Manchester Green New Deal podcast

We are back!It's been a while and  well..  everything is kinda getting a bit shit. We have breached 1.5C, the Labour Party are spent and its not rained in England for two bloody months. Andrew and Lucy got together to discuss all the big events over the last six months and reflect on the local election results in England. We also covered Zack Polanski's leadership bid for the Green Party and if "Eco Populism" is the way to unite the left and send Nigel Farage packing. LinksListen to Lucy's episode of Trash Future here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmPbzlYNYZEZack Polanski's campaign website https://backzack.com/Shout outsGreater Manchester Coalition of Disabled Peoplehttps://gmcdp.com/James Taylor Manchester Unison Support the show

Support the Bhopal Medical Appeal https://www.bhopal.org/Episode two: The Green Revolution  explores the historical, political and economic forces that came together to make the Bhopal Gas Disaster a catastrophe just waiting to happen. Focusing on India's so called “Green Revolution” we discuss the long term consequences of short term technological fixes to the environmental challenges with which the new post-colonial state was confronted - not least the persistent problem of food security and the threat of famine. We explore how new laws such as the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act contributed to Union Carbide's decision to cut corners in the building and safety of its plant in Bhopal, and we discuss  some very different responses to the environment at the Green Revolution within India in the 1970s and 1980s.This month, all new sign ups on Patreon will be given directly to the Bhopal Medical Appeal. Music "Recurring anomaly"  by Charles Holmehttps://www.epidemicsound.com/track/bcoMezO9lb/Support the show

Support the Bhopal Medical Appeal https://www.bhopal.org/Forty years ago on the night of December 2nd 1984  water entered the chemical storage tank 610 at the Union Carbide India plant in Bhopal causing an exothermic reaction that released a deadly cloud of gas into the air which was blown for miles across the city exposing more than 500,000 people to the deadly and enduring effects of methyl isocynate. In Bhopal: Stories of an Ecocide we tell explore the history, social, political and economic drivers behind the  world's worst industrial disaster and its  devastating - and ongoing - human and environmental impacts.In episode one we explore the deadly events of that night and hear from those who experienced it and are still supporting those living with the consequences. This month, all new sign ups on Patreon will be given directly to the Bhopal Medical Appeal. Music "Recurring anomaly"  by Charles Holmehttps://www.epidemicsound.com/track/bcoMezO9lb/Support the show

First episode December 2nd Forty years ago, on the night of December 2nd 1984, water entered the chemical storage tank 610 at the Union Carbide India plant in Bhopal, causing an exothermic reaction that released a deadly cloud of gas into the air which was blown for miles across the city exposing more than 500,000 people to the deadly and enduring effects of methyl isocynate. In Bhopal: Stories of an Ecocide we tell explore the history, social, political and economic drivers behind the  world's worst industrial disaster and its devastating - and ongoing - human and environmental impacts.New episodes every fortnight.Support the show

You may have noticed that all your favourite online spaces are rife with climate denial, skepticism and down right lies about how humans are effecting the globe. What is driving this change?Are these people working as individuals, in networks or backed by the oil and gas industry itself? This week we here from some who's trying to fight back against the tide of disinformation and climate denial. Ads and Andrew are joined by "Tom" a scientist who has been working anonymously to combat climate denial and disinformation. We discuss why "Tom" has had to keep his identity secret and the threats made to him and his colleagues, how the Oil and Gas industry is using influencers and backing politicians to muddy the waters around climate change and what tactics can be used to combat the worst offenders. Shout out Climate Brawl - a community of people debunking climate denial online. Support the show

Support the show https://www.patreon.com/gndmediaukLabour's flagship policy of its election campaign was GB Energy. A phrase that would have pricked the ears of anyone who cared about getting off fossil fuels and combating climate change. With the government keeping its cards close to its chest we put together a crack team of guests who can breakdown what GB Energy could be and how it should develop to really build a just transition. This week Andrew is joined by Melanie Brusseler from Common Wealth, Ellie Radcliffe from Carbon Co-op and Keir Milburn from Abundance to discuss how GB Energy is shaping up. We discuss the current problems with the UK energy system, the resources committed to GB energy and if its a good start,  how the governments response to industrial decline so far will inform their approach to the energy transition and how to keep people in the picture when it comes to energy. LinksGB Energy- Government statement on the organisation  https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/great-british-energyCommonwealth report on GB energyhttps://www.common-wealth.org/publications/the-greatest-generation-how-public-power-can-deliver-net-zero-faster-fairer-and-cheaper Shout outsSummer the catCarbon Co-op team @CarbonCoopGreen Organise @GreensOrganiseClimate and Community institute @cplusciJohanna Bozuwa @johannabozuwaSupport the show

This week is our part two in our mini series on Nuclear Energy. You can listen to part one of this series with M.V Ramana here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/gnd-media/id1501980017Ad's is joined by Mark Nelson (@Energy Bants) founder and managing director of Radiant Energy Group, a organisation that supports low carbon energy transition and keeping nuclear power plants open. They tackle the three big points of contention in the debate around atomic energy. Waste, the link between nuclear energy and nuclear weapons and the timelines it takes to get nuclear power plants completed. Ads and Mark also explore the current reach of nuclear technology around the world, How our perceptions of time play a role in feelings around nuclear waste and Marks thoughts on how political and spiritual thought around nuclear power has lead to its collapse in the last 20 years.  Links Radiant Energy Group: https://www.radiantenergygroup.com/"Into eternity" The documentary Ads was discussing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayLxB9fV2y4Shout outMark's shout out this week is Ursula Von de Leyen @vonderleyen  for stating that Europe needs more nuclear power. Support the show

For the next two episodes Ads is exploring one of the most debated and decisive topics when it comes to climate breakdown. Nuclear power. In recent years many have seen nuclear power as a keystone technology that can help produce bountiful clean energy to get humanity off fossil fuels. For others, when nuclear power is mentioned the images of Fukushima, Chernobyl and the threat of apocalyptic war are front and center and believe that this incredibly powerful energy source should remain a relic of the 20th century, it is too dangerous.  This week we are joined by M.V Ramana, author of "Nuclear is not the solution", and a member of the international nuclear risk assessment group. Ads discusses with Ramana the main arguments against pursuing nuclear power.  Who currently has access to it? Is it a viable technology on our climate timeline? Are Small Modular Reactors a real innovation? Are we aware of all the risks posed? What do we do with the waste? How are different countries approaching nuclear power and where do Nuclear weapons fit into this picture?in Part Two Ads is joined by Mark Nelson to discuss the positive vision for nuclear power. LinksDismantling Sellafield Article https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/dec/15/dismantling-sellafield-epic-task-shutting-down-decomissioned-nuclear-site Get a copy of Ramana's book: Nuclear is not the Solution, from Verso.https://www.versobooks.com/en-gb/products/3013-nuclear-is-not-the-solution?_pos=2&_psq=nu&_ss=e&_v=1.0World Nuclear Status Report https://www.worldnuclearreport.org/International Panel on Fissile Materials https://fissilematerials.org/International Nuclear Risk Assessment Grouphttps://www.inrag.org/Pugwash grouphttps://pugwashgroup.ca/Shout out  Ramana's co-authors at the  world nuclear report Mycle SchneiderAntony FroggattJulie HazemannSupport the Show.

Humans have always moved. long before we started planting grains in the fertile crescent, we moved around the globe in search of food, shelter and other humans for trade and collaboration. If you're moving now without dollar in your pocket, your demonized, shunned and your humanity questioned, just for trying to find a better life.  The climate crisis is going to have millions on the move. How do we bring solidarity and shared understanding to our fellow man? This week on the show Lucy and Ads are joined by Zoe Gardner. Zoe is a migration and asylum policy specialist, researcher, advocate, and writer.We discuss the current hell that migrants go through travelling to and through Europe, how Britain leaving the European Union ramped up the crossings by small boats, The potential danger of Robert Jenerick becoming the new Leader of the Tory party and what a humane asylum system would look like. linksGaia  Vince: Nomad Century: How to survive the climate upheaval https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/444202/nomad-century-by-vince-gaia/9780141997681Shout outsAVID: the Association for Visitors to Immigrant Detainees https://www.aviddetention.org.uk/Manchester Mustard tree https://mustardtree.org.uk/And a shout out to the french left for keeping the far right at bay in the recent elections! hold on! Support the Show.

The Climate Movements key focus is on the reduction of emissions and stopping humanity from going over the edge into full blown climate breakdown. But by focusing so heavily on the parts per million of CO2 in the atmosphere are we missing ways in which the natural world shapes our existence? Are we being negligent to the lives of other species that make up life on earth, and what affect does that have on humanity in turn?  Returning to the show this is Professor Chris Armstrong, to discuss his new book "Global Justice and the Biodiversity Crisis: Conservation in a World of Inequality". Chris is a Professor in Political Theory in the Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Southampton @sotonpolitics.  We start by discussing the current state of international nature conservation and how colonial powers still shape biodiversity schemes, how by fixating on carbon we miss the richness that nature provides for humans and how some efforts for conservation embed the structural inequality enforced on the global south. We also discuss how by viewing the world through economics, we make it worse for all living things on the planet. LinksYou can read Chris's latest book here:Global Justice and the Biodiversity Crisis: Conservation in a World of Inequalityhttps://academic.oup.com/book/55992?Ads reccomends some books by James Rebanks when we discuss farming. You can find his catalogue here:https://www.penguin.co.uk/authors/120316/james-rebanksShout outsurvival international https://www.survivalinternational.org/campaigns/conservationSupport the Show.

The election is in full swing in the UK, with 3 days to go until the polls open. Are the parties rising to the occasion and providing a vision of a world not decimated by the climate crisis? We put in the hard hours to read the manifestos on offer so you don't have to!In this endeavor of analysis or political parities commitments we are joined by comrade of the pod Sam Knights! We discuss what is Labour's GB energy? Why haven't the Tory's mentioned water for the last six weeks, Are the Green's spending plans realistic? and Why are the Lib Dems more serious about climate than you expect? Support the Show.

This week we are starting at the End. This week on the show myself and lucy are joined by Tad Delay and Ben ware. Tad the author of Future of Denial:The Ideologies of Climate Change. He's also an assistant Professor of Philosophy at Baltimore City Community College. Ben Ware author of On Extinction: Beginning Again At The End. Ben is the Co-director of the centre for Philosophy and art at Kings College London. I imagine if you're listening or watching  this you're probably in some state of shock when it comes to how humanity is responding to the collapse of the planet as we know it. Maybe you're also finding yourself cringing or at odds with how some of those who are most seemingly committed to stopping climate breakdown go about their business. How are we to understand how humanity is reacting at this moment. Are we in denial about the end of the world? Are some of us enjoying the idea of the end? Is learning more and more facts about climate change actually helping? Or are we finding comfort in being correct about the rolling doom. We decided to bring ben and Tad together to discuss there work as they both draw on psychoanalysis to understand how we're reacting at the end of the world. We discuss how our relation to time affects our ability to act on climate change, how denial can manifest itself in government action, the joy at the end of the world and how joe biden can be the “best president on climate” while opening oil and gas fields and support a genocide in Gaza. LinksTad has done a great series of podcast discussing his book with varies thinkers and contemporaries. Listen to it herehttps://open.spotify.com/show/64e8AfK6GmHyhztfTVY8sI?si=6c756546bfe94433You can pick up Ben's book On Extinction: Beginning at the end from Verso herehttps://www.versobooks.com/en-gb/products/2604-on-extinctionAnd you can get Tad's book Future to Denial: The Ideologies of Climate Change from Verso here.https://www.versobooks.com/en-gb/products/2857-future-of-denialShout outsKairos, a new venue in London exploring radical ideas for social and cultural change in response to the climate and nature crises.  @KairosClubhttps://www.kairos.london/All the staff at Stepping hill hospital in Stockport Richard Seymour @leninologyUnite UCU@UniteUCUSupport the Show.

Shout outsClass work project https://www.theclassworkproject.com/Trade mark belfastfeminize Politics NowReclaim Acorn tenants union Support the Show.

When our ethics clash with our work, who wins? and Who should win? Should we adhere to the orders of our mangers, even if we think its bad for the planet? This week on the show Ads and Andrew are joined by Dr. Gianluca Grimaldi, a climate researcher. Gianluca tells his story of being fired from his job as a climate scientist for refusing to fly for work-related travel. He discusses the reasons behind his decision, including the environmental impact of air travel and the need to challenge the culture of excessive flying in academia. Gianluca also talks about the lack of support from his colleagues and the impact on his career. LinksYou can support Gian's research here https://ko-fi.com/ggrimalda Guardian Article about Gian's story https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/oct/12/climate-researcher-who-refused-to-fly-back-from-research-trip-is-sackedCheck out Gian's research work herehttps://www.researchgate.net/profile/Gianluca-GrimaldaShout outsScientist Rebellion  @ScientistRebel1 Support the Show.

This week on the show we are joined by  Nicole Kleinheisterkamp-González  a PHD candidate at Syracuse University in New York state. Nicole's research is to bring the analysis of Labour and union organising into geography. Her field work has taken her to working in coal mines and car plants to understand the lives of workers in the US and Germany,  and how their political formations are changing with the pressures of climate change. Can workers from carbon heavy industries be the frontline in the just transition? Can the climate movement and workers come together to save the planet? LinksNicole's research paper  https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/03091325231154222Shout OutsSupport those affected by devastating wild fires in ChileFondo Nacional de Reconstrucciónhttps://donaciones.hacienda.gob.cl/english United Auto Workers Union in the USASupport the Show.

We've spoken to alot of degrowthers on this show, all coming from slightly different angles on the problems facing the planet. This week we are heading to Japan, to hear from one of the most prominent thinkers on Marx, to see how marxism and degrowth are really singing on the same hymn sheet.  This week on the show Ads and Andrew are joined by Philosopher Kohei Saito to discuss Degrowth Communism.  Kohei Saito is an associate professor of philosophy at the University of Tokyo, and the best selling author of "Capital in the Anthropocene" (which sold over 500,00 copies in Japan), Marx in the Anthropocene and his new book "Slow Down: The degrowth Communist Manifesto".Topics discussed The popularity of Kohei's books on Marx in JapanMarx on nature and the metabolic riftHistorical Materialism How Degrowth is an extension of Marx's own work. How to get move on from "Capitalist common sense" to abundance. The Japanese Left.How do we start putting these ideas into practice. LinksYou can get a copy of Kohei's latest book "Slow Down: The Degrowth Communist Manifesto" at the link below.https://www.waterstones.com/book/slow-down/kohei-saito/9781399612975shout out   Kohei's  kids for inspiring him to keep fighting for a better world. Support the show

50% of all new cars are SUV's, which may come as a surprise to you, considering the various noises around the world about moves to green transport. Is this just people with more disposable income wanting bigger cars, is it for the prestige? Or do car companies need you to buy bigger?This week on the show Lucy and Andrew are joined by political economist Dr Tom Haines-Doran, to discuss his recent paper " The financialisation of car consumption". They discuss how the car industry is slowly destroying itself through over production, why fiance and debt companies want you to own a bigger car,  why the majority of cars are pretty much the same and the fall out of the the botched Low Traffic Neighbourhood scheme in Levenshulme.  LinksRead Tom's paper "The financialisation of car consumption" Herehttps://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/204987/Read " The political economy of car dependence: A systems of provision approach" Herehttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214629620300633Shout outStreets for People-  @s4plbWalk Ride GM-  @WalkRideGMSupport the show

When people think about environmentalists, the next words they probably say are, "Oh, like Extinction Rebellion?" The impact of XR on the the climate movement probably can't be over stated. From ubiquitous association to the effects on organising practice, Extinction Rebellion has been at the forefront of climate action for the last five years.  In the U.K many campaigns and activist are holding their breath, waiting for the Labour Party to take the reins of government, so the question is: what next for XR?This week Ads and Andrew are joined by XR and Just Stop Oil co-founder Roger Hallam.  They discuss how the efffects of climate change spurred Roger into working on building a climate movement, how XR was built, its successes and shortcomings, why revolution is the only answer now as we head past 1.5 degrees and why citzens assemblies can be the mechanism for the revolution. Check out Roger's "The Work We Need to Do" herehttps://drive.google.com/file/d/13UFxnwIEb4afjEzRdZQ72WUtLvvPB0PM/view?ref=rogerhallam.comRoger's Websitehttps://rogerhallam.com/Shout outYou can check out Rogers humanity project and get involved here. https://rogerhallam.com/humanity/Support the show

Support the show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/gndmediaukTwitter: @gndmediaukInstagram: gndmediauk This week on the show we are joined by the Deputy Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, Zack Polanski. We discuss how Zack ended up in the Green Party, what makes the party different from Labour, what would a Green Party in Government mean for British industry and how Zack sees personal choices versus systemic change.Shout Out United voices of the worldhttps://www.uvwunion.org.uk/en/ Support the show

If there is any one word that is synonymous with tackling climate change it is “electrification”. Yes, getting off fossil fuels and taking the majority of CO2 out of our economy are the goals of many working on the climate, but if there was one silver bullet for the climate movement its generating more clean electricity.  Renewable forms of energy have sharply decreased in price over the last twenty years, and battery storage solutions are coming on in leaps and bounds, but most of the world is still tied to oil and gas for their electricity use. So our question today is: Why aren't we moving faster on the green energy transition?  luckily we've found a guy who might know. Our guest today is Brett Christophers, Brett is a political economist and economic geographer, and has just published his new book “The Price is Wrong “Why capitalism won't save the Planet “  on Verso books.  Andrew and Lucy discuss with Brett why the energy sector is so complex, how it favors fossil fuel based energy production , why isn't investment pouring into green energy and how china and India's energy needs should be a focus for the years to come. LinksPick up a copy of Brett's book herehttps://www.versobooks.com/en-gb/products/3069-the-price-is-wrongShout outhttps://heatmap.news/Support the show

It's our yearly stock take, where are we now in the fight to save the planet, and what do we need to do, to make progress faster?  Friend of the show Professor Kevin Anderson joins us to cut through the crap and get the heart of the matter.  Kevin is the chair of  energy and climate change at the School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering (MACE) at the University of Manchester and works at the Tyndall center for climate change research. Ad's and Andrew discuss how much more carbon has been emitted since last year,  Why there is political cowardice at the top of the UK's politics, why inequality and climate change are intrinsically linked and how the framing around "Net Zero" has done more damage than good.   This episode was recorded before the Labour Party dropped their £28bn a year pledge on green investment. Thanks lads. Shout outRena Jones- Notts and Derbyshire councils and all the climate officers at local authorities fighting hard for change with no resources. Support the show

 You would be very hard pressed to say 2023 was not an awful year for natural disasters and climate related tragedy. Wildfires in Canada and the US, extreme flooding in Bulgaria and Bangladesh, and record breaking heatwaves in Northern Africa and the Mediterranean. When the science is pointing in this direction, of destruction and chaos and those in power aren't listening, what do you do? This week we are joined by Peter Kalmus, Climate scientist at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California*. Peter is also a member of Science Rebellion and co-founder of Undeniable Network.  We discuss how NASA plays it part in monitoring the changes in the earths climate, how he speaks to his family about climate change,  what is the science behind reversing climate change and what political action needs to take place to do that. Then we discuss the importance of the next US election, and how it affects the global effort get off fossil fuels. *Peter Kalmus speaks on behalf of himself and not NASA. Linksundeniable networkCheck out Peter's book "Live Well and Spark the Climate Revolution" https://peterkalmus.net/books/Shout Out Peter's brothers and sisters in Scientist Rebellion Support the show

To say the modern world is dependent on materials we dig out of the ground is an understatement. From the lithium in your phone battery to the cup you're drinking your tea in, mining and mineral extraction play a vital part of how survive on earth. With the race to get off fossil fuels, and electrify our entire transport network kicking off, dependency on rare earth minerals like lithium  is going to increase, and the conditions of the people mining it brought ever to our attention. This week on the show Lucy and Andrew are  joined by  Thea Riofrancos, Professor at Providence College in the US and the author of "Resource Radicals" and "A Planet to Win".  They discuss how Lithium is a key resource when it comes to the transition away from fossil fuels, how mineral exploitation in South America has shaped the politics of the region and how Unions are now driving the just transition in the Americas.    LinksCheck out Thea's website herehttps://www.theariofrancos.com/The Lithium Problem (interview by Alyssa Battistoni). Dissent, 2023.https://www.dissentmagazine.org/article/the-lithium-problemElectric vehicles alone won't take us to a decarbonized future. The Hill, 2023https://thehill.com/opinion/energy-environment/3861795-electric-vehicles-alone-wont-take-us-to-a-decarbonized-future/Chile: White Gold Rush. Chatham House's The World Today, 2022 https://www.chathamhouse.org/publications/the-world-today/2022-06/chile-white-gold-rushShifting Mining from the Global South Misses the Point of Climate Justice. Foreign Policy, 2022 https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/02/07/renewable-energy-transition-critical-minerals-mining-onshoring-lithium-evs-climate-justice/?tpcc=recirc_latest062921ShoutoutFriend of the show Asad Rahman of War on Want, for his stirring speech at COP 28 on Palestine. Support the show

2023 is over and the battle for 2024 is about to begin. It's the end of the year so gather round the wireless to hear Ads, Alex, Lucy and Andrew discuss where we are at a end of 2023 and guess which of us had some very strong one nation Tory opinions as a child.Have a fantastic Christmas and see you in 2024. Support the show

The worlds biggest climate negotiations are happening as you read this, in Dubai at COP28. The President of COP has just said "There is no scientific basis for climate change"...... I think its time to take a breather, go outside and hangout with nature, and think a little locally. This week Ad's is joined by Paul Handrick aka "The Bee Guy". Paul runs the worlds first native wild  Bee sanctuary, based in the republic of Ireland.  They discuss how Paul transitioned from gigging musician to  running the only organic vegan farm in Ireland,   the problem with the profit motive, frustrations working with the environment movement and how everyone can support Bees, Insects and other wildlife in their own gardens.  LinksFollow the link below for more info on the Bee sanctuary. https://savingbees.ie/Shout outCEO responsible futures Sam CandeSupport the show

The world's attention right now is focused on the desperate situation in Gaza. This human catastrophe has major ramifications for the wider Arab region encompassing North Africa and the Gulf States, an area that is also at the heart of fossil capitalism and thus an important region when it comes to turning the planet away from hydrocarbons and climate catastrophe.  While being the generator of 35% of the all the hydrocarbons in the world, it is also the site of potentially immense green energy.  So how might a just transition take place here? And how do the political and environmental conditions of the region shape this transition?This week Alex is joined by Hamza Hamouchene ( @BenToumert) and Katie Sandwell ( @KatieSandwell) the editors of a new collection of essays called "Dismantling Green Colonialism, Energy and Climate Justice in the Arab Region"Hamza and Katie both work for the Transitional Institute, an international research and advocacy institute committed to building a just, democratic and sustainable planet. They discuss with Alex how Fossil Capitalism is already scooping up land for renewables and carbon offsets in the Arab region, how the World Bank and the IMF along with local elites push the Arab region toward extractive industries instead of focusing on climate adaption. How Green Colonialism has developed in the region and what a Just Transition would look like, that does not put North Africa at the service of Europe. LinksPick up a copy of Hamza and Katie's book from Pluto Press Herehttps://www.plutobooks.com/9780745349213/dismantling-green-colonialism/#:~:text='A%20brave%20and%20timely%20bookShout outsPalestinians in Gaza and the Diaspora Social justice and environmental justice activist in Arab region. Mohad Gasmi: currently in prison in Algeria for criticizing the current government. You can learn more about what has happened to Mohad Herehttps://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/case/human-rights-defender-sentenced-3-years-prisonSupport the show

For the final episode of this season of Working Class Voices,  it's time to end with some real inspiration. Ad's sits down with Alice Hu (@tweetsbyANH) of New York Communities for Change (@nychange), a working class community action group. Alice explain's how they organised across the issues of immigration, housing and good jobs to be more effect climate activists, How hurricane Sandy's effects on New York City spurned on climate action, and how to run a successful, diverse working class protest. LinksNew York Communities for Change. https://www.nycommunities.org/Here's Ad's article from the start of the series. https://www.gndmedia.co.uk/articles/happy-flowers-dont-winSupport the show

We're on the home stretch of season two of working class voices. This week Ad's is joined by Duncan Exley . Duncan's work helps bring class diversity to institutions and support working class campaigners. They discuss the difference between working class and middle class campaigning, How one posh friend can change your life,  the power of pride and humiliation and how we should be campaigning around a Just Transition. LinksResolution Foundation Duncan's bookThe End of Aspiration : social mobility and our children's fading prospects.https://policy.bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/the-end-of-aspirationSupport the show

We all know that the Green New Deal is bold and ambitious in its vision, providing the solutions to the climate crisis that go hand in hand with solutions for social justice – a prosperous future where everyone can thrive.Tune into this recording of our Lucy speaking at a panel event, hosted by Green New Deal Groupon 26 October, exploring further how a Green New Deal gives us reason to hope not only for the climate emergency, but also economic, social and racial justice.Featuring Caroline Lucas, Ellen Fearon of GND Rising and Tyronne Scott of War on Want. Support the show

This week's episode is  about action, community and not waiting for the council to come and sort it for you and how even those with the least can be leaders in the fight against climate breakdown.  Ads is joined by Terry McTernan, Secretary of the Darkwood Crew in Ferguslie Park , Scotland.  Ferguslie Park has consistently been at the bottom of Scottish league tables for economic development and poverty, with decades of Holyrood led initiatives to try and change that and with little luck. Terry and his community decided it was their turn, for the working class to decide how to change their part of the world for the better. Ads and Terry discuss how the Darkwood Crew knits community support and climate action together, how years of top down approaches from government haven't helped Ferguslie Park,  the practical work of running successful community groups and how Ferguislie Park Community Council was formed. LinksFerguslie Community Council Facebook pagehttps://www.facebook.com/fergusliecommunitycouncilDarkwood Crew- Ferguslie community environment group. https://darkwoodcrew.co.uk/Support the show

This week on Working Class Voices Ads' is joined by writer and activist Keir Milburn. Keir is the author of “Generation Left” and is a co-host of ACFM on Novara Media. Keir is also a founding member of the think tank Abundance.They discuss how the definition of who is working class affects organising strategies, are the working class more resilient to police oppression and brutality and has this had an affect on groups like XR? Keir discusses the Spy Cops scandal, Why the working class has to build its own institutions to save the just transition from venture capital, the cycles of social movements and what the left needs to do when Starmer takes power. LinksACFM- Keir's podcast with Nadia Idle and  Jeremy Gilbert https://novaramedia.com/category/audio/acfm/Red Plenty Gameshttps://redplentygames.com/Abundancehttps://www.in-abundance.org/Under cover policing inquiry (Spy Cops inquiry )https://www.ucpi.org.uk/Support the show

Fossil fuels and the companies that extract and distribute them are everywhere. Those companies seep into society from powering our homes, to buying off politicians and owning the sports teams we love. When these levithans take over our passions and interests, what should we do about it? This week on Working Class Voices Ads is joined by Michael  from Game Changer, the campaign to get football clubs to drop fossil fuel sponsorships. They discuss Micheal's journey from watching documentaries to organising football fans against fossil fuel companies, How those oil companies capture culture, and the challenges of bringing football fans into the climate movement. LinksThe Big Step: Campaign against advertising gambling in sports Calling Time Scotland : The campiagn to kick out alcohol advertising in sports. Game ChangerGet in contact with the Game Changer campaign below. gamechanger@platformlondon.orgSupport the show

This week we are organising for power, in more ways than one.Andrew is joined by Lawrence Wang (@ltothewang), a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (@DemSocialists), and on the Eco-socialist working group  for the New York City Chapter (@Nycdsa). Lawrence explains how the DSA in New York State organised and passed a bill that means the state has to develop publicly owned renewable energy generation. We discuss the DSA's mission and how it approaches politics in the USA, the tactics and strategy that got their legalisation passed and how they ended up running AGAINST one of the sponsors of the bill they were pushing through the congress!Cheat sheet for the episodeDSA: Democratic Socialist of AmericaBPRA : Build Public Renewables ActNYA : New York Power AuthorityIRA: Inflation Reduction ActLinksDemocratic Socialists of AmericaDSA New York ChapterNYC DSA Eco-socialistsLawrence's recent article in Jacobin about the BPRAhttps://jacobin.com/2023/07/new-york-bpra-green-new-deal-public-renewable-energyShout OutsStop Cop CityPine Tree Power Our Power coalition Maine DSASupport the show

This week Ads is joined by Fraser Stewart. Fraser is the just transition lead at Regen, a non for profit focused on pushing the UK towards cleaner energy.  They discuss how weirdly similar their lives have been as working class lads in the environment movement,  how the working class manage in middle class spaces, what are the best ways to talk about climate to people who are already struggling and how starting with reality is better than rhetoric. LinksFrasers' article "New Tools" https://fraserjfstewart-17.medium.com/new-tools-29028eacf86aSupport the show

If you were to wander lonely as a cloud in England, chances are that you would find yourself on privately owned lands and committing a civil offence. if you were to do the same in Scotland however, you would be totally within your right to do so.  So what gives? Why don't the English have access to the nature and countryside of God's green earth?‍This week we are joined by land access campaigner  and orgnaniser at Right to Roam, Jon Moses. Ads and Jon discuss the history of land being taken into private ownership, the difference between land access rights in England and Scotland, what actually might happen if you illegally trespass (spoiler not as much as you might think!) and Jon updates us on the access rights saga of Dartmoor national park. LINKSRight to Roam campaign website Shout out Daniel Grimstom, and congrats on the your play Corpse light. Support the show

Welcome to season two of Working Class Voices on GND Media.  This podcast is where we let the working class speak for themselves, on how to combat climate breakdown.We believe the working class will be the ones to fundamentally drive the transition from fossil fuels, and only with their collective power could it ever be a truly just transition. This season will focus on those from the working class who are already in the climate movement. This week Ads is joined by Emma River Roberts.  They discuss why Just Stop Oil's actions miss the point when it comes to accelerating climate action, Emma's experience of being working class in the climate movement, Emma's view of the Labour Party right now and what needs to be done to properly link the working class and climate movements together. LinksAd's article " Happy flowers Don't Win" on GND Media. Support the show

We're back! And not a moment too soon.  After a summer of international extreme weather and political inaction, we're kicking things off combining science and activism.  This week we are joined by the co-founder of Scientists for XR Dr Aaron Thierry.  We discuss why July this year was so hot globally, how climate scientist are portrayed in the media and whether their expertise gives them more standing in the media. Ad also digs into what revolution means to scientists, and if we can find hope in science.  LinksKevin Anderson's talk that inspired Aaron. https://www.lse.ac.uk/lse-player?id=1208Scientists for XR https://www.scientistsforxr.earth/ Shout outsDr. Rose Abramoff Support the show

This episode was first broadcast on June 14th 2021This week on the show we are joined by Dr Keston Perry. Keston is a lecturer in economics and political economy at University of West of England (UWE).We discuss in practical terms what reparations would mean, the historical racism embedded into Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal and how a Green New Deal must be designed in that context, as well as the reverberations of the Haitian Revolution and how taking a paternalistic approach to defeating climate change won't bring justice to those most effected by it.LinksSorting out the Mixed Economy by Amy Offnerhttps://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ehr.12988How Europe Underdeveloped Africa by Walter Rodneyhttps://www.versobooks.com/books/2785-how-europe-underdeveloped-africaWilliam Sandy Darity on reparations https://reparations4slavery.com/william-sandy-darity-jr/Shout outs Professor Maxine Burkett Asad Rehman@chilledasad100Alex O'keefe- Ex Sunrise Movement leader for holding the movement to a higher standard@_dotgovAlex's Thread on the situation at Sunrisehttps://twitter.com/_dotgov/status/1402249288818769920Cycling UK- for their campaign Big bike revival @WeAreCyclingUKThe fantastic organisations supporting refugees across the UK to mark Refugee Week 2021@RefugeeAction@GMIAU@AmnestyUK@FreefromTorture@AsylumMatters@FootballMuseumSupport the show

This episode was first broadcast on November 9th 2020Note: This episode was recorded before the results of the U.S election were published. How do we define the success of a city? Or a country? Or human civilisation all together? The last 60 years we've been tied to GDP, growth, trade surpluses, amounts of debt, the strength of currency. Economic strength has been the barometer for the majority of the world to look to when we want to know how we're doing. If stock and shares are high surely there can't be any problems? When an economy bifurcates massively between the haves and the have nots,  and to become a haver you need to extract from the environment considerably, measures of economic superiority really start to miss the point. So what's the alternative? Joining us on the podcast this week is Professor Julia Steinberger ( @JKSteinberger). Julia is a Professor in social ecology and ecological economics at l'Université de Lausanne in Switzerland and is currently working on the next IPCC report on climate change . We discuss the links between consumption and capitalist affluence, how epicurean philosophy has informed economics of the past 50 years and the balancing act of extraction for a greener future. Shout outsCouncillor Jon Burke@jonburkeUKMarcus Rashford@MarcusRashfordSwiss campaign for corporate accountability **LINKS**Scientists warning on affluence (co-authored by Julia)https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-16941-yThe Flawed science of deep adaptation https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/oureconomy/faulty-science-doomism-and-flawed-conclusions-deep-adaptation/Support the show

This episode was first broadcast on September 5th 2022This year on the show we have taken a closer look at class as a dimension of environmentalism and climate change. With our series Working Class Voices,  we heard real stories and attitudes when it comes to the working class and climate. Today's show is moving the conversation to look at the dynamics between classes and how that plays out in the struggle for a just, green world.This week we are  joined by Matthew T. Huber.  Matthew  is a Professor of Geography at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University and the author of the new book, Climate Change as Class War: Building Socialism on a Warming Planet.We discuss how focusing on consumption can blind class analysis of climate change and why individualistic "carbon guilt" stops real action occurring. We also dig into Matthew's critiques of the politics of degrowth and why trade unions need to shape a Green New Deal. This interview was recorded on 15th of July 2022Shout OutsWar on Want appeal to support those affected by the horrendous floods in Pakistan.https://secure.waronwant.org/page/112424/donate/1Labour Notes@labornotesLinksMatthews book  "Climate Change as Class War" can be bought at Verso.The grueling working  conditions of the US Solar sector workersKim Moody: On New TerrainNico Poulantzas Support the show

This episode was first broadcast on August 8th 2022The global economy is fundamentally intertwined with the environment and with that climate breakdown. Fastidious bankers, hedge fund managers and capitalists are on the case trying to tackle the end of the world with the only tools they know how to use, finance and profit.So what happens when models of extraction are used to fix models of extraction?This week on the show we are delighted to be joined again by Adrienne Buller to discuss her new book "The Value of a Whale". In the book Adrienne critiques the methods of green capitalism as it attempts to save the planet through profit.We discuss why offsetting encourages damage to ecology, what green economic ideas are the most dangerous, why market approaches to fighting climate change increase injustice and why Adrienne wrote this book to radicalise her mum.LINKSSteve Keen on Nordhaus' misleading economicsA history of the world is seven cheap things by Raj Patelkate sopher on hedonismShout outsAdrienne's editor Tom at Manchester University PressJon Moses for the Bristol botanist mass trespass Support the show

This episode was first broadcast on March 15th 2021Peaceful protest could be seen as the hallmark of political movements in the late 20th and early 21st century, causing disruption to everyday life with mass gathering and turning the political headwind through chants, crowds and banners. From the Iraq War protests in 2003 to the Extinction Rebellion direct actions of 2019 turning the other cheek and love thy neighbour have been core tenants around a politics and respectability. The key questions is though, did they change anything? Does Capital listen to Labour without a threat? Our guest this week is author and associate lecturer at Lund University Andreas Malm. Andreas is a prolific writer on climate change and capitalism with titles including "Fossil Capital" Corona, Climate, Chronic Emergency" and "White Skin Black Fuel". We discuss the sanitising of political and civil movements,  the strategic value of property destruction for a cause and combating climate despair and fatalism.LinksHow to blow up a Pipelinehttps://www.versobooks.com/books/3665-how-to-blow-up-a-pipelinekim stanley Robinsons' Ministry for the futurehttps://www.waterstones.com/book/the-ministry-for-the-future/kim-stanley-robinson/9780356508832Ende Gelaende- the climate activsts Andreas has worked withhttps://www.ende-gelaende.org/en/Shout outsEnde Gelande- climate activists based on germany taking on lignite mining@Ende__GelaendeLow Carbon Homes- for supporting the retrofit Get-in Project@lowcarbonhomesFriends of Carrington Moss- defending local green space in Greater Manchester@FriendsMossTrees not cars - Congrats on beating Manchester council on the building of a carpark@TreesNotCarsSupport the show

It's been said on this podcast many times that the working class will be the ones who make sure we have a just transition. For the last few years deciding who the working class are has been up for debate. Are graduates in minimum wage jobs the working class? Are plumbers on £80k a year the working class? How will climate change affect these categories?This week on the show we are joined by writer and activist Keir Milburn. Keir is the author of “Generation Left” and is a co-host of ACFM on Novara Media. Keir is also a founding member of the think tank Abundance.We discuss who the working class in 21st century Britain are, how climate and class politics have expressed themselves in the past, the horrendous spycops saga and how it affected climate activists in the 2000's, what current climate activist have forgotten from previous movements, how to discuss the realities of planetary boundaries in politics without having a reductive vision for the future and whether climate organisers should use moral arguments in their campaigning.P.S WE'RE ALL LEEDS ARNT WE?!LINKS Check out Working Class Voices HERE https://www.gndmedia.co.uk/working-class-voicesCheck out Keir's work at Abundance HEREhttps://www.in-abundance.org/You can listen to ACFM HEREhttps://novaramedia.com/category/audio/acfm/You can buy Keir's book Generation Left HERE https://www.wiley.com/en-gb/Generation+Left-p-9781509532247 Listen to our episode with Jason Hickel HERE https://www.gndmedia.co.uk/podcast-episodes/degrowth-jason-hickelShout out Issac Rose and Manchester Housing Action.  Check out Issac's work at Greater Manchester Housing Action HEREhttp://www.gmhousingaction.com/Support the show

We've always said that environmentalism needs to understand class if it wants to protect the world from climate catastrophe. Degrowth has been accused by some on the Left as green austerity or just a terrible political message. To debunk degrowth myths and to discuss why class is at the heart of any just transition and a degrowth economy we are join by Jason Hickel. Jason is the author of"Less is More: How Degrowth Will Save the World"  and a world-leading scientist and scholar on degrowth. We discuss how class politics and environmentalism should work in tandem, why capitalism can't stop the climate crisis, why Universal Basic Services (UBS) is at the heart of a degrowth economy, how trade unions need to remember their radical past and how the EU conference on beyond growth is opening the doors for more radical policy in Europe. LinksRead Jason's book "Less is More: How Degrowth with Save the World"  HERE Read "The Conquest of Bread" by Pëtr Kropotkin  HEREShout outs Prabhat Patnaik & Utsa Patnaik, authors of "Capital and Imperialism", which you can buy HEREMax Ajl, Check out our episode with him back in 2021 HERESenegalese economist Ndongo Samba Sylla Mark Burton for introducing Ads to Degrowth. Support the show

It is, we promise, worse than you think.  Or maybe it was?  For all the fear and genuine suffering covering the globe from actual happening climate change, maybe, just maybe,  we are on a path that isn't all out destruction of the Earth?  This week on the show we are joined by climate writer and columnist  David Wallace-Wells. David writes for New York Magazine, The New York Times and is author of best selling book The Uninhabitable Earth. We discuss how David got into climate journalism and how writing The Uninhabitable Earth made him more hopeful about the future, the paradox of Republican politicians and climate investment, and how we persuade people about the benefits of the green energy transition. LinksRead Davids' original article HEREGet a copy of Davids' book "The Uninhabitable Earth" HEREShout outsVarshini Prakash - co founder of the Sunrise MovementSupport the show

In 1950, world shipping was roughly half a million tonnes of cargo. As of 2019 it's now 11 billion tonnes. A mind blogging increase in 70 years.  Shipping  is one of the most resistant and slow sectors to clean up its climate act, with only a commitment to reduce emissions by 50% from the International Maritime Organisation at 2050.  So what can we do to green maritime trade? And has the answer been blowing in the wind all this time? This week Ads and Andrew are joined by Dr Christiaan De Beukelaer to discuss his new book "Trade Winds: a voyage to a sustainable future of shipping".  We discuss how a couple of weeks of research at sea  turned into half a year due to COVID-19, How global shipping made capitalism even more extractive,  the realities of going back to sail powered shipping and  why the IMO might be more effective compared to other U.N institutions. LinksYou can pick up Christiaan's book  Trade Winds: a voyage to a sustainable future of shipping" HERE Read the International Maritime Organisations Carbon targets HERELearn more about the sail cargo organisations like Timbercoast HEREShout outsAlson Kelen and the  Waan Aelõñ in Majel (WAM) team.  Check out their great work HERE Support the show

If you're living in a house that was built in the last 20 years, chances are the bricks it's made from travelled 18,000 miles to build your front door. The question is, why? As ever, the pursuit of profit has the economy doing mad things and bad things for the climate. Turns out carbon emissions don't cross borders when you write them down.  This week we are joined by Laurie Parsons,  Senior Lecturer in Human Geography at Royal Holloway, to discuss his new book "Carbon Colonialism: How rich countries export climate breakdown".  We discuss the "Global Factory" and how rich nations export their emissions to the global South, and how the logic of colonialism has informed international development and aid programs. We also get into how, by accepting framing from elite universities on climate change, we miss different visions of value and society.Links Pick up Carbon Colonialism HEREShout outEnvironmental defenders in CambodiaSupport the show

It's time for our regular update from the climate movement in the USA. This week we are joined by fossil fuel and climate journalist Dharna Noor. Dharna has just started a new role as a climate reporter for the Guardian US, with previous work at the Boston Globe and Gizmo.  We discuss how the "biggest climate legislation" in the US  is still supporting the fossil fuel barons, how Joe Biden has backtracked on oil drilling in the Arctic Circle, recent developments in the US climate movement and the tragic murder of a climate activist at the hands of the police. LinksAlex's piece in the Bristol Cable about the sorry state of Bristol's housing stock. David Griscom's piece for GND Media on the IRAShout outsAnthropologist  Nicole Fabricant Journalist  Lucas BattAny new climate conscious councillors. We need you now more than ever. Support the show

 The IPCC report always comes as a splash for those in the climate movement, ringing the alarm bells ever more about our planet's awful condition. But who writes it? And who gets to write it? how do these influential documents and frameworks come about and how do those who write it, affect the narrative around climate breakdown?This week we are delighted to be joined by one of the leader authors for the latest IPCC report Yamina Saheb. We discussed how the IPCC reports get made and who gets to make it, the working conditions of the people writing it,  how those most affected by current climate breakdown are cut out of the decision making processes. Yamina also updates us on the protests in France and how the Gilet Jaune and the climate movement are linked together. LinksThe Energy Charter Treaty Why the The Energy Charter Treaty is a threat to climate action- article by War on WantYamina's piece on Sufficiency in Buildings and CitesShout outs Friend of the show Julia Steinberger  @JKSteinberger Support the show

What's that old line? Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different outcomes is a sign of madness. There is plenty of consensus around what we should be doing to mitigate the worst affects of climate breakdown, but if all the methods we are using the ones that got us in this predicament in the first place, chances are they're not going to work. Is the dominant climate strategy built on a series of dangerous assumptions?  This week on the show we are joined by Ben See. Ben is a  high school teacher and  climate activist based in Paris . We discuss the potential underlaying assumptions that could be scuppering radical change to save the planet.  Is an economic system built on assumed rationality putting the brakes on necessary  change?  Are hopes of technological fixes wasting time? How do we communicate our situation to the children who will grow up in ecosystem collapse?Links Andrew's  piece on climate grief IPCC AR 6th synthesis report IPBES report on global biodiversity  and eco systems. Environmental Audit committee report Shout outsThe climate justice movement Innes Fitzgerald- UK under 20s cross country runner who won't fly to take part in competitions due to its climate implications.  Read about Innes hereSupport the show

If you're someone who is engaged with climate breakdown, you may be stunned by the lack of action you're seeing on it from our politicians, institutions and media. You may even find yourself frustrated at how climate change is framed as a problem that is looming on the horizon, or just a technical equation waiting to be solved. So why is this the case? Why do so many of those in power communicate on climate so poorly?This week on the show we are joined by Dr. Genevieve Guenther. Genevieve is the founder of End Climate Silence, an organisation that is trying to tackle the sticky semantic subject of climate communication. We discuss how language itself can shape our responses to climate change, why journalists are all too happy to adopt right wing framings of the issue and how we can use art to understand our current predicament. LinksEnd Climate Silence Platforms just transition for oil and gas workers. Working Class Voices series Shout outfossil fuel non proliferation treaty https://fossilfueltreaty.org/Support the show