Index – Culture – The common cause is what brought the museum directors together

In the last decade, championing sustainability has almost become a trend, and the art world joined the trend a few years ago. Too often, organizations try to do it themselves, which is why what’s happening now in the UK is so refreshing.

National and regional museums across the UK have agreed to take collective action to tackle the climate crisis, including managing their collections more sustainably. Watchman.

It is their moral duty to take action

The first UK Museum Conference was held as part of an exhibition at the Tate Modern in London, bringing together representatives of museums, sector organizations and funders. Participants included museums and organizations from Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol, Brighton, Leeds, Derby, Liverpool, York, Sheffield and London, as well as national bodies from England, Wales and Scotland.

The museum directors discussed the matter and then issued a joint statement in which they said: They feel it is their responsibility to raise the issue of the climate crisis and biodiversity.

Museums think long term. Many institutions have collections relating to the previous five mass extinction events in Earth’s history. We are now in the middle of the sixth era, the Anthropocene. UK museum leaders therefore feel a moral duty to take action to mitigate the damage

The statement says.

A series of vital measures

Museum directors pledged to use their collections, programs and exhibitions to draw visitors’ attention to the climate crisis and encourage them to take positive action. Maria Balshaw, Chair of the National Council of Museum Directors and Director of the Tate Museum, which organized the summit, said:

Museums and galleries have a unique perspective. The mission of these institutions is to preserve the collections for the future. At the conference, we agreed on a series of vital measures to reduce the environmental impact of museums.

Nick Merriman, chief executive of Horniman Museum and Gardens in south London, said: “Museums hold a special place in the debate on the climate and biodiversity crisis because of their ability to take a long-term view.

The entire museum sector has come together to stress the need for action, which is extremely important. We will now work together to implement the measures we agreed upon.

Participants at the Museum Cop conference in the UK called on British politicians and businesses to step up action on climate change “before it is too late”.

Amend the laws as soon as possible

The heads of institutions also recommended that laws be amended as quickly as possible and investments increased for the sustainability of historical buildings, as well as that all museums adopt the principle of “choosing the greenest first” in all areas of practice.

Environmental sustainability must also be included in training in this sector

– It was announced at the conference.

Leading museums and galleries, including the Tate, have ended sponsorship deals with fossil fuel companies in recent years under pressure from environmentalists. The British Museum – which did not attend this conference – announced this year that it had ended its sponsorship contract with BP after 27 years.