Meltdown Flags visualise the disastrous impact of climate change on the world's glaciers

Glaciers are a source of life. They provide drinking water, help to generate power for millions of homes and are the most valuable indicator in understanding the future of climate change. If global warming continues to rise, glaciers will be gone by 2100. Without them, we will live in a very different world. A complete meltdown would bring sea-level rise to a record high and eliminate 69% of the world’s drinking water. Not every country has a glacier, but every country depends on their survival. Digital design studio Moby Digg and fellow Munich-based advertising agency Serviceplan worked with environmental technology company METER to develop Meltdown Flags. The project is a climate data initiative that visualises the effects of global glacier retreat by reducing the amount of white in national flags. The goal of the initiative is to educate people on the importance of glaciers, provide solutions to reduce emissions and put pressure on governments to react to the climate crisis. Handsewn versions of the flags were created in order to take the message to the streets. In December 2019, Meltdown Flags made their first public appearance at the COP25 in Madrid. Since then, they have become a symbol of protest at climate demonstrations and events around the world. The Meltdown Flags website provides more information and ways to act. Visitors can visualise the degree of glacier retreat by country, as well as access more data and information. They can also calculate and offset their own carbon footprint.