Edinburgh Science Festival to focus on global environmental crisis

Edinburgh Science Festival launched its 2020 programme yesterday and is presenting 250 family and adult events, talks, workshops and exhibitions at 31 venues across the 
city.

Conor Ellis (Scientist) at The Royal Botanic Gardens Edinbrugh Edinburgh Science Festival sparks debate with Elementary.

The festival, which celebrates its 32nd year, was the world’s first science festival and this year marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day.

Amanda Tyndall, Festival and Creative Director at Edinburgh Science said: “We share our planet with almost eight billion people and the collective environmental challenges we face have never been greater or more complex.

“With our climate in crisis and our world in turmoil, buffeted by false news and media manipulation, it has never been more important to shine a spotlight on the threats, challenges and opportunities that face planet Earth.

“As the custodians of planet Earth we have responsibility to ourselves and to future generations.”

The festival’s 2020 theme is Elementary and uses the ancient classifications of Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Aether as lenses to explore global 
environmental challenges and opportunities.

As ancient people are thought to have done, the festival adds a fifth element, Aether, which focuses on the digital 
world.

Festival organisers experimented with the use of technology in live events in order to create new experiences for Festival audiences.

Miss Tyndall, said: “The climate crisis is the defining local and global challenge of our age and as will be one of the great disruptors of the 21st century, radically reshaping how we live, work and play.

“But with disruption and uncertainty comes possibility... and with possibility comes hope... this hope is the elementary message at the heart of our 2020 Science Festival programme.”

On behalf of Edinburgh City Council, Councillor Donald Wilson, Culture and Communities Convener said: “For over 30 years, our Science Festival has challenged industry and entertained audiences with cutting-edge discoveries, 
experiments and events. We’ve seen it grow from the world’s first into the biggest festival of its kind in Europe and its influence is greater than ever.

“Now, as we sit on the edge of major change in Edinburgh – spearheading ambitious plans to be Scotland’s sustainable Capital by becoming net zero by the end of the decade – the festival returns with an impressive climate change 
agenda.

“As a council we continue our support of the Science Festival and I’m pleased to see that our own City Art Centre will once again be transformed into a packed playground for even the youngest scientists and pioneers.”

Alongside the annual festival, Edinburgh Science is an education charity who run a touring programme that visits schools around Scotland throughout the year.

Edinburgh Science Festival 2020 will take place at venues across the Capital from April 4 to 19.