Museums agree joint action on climate change

Museums across the country have made a joint commitment to take collective action on the climate crisis at the UK’s first-ever Museum Cop.

Attendees at a conference held at Tate Modern last week included delegates from museums and organisations from Birmingham, Bristol, Brighton, Derby, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Sheffield and York, as well as national bodies from England, Wales and Scotland.

In a statement, museum leaders acknowledged a “responsibility to speak out about the climate and biodiversity crisis” as “institutions with a long-term view.”

It said museum leaders feel they have an "ethical obligation" to take action to alleviate the damage of climate change and are committed to using collections, programmes and exhibitions “to engage audiences with the climate crisis and inspire them to take positive action”. 

The agreement also included pledges to manage collections sustainably while developing and implementing decarbonisation plans and increasing biodiversity in museums’ green spaces.

As well as urging UK politicians and businesses to accelerate action on climate change, the conference made a series of recommendations, including changes to planning laws to improve the long-term viability of heritage buildings and for environmental best practices to be taught on sector-related courses and apprenticeships.

Nick Merriman, Chief Executive of the Horniman Museum and Chair of the Cop, said: “The fact that the whole museum sector has come together to stress the urgency for action is hugely significant. We will now work together to implement the actions we have agreed.”