlands. For the first time, they will then bring artists and authors, engineers, political scientists, and public and private decision-makers together, to compare stories of the low-carbon society. The aim is to gain a better understanding of transition processes that are already taking place in different sectors of society – where and how they happen, and the challenges they face.
