The Chemical Atlas: Extraction, the Climate Crisis, Planetary Health

The project aims to create the first iteration of online multimedia platform which will begin to map a complex field to which many disciplines can and should contribute.

This project develops a digital Chemical Atlas to visualise and contextualise the global chemical crisis. Inspired by the Feral Atlas, it combines cartographic data, ethnographic narratives, and multimedia content to explore the environmental and social dimensions of chemical pollution. The atlas will highlight how chemical transformations intersect with climate change, fossil fuel extraction, and global health, while also addressing the institutional and geopolitical challenges of chemical governance.

Designed as a teaching, research, and public engagement tool, the atlas will be co-created with interdisciplinary contributors and tested through focus groups. It will allow users to explore chemical impacts across everyday, geological, and planetary scales. The project also supports the UN’s call for a global panel on chemical pollution, aiming to democratise access to chemical knowledge and foster inclusive dialogue. A prototype will be developed and iteratively refined, laying the foundation for future funding and expanded editions.