University of Southampton

Denise Baden, Professor of Sustainable Business at the University of Southampton, founder of Green Stories Project and eco-fiction author

Dr. Lindsay Marie Armstrong: Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Chair of the Clean Carbon University Strategic Research Group, Director of Student Recruitment, School of Engineering, University of Southampton.

Dr. Simon Boxall: Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre Southampton at the University of Southampton and sientific advisor to the Climate is Culture Cape Farewell programme.

Dr. Ken Collins: Emeritus Fellow within Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre Southampton at the University of Southampton.

Dr. John Copley: Associate Professor in Ocean Exploration and Public Engagement (part-time) within Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre Southampton at the University of Southampton

Herculean Climate Solutions

Steve Willis: Director at Herculean Climate Solutions and chemical engineer

Jerry Joynson: Director Herculean Climate Solutions and Cquestr8 Ltd.

Climate Fiction Writer’s League

Lauren James: Founder of the Climate Fiction Writers League, and on the board of the Authors & Illustrators Sustainability Working Group through the Society of Authors.

Change Agents UK

Stephen Martin is offering £400 to solicit story briefs/stories for the competition from their alumni of sustainability experts.

Read Less

The terms of the contract for participating writers reflect the aim of the Green Stories project to use fiction to promote climate change solutions. Contributing authors will license us to use their story in the anthology but will have credit for their work and retain rights to their work, but will not be eligible for royalties. We plan for the anthology to be made available at no cost to attendees and delegates of COP27 and other influential persons who may be in a position to progress the ideas included. We may make the anthology available at a price to a broader audience in the future, but experience with our previous anthology is that unless we secure a large publisher with marketing reach, it is unlikely to make enough money to cover costs. However, contributing authors will retain their rights to publish their story elsewhere as we are keen for all stories to get the widest readership possible. To that end, we encourage authors to use their contacts to help us secure a large agent/publisher to help access a wider audience. In this case, that publisher will draw up a new contract for contributing authors and may only  choose selected stories most suitable for mainstream readers.

Advice for writers

We are looking for stories set anywhere on earth and set in the present, near future or recent past. The exception might be a story set in the past that clearly showcases a climate solution we can adopt today.  Please check out the story briefs below for which we need writers. Some already have a clear brief in terms of the story and/or technical aspects, but others are still quite open and you can use your imagination, and contact the relevant experts to help you write an engaging story that sells the solution to readers while keeping them entertained. We are looking for stories set across the globe and with a clear call to action for the targeted readers: COP 27 delegates. 31st August is the deadline to submit. We suggest writers to check their stories before submitting using Prowritingaid. They have free and paid versions and are the best writing software we know to help improve grammar, spelling and readability. Please email stories to greenstories@soton.ac.uk via story template below:

Existing Stories

The following stories have been written already. Many are finalists/winners of previous Green Stories short story competitions, and most are in the process of being polished on the basis of additional input from relevant experts in the field and feedback from the Literary Consultancy.

Citizen Juries and Personal Carbon Allowances (rewrite underway)

The Assassin highlights the role of policy making and who makes the decisions. It uses a citizen jury to explore sustainable policies such as sharing economy/libraries of things; demand led buses, carbon offsetting and personal carbon allowances. Personal carbon allowances are explored in particular detail as a more effective extension to carbon offsetting. Other solutions briefly mentioned are switching from GDP to a wellbeing index and sustainable farming methods

Action for experts: provide up to date research on citizen juries and best governance for sustainable decision making and how to progress solutions in story. Please feedback via Q9 in survey

Feedback so far: https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2020-09-29-oxford-launches-new-principles-credible-carbon-offsetting Most of the carbon credits available are of embarrassingly short longevity, down to a year or 2 in some cases. There are hardly any long life credits Puro does some https://puro.earth/. BeZero Carbon are doing interesting work: https://bezerocarbon.com/ This is old but useful: https://www.climatechangenews.com/2020/12/11/10-myths-net-zero-targets-carbon-offsetting-busted/?utm_source=pocket_mylist Also see: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jan/26/carbon-offsetting-environmental-collapse-carbon-land-grab Risks of impacting indigenous rights/ability to provide solutions: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/earth-insight/2014/jul/03/world-bank-un-redd-genocide-land-carbon-grab-sengwer-kenya?utm_source=pocket_mylist Separate targets for reductions and offsets are now being considered by the UN’s Race To Zero campaign https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fclim.2019.00004/full?utm_source=pocket_mylist. I am aware of Nori Carbon Removal (nori.com) and a good person to reach out to/follow would be co-founder Alexandra Guerra who shares a lot of information on the subject through her twitter (twitter.com/cleanenergygrl) and other media accounts.

The new Peter Gelderloos book, The Solutions Are Already here, gives examples of autonomous decision making. Highly recommend! https://www.changeagents.org.uk/citizens-assembly. This sounds excellent- I would recommend the work of Vandana Shiva and ecofeminism (treating this work critically of course rather than just accepting everything about it). https://globalassembly.org/ & https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kq2z_2TsHbU&t=1s
https://www.jonalexander.net/
https://extinctionrebellion.uk/be-the-change/citizens-assembly/

Read Less

The story ‘Mangrove Terraces’ combines potential of mangrove terraces as sea wall protection and the huge potential of biochar for carbon capture.

Action for expert team: What evidence is there on the climate solutions proposed? How effective are mangrove terraces as sea wall protection and climate mitigation/adaptation? How much potential does bio char have as a carbon capture solution and where can it be used? Provide information for writers to access and readers to follow up on. Any other pros or cons of such a project the writer can include? For example crops such as quinoa can are robust and may tolerate growing in salty conditions. Please feedback via Q5 in survey

Feedback so far: see https://seawatersolutions.org/ Popular among experts. Algal farms also mentioned.

Read Less

The story AI Solar Power considers various renewable energy sources and the role of AI

Read Less

‘The Award Ceremony’ by D.A.Baden highlights:

• Female empowerment (plays role in reducing over population, also evidence that women make more sustainable decisions.
• Switching to re-use, second hand, swapping, sharing over buy use dispose.
• Switching from GDP to a Happy Planet Index
• These were rated the most impactful climate change solutions by ‘39 ways to save the planet’.

Action for researcher: What can reader do to advance these solutions in terms of policy, investment etc.?

Read Less

KSR chapter Not available for download.

Action for researcher: What research is there on how finance can be leveraged to address the climate crisis? can reader do to advance these solutions in terms of policy, investment etc.? The carboni is a play off Keynes’s suggest bancor, which never got traction. Kim Stanley Robinson also based his ideas on Global Carbon Reward, a non-profit and the Network for Greening the Financial System, a study group of 90 central banks.  

Read Less

The story ‘Ground Up’ covers regenerative agriculture/sustainable farming

Action for writer: If you want to broaden the global reach of the relevance of your story then this episode from 39 ways to save the planet gives suggestions on how we can access wisdom for indigenous people to manage our land. But we’d also be looking for this story to cover some of the key sustainable farming practices such as no dig, biodiversity management, reducing emissions from cattle. 39 ways to save the planet also talk about how circular economy processes from sewage can produce sustainable fertilisers to improve land. Biochar especially is another solution that can capture carbon and improve soil yield.

Action for expert team: provide expert up to date information on how to progress sustainable farming practices. What are the best up to date sources on key sustainable farming practices such as no dig, biodiversity management, reducing emissions from cattle, biochar. Please feedback via Q3 in survey

Feedback so far: Potential for very large impact https://kissthegroundmovie.com/ looks good in theory https://www.indigoag.com/carbon/for-farmers a leading start-up in this field, a frighteningly long way to go. I would want to see localised farming to ensure that local farmers are able to meet the needs of a local context. Again, keep an eye on who has the power and whether particular ways of farming are being incentivised for profit, rather than for what makes sense locally. The issue is always one of scale? Dimbleby’s proposed national food strategy has some interesting stuff on this. Farming is central, from both a carbon and biodiversity POV. Useful resources:
https://climatechampions.unfccc.int/category/agriculture/ https://www.farmingthefuture.uk/ Forget methane masks for cows – they won’t work. Tthere are some interesting research projects and startups trying to address the sustainability of fertiliser production and used. These approaches are aimed at local and timely production of fertiliser to reduce the impacts on soil quality (due to over-fertilisation) and to reduce the safety hazards of fertiliser storage.
More information can be found in the following report in section 5: https://www.energy-x.eu/research-needs-report/. See also https://theconversation.com/how-filling-the-uks-unused-land-with-fruit-and-veg-could-help-make-us-and-our-environment-healthier-and-help-fight-inequality-182990. this episode from 39 ways to save the planet gives suggestions on how we can access wisdom for indigenous people to manage our land. 39 ways to save the planet also talk about how circular economy processes from sewage can produce sustainable fertilisers to improve land. Biochar especially is another solution that can capture carbon and improve soil yield.

Read Less

The story ‘The Caretaker’ covers coral planting

The story The Envelope covers Seagrass planting

Action for expert team: Find links to information and source experts in seagrass/coral planting and potential as a climate change solutions. Are there projects already happening such as clearing plastic from nets etc? I think there’s one covered in Positive News in Indonesia or Thailand. May also need expert in turtles or similar. Please feedback via Q6 in survey

Read Less

The story ‘The Desert Spiral Initiative’ covers greening the desert.

Read Less

We have two complete stories under this theme

The first is a beautifully written short story by Nancy Lord called ‘Come Help Me’ about the potential of whales for carbon capture.

Action for expert team: provide information for follow up webpage on impact of whale-safe fishing methods and carbon capture potential of whale poo and whale corpses. What is likely impact and how can idea be progressed?

The second is an extract from the book Our Shared Storm (fordhampress.com) by Andrew D Hudson.

Read Less

The story ‘Ocean Nation’ addresses the idea of giving the ocean nation status

Lots of Ocean info here

Action for writers: We already have a lovely first draft of a story for this idea of the potential of giving nation status to the ocean. Just as America only became great after it declared independence from the colonial power, the idea is that the Ocean can only resolve its problems and become sustainable by declaring independence from the surrounding countries which currently use/take its resources for free.

Action for expert team: We need resources/examples the writer may find useful in developing the story and for readers to access to follow up on ideas. Please feedback via Q7 in survey

Feedback so far: I had a look a year ago for similar ideas, and found nothing. But of all the ideas raised, I think this is the one that has the biggest disruptive potential. Maybe the coast lines could be the responsibility of people local to that area, rather than governments (who collude with multinational companies) that control the seas…? There is loads of interesting work on this. Earliest one I can remember is ‘Should Trees Have Standing? Law, Morality, and the Environment; Christopher Stone. Also check out where the Ecuadorean government has got to with this (‘Rights of Nature in Ecuador’ https://theecologist.org/2020/nov/06/rights-nature-ecuador). Worth looking at the Ecocide Law: https://ecocidelaw.com/ and efforts to grant legal personhood to nature, e.g. https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20200319-the-new-zealand-river-that-became-a-legal-person also: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/apr/01/its-only-natural-the-push-to-give-rivers-mountains-and-forests-legal-rights ; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_personhood

Read Less

‘The Pitch’ is an extract that brings together two chapters of the eco-themed rom-com Habitat Man written by D.A.Baden and covers Costing for Nature accounting, carbon offsetting, wildlife gardening and composting toilets.

The Pitch

Action for researcher: research needed into the potential of triple bottom line decision making and costing for nature accounting. Find experts in this field we can contact for more information or examples of how it has been used to make a difference and pros and cons? The cons of too much focus on profit rather than people and planet are well known – any suggestions how to address this? May tie into story about well-being index to replace GDP or carbon offsetting/carbon credits. Please feedback via Q4 in survey

Read Less

15-Refreeze-the-Arctic-10-years-on-REV-5Download

Action for expert team: provide expert up to date information for writers and readers related to refreezing glaciers. Please feedback via Q10 in survey

Read Less

We have received a story ‘Suck it Up‘ on artificial trees which plays out some of these debates. Sources:

How “mechanical trees” could solve a huge climate …

https://www.inverse.com › innovation › mechanical-tre…

Action for expert team: What examples of nature based versus tech based solutions would be helpful here?

Read Less

Radio 4’s 39 Ways to Save the Planet makes a great case for floating solar panels, which they say may work well especially in areas such as Bangladesh. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_sunshade A project in the Netherlands are trialling solar panels on sea with great potential

Action for expert team: We need resources/examples the writer may find useful in developing the story and for readers to access to follow up on ideas. Please feedback via Q11 in survey 

Read Less

Action for writers: Write a story drawing upon the truth and reconciliation experience in South Africa following apartheid that addresses issue of climate justice and how we may go about redressing previous injustices, and starting afresh with a blank slate.

Read Less

Radio 4’s 39 Ways to Save the Planet talks about greener building blocks that capture carbon, home insulation and wood as an alternative building material. You can also explore green cement. Or perhaps the issue is how to incentivise builders to build green – is it a case for regulation or training or incentivise by making it difficult to sell houses with a low EPC? Either way – the challenge is to capture solutions within an engaging story targeted at COP27 delegates, inspiring them to action.

Action for expert team: We need resources/examples the writer may find useful in developing the story and for readers to access to follow up on ideas. Please feedback via Q13 in survey

Feedback so far: All good, although the priority should be insulating existing housing stock that’s rated D, E or F since that can save a huge amount of carbon and provide social benefits as opposed to a small improvement in new build specifications. Builders will spend as little as regulation requires so it needs regulation from government: ensure that every new house (etc) is built to exacting low-carbon standards with solar pv, electric car charging points, and heat pumps as standard (with requisite high insulation levels). Builders will squeal but then get on with it. This is particularly important in high latitude countries including the UK. Construction is a really energy and carbon intensive industry so it is worth including. There are a few approaches that are being trialled for making green cement (i.e using alternative starting materials and hydrogen fuel) and these can be incentivised through carbon tax and regulation. For expert advice I can point to the following project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4rZuLE2fXU

Read Less

A story about the challenge the win the climate computer game by managing resources and funds to stay within 1.5 degrees. Loosely based on a mix of the En Roads Climate Solutions Simulator and Civilization 6 climate version

Read Less

Coal seam fires release 400 million tonnes of co2 every year – solution: drill these wells from the side into the bottom of the seams, store up a load of water, and then big fracking pumps pump in masses of water to flood the bottom of the seam. This will make a load of steam which will gradually cool down the coal, push out the air and help it go out. Once it is cool enough, add high mineral foam to suppress future fire. For tough Wells liquid nitrogen can be added if necessary.

Action for writers: convert draft story brief into a short story to engage and inspire readers

Action for expert team: We need resources/examples the writer may find useful in developing the story and for readers to access to follow up on ideas. Please feedback via Q14 in survey 

Read Less