UK museums agree to collective action to tackle the climate crisis at UK Museum Cop

This article was first published by The Guardian

UK Museum Cop held at Tate Modern says the sector has a ‘responsibility to speak out about climate and biodiversity crisis’

National and regional museums across the UK have agreed to take collective action on the climate crisis, including managing collections more sustainably and using their position to engage audiences with the issues.

Representatives of museums, organisations in the sector and funders took part in the first UK Museum Cop at Tate Modern in London on 31 October 2023. ICOM UK was among those attending from museums and organisations from Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol, Brighton, Leeds, Derby, Liverpool, York, Sheffield and London, as well as national bodies from England, Wales and Scotland.

Nick Merriman, chief executive of the Horniman Museum and Gardens in south London and chair of the Cop, said: “Museums have a special place in the debate about the climate and biodiversity crisis because they can take a long-term view, beyond the short-term cycles of politics and economics.

“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.”

The conference called on UK politicians and businesses to accelerate action on climate change “before it is too late”.