Irish ‘circus of horror’ act at Glastonbury will teach audiences about urgency of climate emergency

They are ‘the geographers’, and they will be inviting festival-goers into their Circus of Climate Horrors to learn about climate change between sets.

Six climate research scientists from the ICARUS Climate Research Centre in the Department of Geography at Maynooth University are taking their interactive exhibit to Glastonbury next week.

They are part of the festival’s Science Futures section and will be “performing” from Wednesday to Sunday.

“We’re the only climate exhibit this year so it’s a big gig for us,” said Dr Michelle Curran, who is leading the team.

They work out of a marquee set up like a circus big top in the whites, blues and reds of the climate stripes used to symbolise the warming of the world since 1850.

Inside, they offer games of skill and chance that represent the climate crisis, its causes and effects.

Dr Curran said the idea was to generate a sense of urgency around the issue without lecturing to people.

“People don’t want to be talked at but there really is a lack of urgency to achieve meaningful climate action, so we get people involved through games.

“We have a wall with balls you have to throw through holes of different sizes.

“The balls represent heat, and the holes each represent an atmosphere under different CO2 levels.

“The Ice Age hole is big, the preindustrial era is smaller, and the holes get smaller again as time goes on, so you’re trying to get the heat out and it’s getting harder all the time. It’s also a timed game so it adds to the pressure.”

Other games include a wheel of misfortune, with the spinner falling on various future scenarios that lie ahead depending on what progress is made in cutting carbon emissions.

An interactive flood map lets people find their home town or favourite place and see how it will be affected under various sea-level-rise scenarios.

“People love doing that because it connects climate change to a place that’s real for them,” Dr Curran said.

The circus has been pitching up at various community and academic events but Dr Curran said they were particularly keen to get to less obvious venues.

“We’re a good fit for a science festival, but people who go to science festivals are probably already engaged, so it’s important to go to non-traditional events such as Glastonbury.”

The team will be camping for the week so they’re hoping the weather stays kind, but their reward is in getting to talk climate to people beyond the lecture halls – and in getting to enjoy the dozens of musical acts taking part.

“Science Futures is only open during the daytime because we know people aren’t going to miss Elton John (last year’s headliner) to come and chat to us, but we don’t mind being a warm-up act as long as we get an audience.”