“Above and Below” flags climate change on the River Thames

This September, Uber Boat by Thames Clippers is partnering with artist Ros Burgin MRSS to unveil “Above and Below”, an installation of handmade flags depicting the changing shape of Arctic sea ice. The project forms part of the Totally Thames 2025 festival, uniting art and sustainable travel on London’s river.

The installation comprises twenty scaled drawings mapping the maximum and minimum extents of Arctic sea-ice for each of the ten years since the 2015 Paris Agreement. Translated into ten handmade flags, the artworks will be flown aboard ten of Uber Boat by Thames Clippers’ vessels for the duration of the festival, turning the capital’s river into a moving gallery.

The participating boats, including the newest hybrid vessels Mars Clipper, Earth Clipper and Celestial Clipper, will display the flags throughout the month, inviting Londoners and visitors to witness how the boundaries of Arctic ice have shifted over the past decade. The installation highlights the urgent climate reality that Arctic polar sea-ice is melting at a rapid rate, up to four times faster than the global average planet warming.

As London’s leading River Bus service, Uber Boat by Thames Clippers is committed to a sustainable future, operating a growing fleet of hybrid vessels whilst preparing to launch its first fully electric cross-river ferry, Orbit Clipper. This commitment to cleaner, greener transport directly aligns with the artist’s mission to spark conversations around climate change and the importance of protecting fragile ecosystems.

CEO and Co-Founder of Uber Boat by Thames Clippers, Sean Collins said, “We’re proud to support this project, which shines a light on one of the most urgent environmental issues of our time. Sustainability is at the heart of our operation, and by partnering with Ros to showcase ‘Above and Below’, we hope to inspire Londoners to consider the impacts of climate change whilst enjoying a more sustainable journey with us on the Thames.”

Ros Burgin said, “The aim of ‘Above and Below’ is for the public to become as easily familiar with the location and shape of the Arctic ice cap as they are with the shape of the continents. I am seeking to create a sea-change in people’s thinking where out of sight is no longer out of mind, and to pull focus to this unique marine habitat that lies on the surface of the ocean and our connection to, and dependence on, healthy oceans. This installation of 10 flags gives the public a visual snapshot of the changing shape and distribution of Arctic sea-ice in the north polar ocean in the last decade, and where better to display them than on the tidal River Thames. Partnering with Uber Boat by Thames Clippers, who share the same commitment to sustainability, makes the installation even more meaningful.”

The flags will be flown from ten Uber Boat by Thames Clippers vessels for the whole month of September as a participating event in the Totally Thames festival 2025.

Find more about the festival here

Book your Uber Boat by Thames Clippers tickets here.