How the climate conversation went punk

But somewhere in the cracks of that dystopia, another vision began to take root—one that offered hope of a more sustainable future: solarpunk. The movement envisioned a world where technology remains a utility and not a separate entity, and where the sun still shines and the trees still have their leaves. Today, it is inspiring a host of conversations, especially around our planet’s future.

Google Trends data shows a growing interest in solarpunk in the past five years.

What is solarpunk?

In a foreword to his short story, written in 1997, Bethke said that he wanted to invent a term that “grokked the juxtaposition of punk attitudes and high technology”. He took several roots like cyber or techno and mixed them up “with a bunch of terms for socially misdirected youth”, till a combination “sounded right”. While Bethke was self-admittedly market-driven in his invention, he gave rise to a movement that speaks to the indomitable human spirit. Even in the face of corporate tyranny and machine masters, the humans find ways to rebel. That’s pretty punk!

Solarpunk borrows this “do-it-yourself” spirit. In true punk fashion, it counters the dominant cyberpunk notions with a more optimistic vision of the future. Solarpunk, as the name suggests, puts solar energy or renewable energy at the heart of the climate change solution.

The word first appeared in a 2008 anonymous blog post, which was celebrating the maiden voyage of Beluga Skysail, a cargo ship using a giant kite to harness power and cut down on fuel. The author writes that they were inspired by steampunk, a genre of literary fiction where the 19th-century steam-powered technologies are retrofitted into futuristic tech. In the case of solarpunk, the author says, the “interest in older technologies is driven by modern world economics”. Since oil is not a “cheap source of energy”, there may be a need to turn to other sources of energy, such as solar, wind, or water power.

“And solarpunk technologies need not be imaginary, and I have some hope of eventually living in a solarpunk world,” the blog states. The idea captured the imagination of a generation, quickly turning into a Tumblr aesthetic, where futuristic designs featured vertical gardens on skyscrapers, sun shining between tall green buildings, and nature and technology blending into softer visions.

The politics of solarpunk

At its core, solarpunk envisions a radical change in the current world order. It promulgates a switch to cleaner technologies from the current fossil-fuelled ones. In a 2015 essay, author and researcher Andrew Dana Hudson wrote, “I suspect that at some point in the next decade or so, it will truly dawn on us that the increasingly inhospitable climate is of our own making, the result of policy decisions and political failures.”

“I see solarpunk emerging as a reaction to this sensation of strangling decay,” he added.

And while solarpunk had a quiet few years in between, and isn’t an internet trend, so to speak, there has been a growing interest in its philosophy as climate activists attempt to steer away from doom-spelling messaging.

Citizen-led movements like Fridays for Future, Extinction Rebellion (both of which have India chapters), and Yugma Network are testament to the solarpunk spirit, as they call for government action to reduce emissions.

On social media, solarpunk is turning into a lifestyle trend that advocates slow fashion and thrifting. The term has been co-opted by a growing crop of “guerrilla gardeners”, a community of people who are passionate about bringing gardens to their neighbourhood, and green firms associated with hydroponics or agriculture. It gave rise to sub-movements like soilpunk (the future lies in soil or agriculture) and hopepunk (an alternative to the grim outlook of dystopia).

Towards the future

As predicted by its progenitor, solarpunk technology has indeed become a reality. The sail-powered cargo ship, which first inspired the idea, has now seen more innovation. According to a 2024 AP report, wind-assisted vessels are “growing at unprecedented rates”. Changing policies, such as a penalty for emissions by large cargo ships in the European Union, could further push wind power’s appeal.

Newer architecture is focusing on biophilic designs, which integrate natural elements into buildings, such as optimising for natural light and wind through skylights and windows, or using natural materials like wood and stone. And as open spaces shrink, hydroponics (a method of growing plants with water instead of soil) is gaining popularity to create vertical green walls.

In 2020, Solar Punk Farms cropped up in California as a communal living space whose inhabitants grow and share their own food. The leftovers are sent to local markets. They have designed their greenhouse after the animations of Hayao Miyazaki. In fact, the works of the Studio Ghibli founder have found resonance among solarpunks, as he places nature as a character in his plots. In his visions, nature is at its most beautiful—lush greenery, rays of light, the dew on leaves, and the wind blowing life into trees.

Though these changes are encouraging, it’s ironic that as we move past dystopian visions, the capitalists of the world, running in the AI race, threaten to steer us to the very future. The use of AI itself depletes water resources and generates immense amounts of greenhouse gases and electronic waste. If we are to live in a world where technology exists in harmony with nature, activists, stakeholders, and individuals must actively call for more sustainable solutions, affirmative action, and policy changes.

If cyberpunk warned us of what happens when technology consumes humanity, solarpunk invites us to imagine what is possible when humanity reclaims technology. It reminds us that hope, like sunlight, is a renewable resource too.