192. Momentum VS Perfection: The Biggest Question in Climate Right Now? (Part One)
Outrage + Optimism: The Climate Podcast
Persephonica
4.7 • 1.1K Ratings
🗓️ 16 March 2023
⏱️ 89 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Welcome to another episode of Outrage + Optimism, where we examine issues at the forefront of the climate crisis, interview change-makers, and transform our anger into productive dialogue about building a sustainable future.
This week Tom Rivett-Carnac introduces the first of his two-part series on Momentum vs Perfection by looking at the different theories of change within the climate movement and asking if and how they can co-exist to drive the level of scale and action needed in this decisive decade.
He is joined on this complex and emotive journey by guest co-host Fiona McRaith, Manager of Engagement & Delivery and Special Assistant to the President & CEO at climate philanthropy fund Bezos Earth Fund. Fiona brings a (significantly younger) Gen Z perspective to this thought-provoking discussion.
Our co-hosts speak with a series of esteemed guests on this timely and important question, including:
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Helen Pankhurst, Senior Advisor at international humanitarian agency CARE International, women’s rights activist, and the direct descendant of Emmeline Pankhurst and Sylvia Pankhurst, both leaders in the suffragette movement
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Author, educator, environmentalist, and Co-Founder of international environmental organization 350.org, Bill McKibben
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Environmental activist and Co-Founder of global environmental movement Extinction Rebellion, Gail Bradbrook
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Jerome Foster II, Co-founder of Waic Up and youngest member of the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council
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Director of mission-driven consulting firm Reos Partners, Adam Kahane
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Previous Director of Strategy for the Cabinet Office for COP 26 (the United Nations’ annual climate conference) Charles (Charlie) Ogilvie
Don’t miss Part One of this incredible and timely conversation, including insights from previous movements, generational collaboration, the value of civil disobedience, the role of data and measurement, and whether agreement between sides is necessary for advancement.
And be sure to look out for the final episode of this mini-series next week, in which our co-hosts, with the help of their guests, will hopefully draw some conclusions to help guide us in these crucial years.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hello and welcome to Outrage Optimism, I'm Tom Rific Khanak. Today we bring you a special |
| 0:17.1 | episode looking at the challenges and opportunities of different philosophies of change inside |
| 0:22.8 | the climate movement. Thanks for being here. |
| 0:39.2 | So this week we bring you the first in a special two-part series exploring some of the tensions |
| 0:43.4 | we've recently observed within the climate movement. We're now a quarter of the way through |
| 0:47.5 | this decisive decade and with progress still woefully lacking, it's no surprise we're seeing |
| 0:52.3 | a greater degree of anxiety and call for more urgent immediate action. However, some argue |
| 0:58.5 | that using disruptive tactics used by protest groups risks alienating many from the movement |
| 1:04.4 | at a time where we need everyone and that a more pragmatic approach is now what's necessary. |
| 1:10.5 | In this first episode we'll be looking at the divisions and also asking if both approaches |
| 1:15.5 | are ultimately needed and if so how they can collaborate. We'll be speaking to a number |
| 1:20.9 | of guests with deep personal and professional experience of this issue. First of all from |
| 1:26.3 | an activist and direct descendant of the founder of the suffragette. The Constitution lot felt |
| 1:31.9 | that it would delay that the antics of the suffragette's the militancy would put people |
| 1:36.7 | off and was dangerous and detrimental to the cause and the suffragette's thought this |
| 1:41.7 | solely, slowly, quietly whatever was just coutowing and part of the problem very much that |
| 1:48.3 | women themselves following those views were part of the problem. To a co-founder of Extinction |
| 1:54.0 | Rebellion. Tactics and strategy are different. You can have a strategy for an overall ecology |
| 2:00.7 | of movement and I think that's where we are now. So we need to think globally and strategically |
| 2:06.9 | for an ecology of movement and tactics can be different therein. And the chief political |
| 2:12.8 | strategist for the UK government and COP26. We need to believe that some of this corporate |
| 2:17.5 | momentum is real and we need to know how or as a climate movement we can support that |
... |
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