The rings are ordered deliberately, not rigidly. Like a tree, you can grow from the inside out. You can also enter at any point and build understanding from wherever the issue interests or touches you.
Each ring builds on the last, moving from (i) what we know, to (ii) how climate change is experienced and contested, to (iii) what societies and individuals can do about it.
With a new visual each week, the rings become more coherent over time. They are:
Whether the rings are ordered correctly or internally consistent is ultimately subjective. I’ve been wrestling with their structure for years, and think about it almost every day. For now, this is where I’ve landed.
There is a strong case for adding other rings – nature, health or sport, for example – but for this first Big Picture series, the above represents the best balance I’ve found between parsimony and comprehensiveness.
Please watch this space. The rings are likely to grow and evolve, as of course they should.
Beyond the rings, every visual includes a further reading tree to help readers dig deeper, while branches connect related visuals across themes.
If you think something is missing, or have feedback, please drop the Trunk an email or ping me on LinkedIn.
