GRAPHIC
GRAPHIC
DIGITAL
SERVICE
INDUSTRIAL
COMMUNICATION
DESIGN DECLARES
IRELAND
Design Declares is a growing group of designers, design studios, agencies and institutions here to declare a climate and ecological emergency. As part of the global declaration movement, we commit to harnessing the tools of our industry to reimagine, rebuild and heal our world.
THIS IS
BREAKDOWN
The science is settled. We are in an emergency of climate and nature. The world is past breaking point; the breakdown has begun.
THE ROLE OF DESIGN
As designers working within an industry that relies on production and powers global consumption, we must acknowledge that we have had a role in bringing us to where we are now, and that we have an important role in what comes next.
Because designers are makers. We make ideas real. We generate solutions. We build the world - dreaming up new futures and bringing them to life in ways that are beautiful, vital and impossible to resist. It’s not quite magic, but it feels like it.
TIME FOR CHANGE
Together with our clients, partners and colleagues across the supply chain, we are daring to reimagine the way we create every product, service, campaign and designed solution we put out into the world.
This means measuring and actively reducing the greenhouse gas emissions and resource use linked to our designs.
It means introducing principles of sustainability, circularity and - ultimately - regenerative design into our practice to recapture and repurpose resources and materials.
And it means acting systemically - seeing the bigger picture and working with others to sharpen design’s incredible capacity to influence and accelerate climate repair and justice.
ACT WITH URGENCY
We know all we need to make this a reality. The information, the guidance, the inspiration and solutions are there. What design needs now is action - meaningful steps that can begin to connect what we know to what we do.
This is the most important brief of our lives. Join us as we begin to design a climate-positive future.
8 ACTS OF
EMERGENCY
What does it take to Declare? It’s accepting we are in an emergency of climate and nature, and a commitment to do something about it. Here are eight places to start:
1. SOUND THE ALARM
Acknowledge and raise awareness of the climate and ecological crisis - including its roots in systems of oppression - in our organisations and our practice.
2. START THE JOURNEY
Invest in educating ourselves and our teams on methods of sustainable and regenerative design, and show leadership by making measurable change to our practice. The Design Declares Toolkit is a great place to start.
3. BRING CLIENTS WITH US
Meaningfully consider environmental and social impacts as part of every pitch, proposal and production process. Not every design output will be carbon neutral or fully climate friendly, but every project is an opportunity to make real progress.
4. MEASURE WHAT WE MAKE
Measure the environmental and social impact of our work and design projects, and hold ourselves to account for what we find out.
5. REDEFINE ‘GOOD’
Encourage, recognise and reward sustainable and regenerative design excellence in our industry through media and awards.
6. EDUCATE, ACCELERATE
Build and foster intra- and cross-discipline knowledge networks to share tools, resources and best practice to accelerate progress in our industry.
7. DESIGN FOR JUSTICE
Create with and for the people who are disproportionately affected both by climate change and by the transition to a lower-carbon world.
8. AMPLIFY VOICES FOR CHANGE
Enable systemic change by working alongside policymakers, campaigners, ecologists, scientists, activists and others to strengthen local and national movements for change.
Declare Emergency Now
Design Declares is open to individuals and institutions working in industrial, digital, graphic, communication and service design. To declare here, you must be a company within Ireland employing at least one full-time designer. We also welcome declarations from practising freelance designers. To sign as a global supporter, visit Design Declares UK. All declarations will be named and published on this site.
You are signing as a Design Declares Ireland signatory.
As a business
As an individual
As a public institution
As a team or department
THE ⌘
TOOLKIT
The Design Declares Toolkit is a live and evolving Notion site co-created with our community. It is filled with the latest resources and methods to help you on your journey to climate-positive design practice.
Every signatory to Design Declares will receive an access link to the Toolkit.
If you are unable to declare emergency quite yet, you can still access the Toolkit - just register below.
THE DESIGNERS
BEHIND ⌘ IRELAND
Inspired by the global emergency declaration movement demanding accountability and action across industries, Design Declares is the initiative of a multidisciplinary group of design professionals and agencies who all believe in the power of design to change things. The D! Ireland committee consists of...
- Institute Designers Ireland
- Chart Design Studio
- 100 Archive
- Lands
- On The Dot Design
- Portion Collaborative
With support from:
Contact the team at hello@designdeclares.ie
⌘ PARTNERS ACROSS THE GLOBE
Design Declares started in the UK by a group of designers, design agencies, and institutions. We are actively seeking partnerships to expand Design Declares around the world. If that sounds like something you’re interested in, please get in touch with the partnerships team or visit Design Declares UK.
Contact the partnership team at hello@designdeclares.com