In the last weeks of 2022, the editors of the Collins Dictionary declared ‘permacrisis’ to be the word of the year. It was an apt choice given the level of political and economic havoc caused by a war in Europe, double-digit inflation and soaring energy and food prices. But for anyone old enough to know better, none of these contributing factors were unfamiliar foes to the global status quo. No, the crises that raised greater alarm in the minds of many were the catastrophic wildfires, storms, floods and drought that caused thousands of deaths, displacements and environmental damage, often on an unprecedented scale.
It wasn’t all happening ‘over there’ either; in England’s green and pleasant land, the mercury soared above 40°C for the first time. The cliché press images of crowded beaches and melting ice-creams gave way to pictures of parched parks, grassfires, dried-up rivers and animals dying of thirst. Last month, the Met Office confirmed that 2022 was the UK’s warmest year on record. This year is forecast to be even warmer. And it’s still only February. Thankfully, the climate change deniers are dwindling and fewer people are asking, ‘why is this happening?’ Instead, more are pleading, ‘what can be done?’ ‘How should I respond?’ However, addressing such questions requires something with greater impact than yet more scientific data. It needs photography.
Conflict photography
Fortunately, such photography is not in short supply. Many well-known pros, including Aaron Gekoski, Britta Jaschinski, Marcus Westberg andphotography director Kathy Moran puts it:
