Climate Clock

Unveiled on September 19, 2020 during Climate Week NYC, the Climate Clock transformed the iconic 62-foot-wide Metronome digital display in Union Square into an urgent countdown showing the time remaining before the planet crosses the critical 1.5°C warming threshold. Created by artists and activists Gan Golan and Andrew Boyd, the installation repurposed the existing 15-digit LED display that had tracked time since 1999, replacing its abstract numerical sequences with a stark, science-based deadline derived from global carbon budget calculations.

The display features two key numbers: a red countdown showing the remaining time to act, and a green figure representing the percentage of global energy supplied by renewable sources. The work accompanied the message: "The Earth has a deadline." Since its New York debut, the Climate Clock has expanded into a global initiative with installations in Berlin, Seoul, Rome, and Glasgow, each synchronizing with the core countdown to maintain pressure on world leaders and citizens alike.