Designing an iconic baton to deliver a climate message from young people to world leaders at the United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP27 is an interesting brief on its own. That it will be carried by thousands of runners, cyclists and sailors in an epic 7,767km relay, crossing seas, mountain ranges, glaciers, and deserts, villages, towns and visiting capital cities along the way while visiting hundreds of schools, at-risk locations and climate change projects to inspire and champion local climate action… well, now you’re talking.
Today, organisers of Running Out of Time, the mass participation climate relay from Glasgow, Scotland to Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt (Friday 30th September to Sunday 6th November 2022) revealed the official relay baton.
The iconic baton has been created by award-winning Glasgow-based designers 4c Design whose many accolades include the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games Queen's Baton.
The brief was to create an impactful universal symbol to connect globally and inspire action individually. Various designs and forms were dreamt up and some shown, but there was really only ever one design for the baton. It felt right the moment ink touched paper.
It utilises 18 seemingly fragile parts representing the nations the baton passes through that are stronger together where the exchange of the baton happens. The iconic spiral rings represent the four essential layers of climate action where impact can be made: international, national, local and individual.
Finally, the powerful climate message written in English and Arabic to decision makers at COP27 will be sealed into the baton on the 30th September 2022 at the opening ceremony in Glasgow. The message was crafted by the Foundation for Environmental Education together with Sunnyside Primary School, Glasgow. It says:
We are Running Out of Time.
Quality climate education is critical if we are to equip people of all ages and in all places with the knowledge and skills necessary to build a future in which all can thrive.
Young people need to be recognised as leaders, placed at the forefront of the conversation about climate change and empowered through education.
We are calling on the world’s leaders to provide us with the skills and training to build a sustainable world.
Our world is warming and to keep the increase to 1.5 degrees we need forward thinking, consistent policies and funding to help us reach Net Zero Emissions.
We are committed to help build a future that is inclusive and sustainable for all.
Show by your actions, not just words, that you are too.
Help us get there!
Will Mitchell, Managing Director @4c says “Over the years, we’ve been asked to design batons and trophies for various projects and initiatives and turned all but a few away to stretch out creative muscles. When the Running Out of Time team approached me to see if myself and the team would be up for it – I couldn’t say no. The ambition behind this relay hits so hard with what we need to do as a society that has a significant impact on our industry and lives – it is an honour to help guide it.”
Carried by runners, cyclists and sailors, the relay baton will journey on a route over 38 days and nights through Scotland, Wales, England, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, Greece, Cyprus, Israel and Egypt - arriving to Sharm el-Sheikh on November 5th 2022 in time for COP27 which will take place from 6th-18th November 2022.
“The baton is a true team effort with others involved from various backgrounds and utilised a lot of leftover materials in our studio. Handcrafted. Machined. Polished. Love and care has been poured over it and I’m excited to see it wear from the thousands of hands it’ll pass and how well it will age once it reaches its final destination.” says Mark Penver – Design Director @4c
Runners - from kids to Presidents - will carry the baton in 5-10km stages of the route but people around the world who are unable to run a stage on the physical route won’t miss out.
They’re invited to pass the baton during a Global Virtual Relay on November 5th 2022 which is expected to attract tens of thousands of runners in the name of climate action.
"Working with 4c to develop the Running Out of Time relay baton has been a fantastic experience. The team understood that the baton is at the heart of the relay's story and spent several workshops with us to explore what it symbolises and how the design and materials used, embody that story. The result is something that is unique and perfectly captures our mission of togetherness in the fight against the climate crisis." says Jamie Hay, Running Out of Time Co-Founder.
Discover the route, track the baton and join in at www.running-out-of-time.com
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83 w
Such an amazing initiative I wish I was on the way to take part in the relay!
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83 w
This amazing but we need our leaders to act on the climate change mitigation with seriousness. @Green Earth Ambassadors
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83 w
Powerful message! I hope our world leaders will act toward that message!
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84 w
Simply great!
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84 w
It's a beautiful and well thought out design!