METER Environment is an environmental sensor company that measures and monitors the environment, looking at the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum from both a scientific and engineering perspective. The company has launched the Meltdown Flags initiative to draw attention to the accelerating melting of glaciers and the resulting dramatic decline in global freshwater supplies, which is causing billions of people to lose access to drinking water. These flags are meant to visualise what METER’s data otherwise only show in the abstract, namely the retreat of glaciers, which is blatantly indicated by the reduction of white in the flags of countries where glaciers exist. From 1995, the year of the first UN climate summit, to today and until 2050 – the latter being the point of no return for glaciers – each flag shows the exact extent of glacier melt in that country, based on real data and projections, and divided into three phases. The flags, which can be purchased and downloaded online, gathered global support, especially at the climate summit in Madrid, helping to spread their message on a mass scale in an impressive manner.
Statement by the Jury
These infographic posters captivate with their imaginative approach. The idea of illustrating the melting of glaciers by colour-coordinating the dwindling areas in the flags of the glacier countries is unusual and conceptually well thought out. With a different take on flags, this is a great solution that goes far beyond simple design and conveys METER’s mission in a very vivid way.
Credits
Client:
METER Group, Inc., Washington, USA
Design:
Serviceplan Germany, Munich, Germany
Project Team:
METER Group: Scott Campbell (CEO)
Christian Hertel (VP Marketing)
