Opinion: Maps made by suffragists can teach us about holding leaders to account on climate change

James Cheshire - The political power of maps can be used to empower and defend those who face seemingly insurmountable obstacles says Professor James Cheshire (UCL Geography). I'm a geographer who's produced many maps depicting human effects on the environment - and demanded we create more of them. A question I am increasingly asked is: how do you not feel powerless in the face of such depressing data? With climate anxiety now affecting young people's mental health, and widespread doubt about whether limiting global warming to 1.5 °C  is possible, it can be tricky to answer. What I've found is that we can use a surprisingly commonplace tool to communicate danger and to bring about positive change: the map. Throughout history, it has generally been society's elites who have used maps to exploit, not help, the planet and its people. They've used them to pinpoint oil reserves, carve up continents and justify wars. But maps can also be used to empower and defend those who face seemingly insurmountable obstacles.