2024 has been officially declared as the hottest year on record. “It was the first year to surpass 1.5 degree Celsius, which is a threshold that world leaders vowed to avoid in the Paris Agreement. Once we cross 2°C, we risk facing irreversible climate disasters,” explains climate activist Aakash Ranison, who took a cue from this to conceive an art installation, Below2°.
A climate-responsive artwork, this piece is a 2D globe made using more than a thousand wasted golf balls and a blend of wax that will melt at the local equivalent of 2°C. Currently, it is stationed in Gurugram, where eco-entrepreneur and founder of an eco-golf resort, Ashwani Khurana, is urging everyone to act while there’s still time. Sharing how the installation took shape, Khurana recounts, “I first met Aakash at a panel discussion in 2024, and mentioned to him that we have many wasted golf balls. He then came up with a way to create this unique art that’s a reminder for all of us to act responsibly before the Earth’s temperature rises.”
Take a closer look at this world map and one can spot 14 animals, in 3D-print, at specific spots. “These are critically endangered or nearly extinct species due to climate change, as per the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s RedList, representing irreversible changes,” explains Ranison, adding that the viewing of this installation has been purposely aligned with the International Day of Forests and the first World Day for Glaciers (March 21, 2025).
{{/usCountry}}Take a closer look at this world map and one can spot 14 animals, in 3D-print, at specific spots. “These are critically endangered or nearly extinct species due to climate change, as per the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s RedList, representing irreversible changes,” explains Ranison, adding that the viewing of this installation has been purposely aligned with the International Day of Forests and the first World Day for Glaciers (March 21, 2025).
{{/usCountry}}Khurana adds, “Sustainability and creativity have the power to drive real change... Below2° is a compelling reminder of the fragile balance that we must protect.”
Catch It Live
What: Below2° art installation
Where: Karma Lakelands, Sector 80, NH 8, Gurugram
When: March 21 to 25
Timing: 11am to 5pm
Nearest Metro Station: Millennium City Centre Gurugram (Yellow Line)