Extinction Rebellion Podcast

This episode Jessica Townsend and Ferghal McEntee look at some brave people putting their lives on the line to protect trees both in the UK and in the Amazon. We begin with the fierce anti-felling poem Heartwood written and read by Robert Macfarlane to honour all those doing this great work and the trees they love. The recording we use is of the well-loved author speaking in Trafalgar Square in 2018 as part of the inaugural Writers Rebel event. Then we interview Larch, or Dr Larch Maxey, a key figure in the HS2 protests who is, at the time of this podcast, literally holed up in a tunnel underneath Euston Square Gardens. He speaks to us about his love of the natural world and relationship with trees which motivate his work. To donate in support of this work: https://chuffed.org/project/stophs2ateuston Next up is Beth Pitts author of the Moon ethical Guide to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands who has been working with indigenous communities in Ecuador since 2013. She is also part of the Writers Rebel team. Here she shares interviews and recordings she has made about the guardians of the forest and the Ceibo tree. One of the interviewees describes what the guardians look like. If you wish to support the work of Jimmy who has set up an NGO to educate youth in the Ecuadorian rainforest this is the link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/siekopai-indigenous-amazonian-youth-foundation Our last interview is with Natasha Somers and Mark Shipperlee from XR Rewilding and the Save the Oaks campaign who are trying to save 750,000 oak trees which are threatened with destruction because of COVID. Marijn Van De Geer one of the podcast founders asks the questions and the interview was first broadcast on Rebel Radio. https://savetheoaks.org | Extinction Rebellion has three demands. 1) Tell the Truth – Government must tell the truth by declaring a climate and ecological emergency, working with other institutions to communicate the urgency for change. 2) Act Now – Government must act now to halt biodiversity loss and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025. 3) Beyond Politics – Government must create and be led by the decision of a Citizens’ Assembly on climate and ecological justice. | Producer and editor - Bill LeutyProducer and presenter - Jessica TownsendPresenter - Fergal McEnteeInterviewer - Marijn Van De GeerFurther editing and producing - Michaela HerrmannSocial Media - Brigitta Bence

On this fifth anniversary of the Paris agreement, three young people are launching a case against the British Government for their failure to safeguard their futures and those of their families in the global south. We talk to one of the plaintiffs, student Jerry Amokwandoh, about what has motivated him to take such a powerful step.We also talk to lawyer Tim Crosland from Plan B about the legal basis for the case and to Esther Standford-Xosei about why Stop The Maangamizi is supporting the action.Extinction Rebellion has three demands. 1) Tell the Truth – Government must tell the truth by declaring a climate and ecological emergency, working with other institutions to communicate the urgency for change. 2) Act Now – Government must act now to halt biodiversity loss and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025. 3) Decide Together – Government must create and be led by the decision of a Citizens’ Assembly on climate and ecological justice. | Presenter - Jessica Townsend; Producers - Bill Leuty and Jessica Townsend; Editor - Bill Leuty.

Where is the heart of climate denial in the UK? Who are the main individuals & organisations coming between the people and the policy progress we need to address the climate & ecological emergency?Questions like this led Writers Rebel to organize an action in a quiet, privileged street in the heart of London's parliamentary district.The Writers Rebel action in Tufton Street, No More Lies About Climate Change, has now gone down in Extinction Rebellion history. This episode chronicles that historic event. Compered by Mark Rylance and Juliet Stevensen, the line up was starry and included so many top literary and journalistic writers and thinkers that the podcast can only provide a selection. It includes speeches by Zadie Smith, George Monbiot, Jay Griffiths, Caroline Lucas, Chloe Aridjis, Toby Litt and Charlotte DuCann.It also includes the arrests of podcast presenter & Writers Rebel co-founder Jessica Townsend alongside philosopher Rupert Read for spraying ‘Lies Lies Lies’ on the white pillars of Tufton Street and pouring blood down the steps. The Tufton Street protest was organised in conjunction with Money Rebellion, which launches November 2020. Writers Rebel is organising its next event on the Remembrance of Lost Species Day. Tickets and more information about On The Brink can be found here at writersrebel.com/act.Correction: In the podcast Jessica refers to scaffolding poles. They were actually bamboo poles. | Extinction Rebellion has three demands. 1) Tell the Truth – Government must tell the truth by declaring a climate and ecological emergency, working with other institutions to communicate the urgency for change. 2) Act Now – Government must act now to halt biodiversity loss and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025. 3) Beyond Politics – Government must create and be led by the decision of a Citizens’ Assembly on climate and ecological justice. | Presenters - Jessica Townsend and James Miller;Producers - Phil Smith and Jessica Townsend;Editor - Phil Smith;Theme Music - Mark Richards at Mutiny Studios with music by Punch Deck;Additional Music - Phil Smith

Extinction Rebellion UK's Third Demand is a government commissioned, independently run Citizens' Assembly on Climate and Ecological Justice. But what does that mean? Join Marijn van de Geer as she speaks to XR UK's Citizens' Assembly Working Group (CAWG) to find out what exactly the Third Demand means, and look into some of the deeper questions rebels have been asking about citizens' assemblies.To find out more about citizens' assemblies and Extinction Rebellion's Third Demand, please visit www.xrcitizensassembly.uk or find CAWG on Twitter on @citizensXRExtinction Rebellion has three demands. 1) Tell the Truth – Government must tell the truth by declaring a climate and ecological emergency, working with other institutions to communicate the urgency for change. 2) Act Now – Government must act now to halt biodiversity loss and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025. 3) Beyond Politics – Government must create and be led by the decision of a Citizens’ Assembly on climate and ecological justice.|Producer and presenter - Marijn van de Geer; Editor - Harrison Lewis;Contributors - Alex Bradbury, Nessy Matos, Kathie Conn, Keith Garrett, John Whiten;Music - Upbeat Party by Scott Holmes (used with permission)

This episode Jessica & #MoneyRebellion’s Will talk to Kate Raworth, the most influential alternative economic thinker of the present moment. Her book Doughnut Economics has been hugely influential amongst sustainable development thinkers, progressive businesses, and political activists. She has also presented it to audiences ranging from the UN General Assembly to the Occupy movement. To view a diagram of the doughnut see: https://www.kateraworth.com/doughnut/ Kate is now moving from theory to practice with a network of Doughnut Economics Action Labs. The most famous is in Amsterdam, where the city is rethinking how it operates post-COVID-19 and taking a holistic approach to everything including housing, sustainability, the living environment, and the ethics of its supply chains.Kate Raworth teaches at Oxford University's Environmental Change Institute and in the past has worked for Oxfam. Extinction Rebellion has three demands. 1) Tell the Truth – Government must tell the truth by declaring a climate and ecological emergency, working with other institutions to communicate the urgency for change. 2) Act Now – Government must act now to halt biodiversity loss and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025. 3) Beyond Politics – Government must create and be led by the decision of a Citizens’ Assembly on climate and ecological justice. Producers – Jessica Townsend and Bill Leuty; Presenters – Will Farbrother and Jessica Townsend; Editor – Bill Leuty; Social Media Producer – Michaela Herrmann

This podcast focuses on the new book ‘Who Killed Berta Cáceres' by Nina Lakhani. The book is a compelling, thriller-like read based on the murder of the brave indigenous activist Berta Cáceres who was fighting the development of a dam using World Bank funding in her region in Honduras.Also included in this episode is an interview with James Arango, a present day environmental protector from Columbia and member of XR Bogota. In the early months of this year between January and April 100 environmental activists were killed. Extinction Rebellion has three demands. 1) Tell the Truth – Government must tell the truth by declaring a climate and ecological emergency, working with other institutions to communicate the urgency for change. 2) Act Now – Government must act now to halt biodiversity loss and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025. 3) Beyond Politics – Government must create and be led by the decision of a Citizens’ Assembly on climate and ecological justice. Producers – Jessica Townsend and Phil SmithInterviewers – Jessica Townsend and Phil SmithPresenters – Michaela Herrmann and Jessica TownsendEditor – Phil SmithSocial Media Producer – Kary Stewart

In this week’s episode Jessica interviews two inspirational women: Helen Norberg-Hodge, the founder of Local Futures; and Jyoti Fernandes, from the Land Workers Alliance and La Via Campesina. We talk about why our futures need to be local rather than global and why that truth is more evident now than ever.In particular we focus on food production and why small-scale, agro-ecological farming will help heal the planet and the biosphere, provide satisfying jobs, and make the country more resilient in times of crisis.Jessica’s co-presenter this week is Mothiur Rahman, who is part of XR’s Political and Visioning Circle as well as XR Muslims. Extinction Rebellion has three demands. 1) Tell the Truth – Government must tell the truth by declaring a climate and ecological emergency, working with other institutions to communicate the urgency for change. 2) Act Now – Government must act now to halt biodiversity loss and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025. 3) Beyond Politics – Government must create and be led by the decision of a Citizens’ Assembly on climate and ecological justice.Producers – Bill Leuty and Jessica TownsendPresenters – Jessica Townsend and Mothiur RahmanEditor – Bill LeutyAdditional Production Support – Michaela Herrmann and Alex DopieralaSocial Media Producers – Jessica Townsend and Michaela Herrmann

7-year-old Zane Gbangbola died after flood water carried the fatally toxic chemical hydrogen cyanide from a nearby landfill site into his home in Surrey. A Ministry of Defense whistleblower revealed it, but the government denies it. How can we get justice for the UK's first victim of climate change? Plus, we hear from Lola Perrin – cofounder of XR artists - on how Extinction Rebellion is supporting Zane’s parents, Kye and Nicole, in their fight for justice. To find out more and to help the campaign visit truthaboutzane.com.Extinction Rebellion has three demands. 1) Tell the Truth - Government must tell the truth by declaring a climate and ecological emergency, working with other institutions to communicate the urgency for change. 2) Act Now - Government must act now to halt biodiversity loss and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025. 3) Beyond Politics - Government must create and be led by the decision of a Citizens' Assembly on climate and ecological justice.Credits: Presenters – Sue Wheat and Danny Halpin; Producers – Sue Wheat and Danny Halpin; Social Media Producer – Michaela Herrmann; Sound Engineer & Mixing – Danny Halpin and Michaela Herrmann

Welcome to a new XR Podcast series: The Best of Rebel Radio. Here we take some of the wonderful content coming out of Rebel Radio and edit it into a podcast so you can listen again whenever you like. For our first Best of Rebel Radio Podcast, hosts Sue Wheat and Seb O'Connell speak to Ann Pettifor about the global financial system and how international and historical decision making have prioritised the rich and corporations over people and planet. As a result, climate change and ecological breakdown are intrinsically connected to our economic and financial systems. These systems need to be changed if we stand any chance of preventing climate and ecological catastrophe. Sue and Seb also speak to Hilary Powell and Dan Edelstyn about the social injustice of our monetary system and how they are trying to raise awareness and create change through their community project The Bank Job, which Ann Pettifor herself has visited. Ann Pettifor is a political economist and author whose latest book The Case for the Green New Deal, is a plan to re-imagine the economy to protect life on earth. She is currently a director of Policy Research in Macroeconomics (PRIME). Ann is also well-known for predicting the global financial crisis of 07-08 and spearheading the historic Jubilee 2000 campaign.Artist Hilary Powell and filmmaker/musician Dan Edelstyn are creators of the Optimistic Foundation. Their latest film, 'The Bank Job', is a community driven feature, participatory bank and playful act of economic education and change. Through radical imagination, they seek to open up possibilities for more just ways of organising and living when everyday life and democracy are corroded. Correction: at the end of the podcast, we refer to next episode's guest as Helena Norberg. Her name is Helena Norberg-Hodge, and we apologise for the error.Presenter – Sue Wheat and Seb O’ConnellProducers – Marijn van de Geer and Michaela HerrmannSocial Media Producer – Kary StewartSound Engineer & Mixing – Michaela Herrmann

Many people in the climate movement wonder why it’s so hard to get our message through. Could part of the problem be buried in the very language we use?In this episode we’re talking to Jeremy Lent, the author of The Patterning Instinct: A Cultural History of Humanity’s Search for Meaning. His work investigates the patterns of thought that have led our civilization to its current crisis of sustainability. In this conversation we discuss the key metaphors that govern how we think and why we need a paradigm shift.Extinction Rebellion has three demands.1) Tell the Truth – Government must tell the truth by declaring a climate and ecological emergency, working with other institutions to communicate the urgency for change.2) Act Now – Government must act now to halt biodiversity loss and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025.3) Beyond Politics – Government must create and be led by the decision of a Citizens’ Assembly on climate and ecological justice.Presenters / Producers – Jessica Townsend, Phil SmithEditor – Phil SmithSocial Media – Michaela Herrmann