LGBTQ+ climate stripes for Pride
For Pride month we are sharing a series of climate stripes that have been redesigned using the same colours as different LGBTQ+ flags.
Just like how the rainbow flag has become a symbol of the LGBTQ+ community, the climate stripes are an iconic graphic about global temperature rise.
The set of 11 LGBTQ+ climate stripes illustrate rapid global temperature change since 1850 and recognise the many communities that celebrate Pride, created by climate scientists Professor Kevin (Kathryn) Cowtan at the University of York and Professor Ed Hawkins at the National Centre for Atmospheric Science and University of Reading.
We hope that by sharing the Pride edition of the Warming Stripes we can support everyone, and in particular LGBTQ+ communities, to be part of collective action on climate change.
Climate change and the iconic stripes
Today, our climate is changing rapidly, driven by human activities. The average temperature of the planet has risen by around 1.2°C since the industrial revolution and the last ten years was the warmest decade ever recorded.
The climate stripes graphic illustrates the long-term rise in average global temperature, with each stripe representing the temperature of a single year.
The stripes show the stark reality of how quickly the planet has heated over the past few decades, combining billions of scientific measurements into one striking image. The stripes do not show our future, which is still entirely in our hands – the faster we act the smaller the climate consequences will be.”
Professor Ed Hawkins, climate scientist and stripes creator, National Centre for Atmospheric Science and University of Reading
To create the original stripes design, Professor Hawkins’ replaced numerical data with intuitive blue and red colours to help people understand how the planet has warmed over the last one hundred and fifty years.
Pride and STEM
Estimates suggest that LGBTQ+ people are around 20% less represented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) than expected, compared to other sectors.
Science professionals who are lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual, queer are more likely to experience career limitations, harassment, and professional devaluation than their peers.
Embracing diversity and supporting science professionals, and people who care about the impacts of global warming, is important for excellent environmental research and action on climate change.
Doing science often involves thinking outside the box and asking questions which no-one has thought to ask before. So living outside the other boxes that society has historically put people in should be good training to do science. The pride stripes carry a message to LGBTQ+ young people: We need your vision!”
Professor Kevin (Kathryn) Cowtan, climate scientist and LGBTQ+ Warming Stripes creator, University of York
LGBTQ+ climate stripes for Pride
For Pride month we are sharing a series of climate stripes that have been redesigned using the same colours as different LGBTQ+ flags.
Download and share the LGBTQ+ climate stripes:
