Chris Madden Cartoons

A searchable archive for licensing

Dog and ball

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Dog and earth globe as ball  - illustration

An environmental illustration or cartoon showing a dog chasing a ball.

The ball is the earth as a globe.

The intension of the illustration is to draw a link between pet ownership and the environment. It was originally drawn for a booklet about how to look after your pet in an environmentally responsible way.
Drawn: July 2022
Cartoon reference number: a950

Air pollution cartoon

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pollution cartoon

Atmospheric pollution cartoon.

A cartoon about air pollution, showing a person breathing using an oxygen cylinder in which the oxygen is being produced by a tree.

The cartoon is about the importance of preserving trees, other plants and basically all of the natural world, if only for our own good (as in the image). Of course the natural world is important in its own right, with or without us in it!
Original version: 1991
This version: September 2019
Cartoon reference number: env071d

Inkblot test of contemporary anxiety

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inkblot test of contemporary anxiety - cartoon

 

Inkblot test of contemporary anxiety.

In the 1960s during the Cold War the major anxiety in the western world was the potential destruction of civilisation by nuclear weapons.

In the twenty-first century it is the threats to the environment caused by excess human activity.

 

The cartoon shows a Roschach test being interpreted as the mushroom cloud of a nuclear explosion by someone in the 1960s and as a tree by someone today.

Drawn: 2013
Cartoon reference number: a334b

 

Environment cartoon – the end is nigh

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Climate crisis cartoon - the end is nigh placard

A cartoon of a man with an “End is Nigh” placard.

A woman is saying “There was a time when I’d have dismissed him as a crank”.

A cartoon about the pessimism that is currently felt about the state of the world and about the future.
The cartoon primarily refers to the climate crisis and global warming, but could equally refer to other malaises that are afflicting the planet.
An environmental cartoon from my selection on the subject.

Original version: 2010
This version drawn: 2019

Cartoon reference number: a709b
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Sustainability cartoon – sustainable transport cartoon

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sustainability cartoon – sustainable environmental transport

The environmental impact of unsustainable road traffic

Roadkill cartoon
A cartoon about the impact of cars and transportation on the environment

The image shows a globe of the earth squashed flat on a road by a car, signifying the global impact of cars and transport on the environment – a sort of global roadkill.
A cartoon about transport, sustainability, car use, traffic, the environment.

 

Original version created: 2004
This version created: 2019

Cartoon reference number: a478b

Environment cartoon book

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Environmental cartoon book

The Beast That Ate the Earth
Environment cartoon book

Versions of many of the environmental cartoons on this site can be found in my book, The Beast That Ate the Earth.

I’ve been drawing cartoons on environmental matters since the early 1970s.
The book was published in 2004 and contains about a hundred cartoons in black and white.

The book is available through Amazon.
Such as at:

Amazon UK

Amazon USA

Amazon Germany

Cartoon – climate change refugees

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Cartoon - climate change refugees

Cartoon – climate change refugees.

The cartoon shows the possible increase in mass migration that may be caused by global warming and climate change.
The cartoon compares the current (2015) crisis of mass migration to Europe caused by political instability in the middle east with the possible crisis of mass migration that may occur due to climate change.

A cartoon about mass migration, climate change refugees, impact of global warming.
Drawn: 2015
Reference number: a712

Climate change cartoon – net zero carbon dioxide emissions

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Climate change cartoon - tnet zero carbon dioxide emissionns

A climate change cartoon about the need to reach net zero carbon emissions targets.

The cartoon shows the fact that if we don’t take measures to reduce our CO2 emissions we will reach a state in which the emissions will drop anyway.

A cartoon about climate change, zero carbon emissions, carbon footprints, global warming.
Cartoon drawn: 2015
Cartoon reference number: a711

Floods Caused by Climate Change Cartoon.

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Cartoon - floods and extreme weather events

Flooding caused by climate change

Original drawn in 1991.

This cartoon was inspired by “once every hundred years” floods that occurred in Cumbria in the UK twice in six years.
It refers to the saying “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it”.

A cartoon about floods, flooding, extreme weather events, climate change, global worming, the environment.
Original version created: 1991
Cartoon reference number: env076c

The End is Nigh cartoon – global warming

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Global warming cartoon - the end is nigh crank

A global warming cartoon, showing a man with an “End is Nigh” placard.

A passing woman is saying “There was a time when I’d have dismissed him as a crank”.

A cartoon about the current feeling of pessimism about the state of the world and about its future, with particular reference to the climate emergency and global warming
Original version: 2010
Cartoon reference number: a709

Climate change cartoon – impact on developing world and compensation

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Developed world's effect on the developing world - cartoon

The adverse effects of anthropogenic climate change on the developing world.
The need for the West to compensate developing countries for the damage caused by climate change.

Subsistence farmers in the developing world, who’s crops are falling due to global warming.

A cartoon about crop failure, famine, starvation, drought.
The West being implicated in the suffering of the developing world.
One of the farmers is saying “Do you know any good lawyers”, to highlight the farmers’ lack of access to power.

Original version created: 2004

Cartoon reference number: a691
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Profiting from climate change – cartoon

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profiteering from global warming cartoon

Climate change cartoon.
A businessman making his business diversify into boats due to increased flood risk.

As global warming results in more floods there will be a greater demand for boats.
The cartoon shows a businessman suggesting that his manufacturing company diversify into ship and boat building.

A cartoon showing manufacturing companies and businesses adapting to changing demands, and about the adaptability of capitalism.
Drawn: 2017
Cartoon reference number: a9687

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Carbon footprint cartoon

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carbon footprint cartoon

A carbon footprint cartoon from my selection of environment cartoons.

The illustration shows a climate change conference, with the US delegate (Uncle Sam) wearing gigantic clown shoes. He is thinking ‘No one will take me seriously in these shoes’

A cartoon about the fact that (at the moment) the western world uses most of the world’s resources and thus is in no position to lecture about the impact of consumerism to the developing world

Created: 2016

Cartoon reference number: env001

Climate crisis cartoon (and desertification cartoon)

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climate change denial cartoon

From my selection of environmental cartoons

Climate change denial

A cartoon of a person with his head buried in the sand, hiding from the fact that global warming is affecting the environment. The cartoon shows parts of the world turning to desert as a result of climate change and unsustainable development.

Original version drawn: 1991

Cartoon reference number: env008

Environment cartoons – polar bear and penguins marching to save the ice caps

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penguins and polar bear environment cartoons

Environment cartoons – penguins marching to stop global warming

An illustration showing an environmental protest march of penguins and a polar bear

The penguins in this image are inspired by natural history documentaries about penguins that show the penguins marching in line from their nest site to their feeding ground many miles away.
This cartoon is meant to be a motivational and inspirational image, motivating people to get up and do something for the benefit of the environment (specifically in the areas of climate change and global warming).
Original version drawn: 2011
Cartoon reference number: a664
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Businesses profiting from climate change

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business opportunities created by climate change

Environment cartoon about profit from climate change

Showing business opportunities created by global warming.

The joke is based on the saying “It’s an ill wind that blows nobody good” (meaning that someone always benefits from any situation, including bad ones).
The cartoon is meant as a criticism of cynical profiteering from climate change – it’s not a criticism of pragmatic approaches to job creation as a result of climate change.

Ref: a648

Environment cartoon – floods caused by climate change

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global warming flooding cartoon

Flooding caused by global warming

Drawn in 1991.
A comment on postponing taking action about global warming, using the saying “We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it”. Unfortunately, due to flooding, the bridge can’t be crossed.

From my collection of cartoons about global warming, climate change, floods, anthropogenic weather
Cartoon reference number: env076b

Environment cartoon – environmental forecasting

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globe falling in rubbish bin cartoon

Environment cartoon – environmental forecasting

A cartoon showing the earth or globe dropping off its mount and falling into a rubbish bin.
The globe is in the office of an organisation called “The Institute of Environmental Forecasting” (a fictitious organisation as far as I know)

This is a cartoon about predictions of the future of the world as a result of man-made or anthropogenic environmental changes such as global warming, climate change, resource depletion, species extinction, human population increase – the list goes on!

This cartoon was later developed into a three dimensional artwork that you can see on my contemporary art website.

Cartoon reference number: a464

Global warming cartoon

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Global warming thermometer cartoon

Environment cartoon
Climate change cartoon

An illustration showing the earth or globe as the bulb of a thermometer that is measuring the temperature rise caused by anthropogenic global warming.
The liquid in the thermometer is bursting out of the top, signifying the possible calamitous and disastrous outcome of global warming

Cartoon reference number: a462

Ship of Fools cartoon – the earth heading for disaster

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globe - Ship of Fools cartoon

Ship of Fools illustration

Is the earth, and the human race, heading for disaster (because people seem to be only capable of short term planning)?

An environmental cartoon showing the earth as a ship, represented by half a globe, with people on the deck enjoying themselves, oblivious of the fact that they are steering the world towards catastophe

The illustration shows the world’s population as the passengers and crew of the Ship of Fools (or the fools on the ship)

First version drawn: 1991

Cartoon reference number: a449

Global warming cartoons – global warming benefitting industry

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Environment cartoons

Environment cartoon – global warming and consumerism.

An environmental cartoon showing executives in a firm that manufactures refrigerators discussing global warming.
They are saying that the more the world warms up, the more people will want to buy fridges

An illustration of the truth behind the expression It’s an ill wind that blows nobody good, and the way that capitalism can benefit from adversity.
The point of this cartoon is that to some extent the creators of global warming will benefit from it.
Maybe they even sponsor climate change denial research!

Original version drawn: 1991

Cartoon reference number: a441

Desert mirage cartoon – an hourglass pouring sand into the desert

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hourglass creating desert cartoon

Desert mirage cartoon – an hour glass pouring sand into the desert, creating the desert

Cartoon of a man crawling through a desert, seeing a mirage

There may be a meaning to this cartoon related to global warming. Perhaps the hourglass, which is an illusion, represents the concept of climate change denial (where man made climate change is said to be an illusion). However, despite the fact that man made climate change is said to be an illusion the deserts are still getting bigger (and the polar caps smaller).

Cartoon reference number: a360

Carbon footprint cartoon

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environment cartoon - carbon footprint cartoon

Environment cartoon about carbon footprints

The cartoon is based on the nursery rhyme that goes:
“There was an old woman who lived in a shoe,
She had so many children she didn’t know what to do”
The idea partly about the impact of population growth on climate change and global warming – the larger a family, the greater its carbon footprint.
The cartoon is also about eco-housing, ecological buildings, environmentally sound architecture.

Cartoon reference number: a323
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