Who we are
Professor David Sergeant
Associate Head of School for Research
School of Society and Culture (Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business)
David is a writer, researcher, and educator whose work spans creative and critical disciplines. His recent research explores climate change, the Anthropocene, and utopian thinking, culminating in his second monograph, The Near Future in 21st Century Fiction (Cambridge University Press, 2023). He leads public-facing projects on climate action, including ‘Net-Zero Visions’ and collaborations with Regen and Devon Communities Together. At the University of Plymouth, he coordinates research in English and Creative Writing and is involved in national networks focused on sustainability. He welcomes PhD students with interests in literature, environment, and creative-critical intersections. Read more about Professor David Seargeant
NET ZERO VISIONS PARTNERSHIP
In 2022 researchers from the University of Plymouth, in partnership with Devon Climate Emergency, teamed up with local communities and organisations, Devon-based artists, and transition experts, to develop ‘Net Zero Visions’ in different media and locations.
Commissioned Net Zero Visions
These ‘Commissioned Net Zero Visions’ were put to different uses in different places – from spreading word of existing net-zero initiatives, to sharing dreams, to supporting communities in developing local plans.
What are the benefits of a net-zero Devon?
Reimagining a positive net-zero future for where you live can be an effective way of engaging diverse ranges of people, of enlisting support for existing projects and planning new ones. Resources to support this process can be found here, including an introduction to creating a Net Zero Visions mural.
How Net-Zero Visions was funded
Net Zero Visions was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, with support from the University of Plymouth and the ERDF Low Carbon Devon project, also based at the university.
the Net Zero visions Book
edited by daVID SERGEANT & EMMA WHITTAKER
Net Zero Visions book
Pictures of the Commissioned Visions, as well as words from the project contributors – organisers, communities, artists, transition experts – were collected together in a project book, copies of which were donated to public libraries across Devon. If you’d be interested in acquiring a hard copy of the book for your organisation, contact David Sergeant.
The climate crisis calls not only for practical changes in our world but also for a shift in how we perceive it. In 2022, researchers at the University of Plymouth collaborated with Devon Climate Emergency, working alongside local communities, organisations, artists from Devon, and experts in sustainable transition to create ‘Net Zero Visions’ — imaginative depictions of various places transformed by a future free from greenhouse gas emissions.
This creative initiative extended beyond the core team to engage the public. The resulting artworks — including murals, animations, digital games, poetry, and illustrations — are showcased in this book. It also features essays from transition specialists exploring key themes from the Devon Carbon Plan, and reflections on how the visioning process can inspire community action, build awareness, and support bold new approaches in response to the climate emergency.
Go to the Devon Climate Emergency website to download a digital copy of the book.
Let’s Work Together for a net zero future
For more information, please contact Professor David Sergeant
at the University of Plymouth and email david.sergeant@plymouth.ac.uk
© University of Plymouth 2025