On 6 November, COP23 opens in Bonn. Germany has ambitious plans to convert to renewable energy sources, yet it remains largely dependent on heavily polluting coal for generating electricity, with hundreds of open-pit lignite mines across the country. The phase-out of coal is a major area of contention in the current coalition talks between the winners of the recent German election, with the Green party pitted against the conservative CDU/CSU and the pro-business FDP. This weekend, on the occasion of COP23, 350.org is launching an action targeting Europe’s biggest single source of CO2, the Rhineland coalfields, demanding Germany commit to a rapid phase-out of coal
Festival of Future Nows, Hamburger Bahnhof, Berlin, 2017
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Bloomberg's new European headquarters in London, designed by Norman Foster, including an artwork by Eliasson, sets new standards for sustainable office buildings. Amoung innovative features is the roof where rainwater is captured, treated and recycled for the toilets. Overall the building's water conservation systems will save 25 million liters of water each year.
Improvisation 2, Benjamin Skop in collaboration with Studio Olafur Eliasson, 2017
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Tree of Codes premieres tonight at Melbourne Festival
Watch Olafur Eliasson and Wayne McGregor discuss the collaboration in The Creators Project video – A Look Behind ‘Tree of Codes’
Sourdough bread in the making by our friends Anna and Sam Luntley, the founders of bakery47 – a community space and bakery in Glasgow. Our studio kitchen is the first stop on their journey to visit and learn from other food-creating communities in Europe, the US, India, Sri Lanka, and Iceland. Travelling with them is sourdough from Scotland, to be shared with other makers and bakers along the way.
Hinged view and Four deep ocean zones (watercolour and glacial ice)
Tanya Bonakdar Gallery at Frieze, London
Arctic Imagination: Minik Rosing, Prof. in geology, in conversation with Olafur Eliasson, New York City Library. Watch their conversation here: www.soe.tv
Hassna and her family do not have any access to energy. Due to living close to the equator, the sun sets around 6 pm year round. After the sun sets, Hassna’s family lives in pure darkness. Their only source of light is a small kerosene lamp or a sparse fireplace. Hassna and her family experience energy poverty. According to World Bank, 1.1 billion people worldwide are affected.
The Agenda 2030 was determined by the UN in New York in September 2015. It is a milestone for the future of our planet, specifying a sustainable transformation plan for the global economy, social life, and environment. And this plan has a direct impact on Hassna and her family. The Agenda 2030 defines 17 goals, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and among these goals lies Goal 7: the prevalence of affordable and clean energy. By 2030, all people on this planet should have access to affordable, reliable, and clean energy. There has never been such an ambitious goal before, and maintaining a sustainable energy supply globally is a complex task.
Since Hassna and her family do not have access to energy, they cannot read, work or do their homework after sunset. Kerosene lamps and fireplaces as sources of light do not provide enough light to see or work easily. This has an impact on school performance. The probability of dropping out of school without a qualification is quite high. Since Hassna and her family do not have access to clean energy, they are forced to use their kerosene lamp and their fireplace. The smoke and fumes from both are very harmful for the eyes and can cause eye and lung diseases.
Since Hassna’s home has no connection to a power supply, her family has to spend a lot of money for kerosene or on batteries for flashlights. In addition, they also need to pay for transportation to a shop to buy kerosene. Although Hassna is attending school, she doesn’t have access to the quality of education that others in the world may have access to, and doesn’t learn about the harmful effects of kerosene since her community relies on it. Due to the lack of awareness, Hassna and her family cannot improve their living conditions.
Learn more about Little Sun's work with the SDGs
Festival of Future Nows, Robert Lippok, What Is Dance? Hamburger Bahnhof, Berlin.
Visit Studio Kitchen Instagram for a look into the studio kitchen.
Loop Table (Infinity Table) was a participatory event at Festival of Future Nows, inviting the audience to create a modular table whilst eating. It was a collaboration between Studio Olafur Eliasson Kitchen, Raul Walch and art collective Xero
Launch of Little Sun Diamond, New York City.
Am 24. September wählen gehen! Poster von Wolfgang Tillmans. 7 Poster zur Bundestagswahl zum Download auf www.tillmans.co.uk
Tonight I'm launching my new solar lantern - Little Sun Diamond at MoMA Design Store in New York with my good friend Klaus Biesenbach - pushing sustainable and affordable energy for everyone. Get yours here: Little Sun Diamond
Festival of Future Nows is concluded at Hamburger Bahnhof and continues (is already) in the future. Here Malte Bartsch, Feuerwerk-automat
Festival of Future Nows: Everything Touches Everything, Nico Dockx
Fantastic opening of Festival of Future Nows. The festival continues throughout the weekend. Come join us at Hamburger Bahnhof. Here from the performance by Tomas Espinosa and Artur van Balen