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Humanity is facing an existential threat. The destruction of ecosystems and rainforests, the extraction and burning of fossil fuels, rising carbon emissions and sea levels — these wounds to our planet have dire consequences that affect us all. Since 1971, Greenpeace has been bringing attention to these threats through peaceful, direct action and standing up to the people and companies who are destroying the planet — while risking arrest and harsh penalty. “You have to stand up for what you believe in and hope that people will support you and that ultimately you will prevail,” says John Sauven, the Executive Director at Greenpeace UK. He’s worked in various roles at Greenpeace for nearly 30 years and has been an instrumental figure in the organization’s success. John joins the podcast to talk about Greenpeace’s mission and fierce independence; the interconnectedness between Covid-19, racial justice, and climate; and how governments, companies, and consumers each have a critical role to play in the fight against climate change.
Listen to this episode to learn:
- The current state of the environment and why we’re leaving “the Garden of Eden”
- Why no matter what climate deniers believe or say, market forces are already driving us away from fossil fuels towards cheaper renewable sources of energy
- Why confronting the animal agriculture industry is the next chapter in the fight to save the rainforest and biodiverse ecosystems
- How Greenpeace stands up to multinational corporations like Unilever and BP, while also working with some companies to create positive change
- Lessons the climate change movement can learn from the global response to the Covid-19 pandemic
- How the younger generation is leading, organizing, and acting on climate issues
For more information: www.greenpeace.org.uk
Photo source: Suzanne Plunkett / Greenpeace
