WEBVTT 00:00:06.830 --> 00:00:10.830 This is the Decarbonisation Dialogue, a podcast 00:00:10.830 --> 00:00:14.150 from Salix. Welcome to Delivering on Climate 00:00:14.150 --> 00:00:17.030 Change, our collective challenge. Welcome to 00:00:17.030 --> 00:00:19.890 the Decarbonisation Dialogue. I am Hannah Walker 00:00:19.890 --> 00:00:22.010 and I believe that the best way to communicate 00:00:22.010 --> 00:00:24.989 a message is by being passionate about what you 00:00:24.989 --> 00:00:27.789 are talking about. Through that passion, I believe 00:00:27.789 --> 00:00:30.309 that you take people with you and create action 00:00:30.309 --> 00:00:32.829 using your influence to make change and make 00:00:32.829 --> 00:00:36.009 a difference. Our task today is to get all of 00:00:36.009 --> 00:00:39.390 us to net zero. I've got two wonderful guests 00:00:39.390 --> 00:00:43.270 with me today from the UK Climate Coalition and 00:00:43.270 --> 00:00:47.750 that's Charlotte Lasvesky and Olivia Horne. They're 00:00:47.750 --> 00:00:50.990 on a mission to mobilise and empower young people 00:00:50.990 --> 00:00:54.490 to take positive action for global climate justice. 00:00:55.270 --> 00:00:58.490 UK Youth Coalition is a voluntary consensus -led 00:00:58.490 --> 00:01:01.649 non -hierarchy and non -profit organisation. 00:01:01.929 --> 00:01:04.890 The community working group's aim is to engage 00:01:04.890 --> 00:01:08.090 local communities in the action against the climate 00:01:08.090 --> 00:01:11.569 emergency. The group's project spans from the 00:01:11.569 --> 00:01:14.109 analysis of MPs voting record on climate change 00:01:14.109 --> 00:01:16.750 issues to delivering workshops to young people 00:01:16.750 --> 00:01:19.810 to educate and equip them with the skills needed 00:01:19.810 --> 00:01:23.409 to achieve climate justice. Olivia works as a 00:01:23.409 --> 00:01:25.450 communications officer at an environmental charity 00:01:25.450 --> 00:01:29.739 and her work at UK Youth Coalition is as a member 00:01:29.739 --> 00:01:32.079 of the Communications Working Group as well as 00:01:32.079 --> 00:01:35.060 the Network Liaison with the Climate Coalition. 00:01:35.799 --> 00:01:37.920 Charlotte is currently a Student Union sabbatical 00:01:37.920 --> 00:01:40.620 officer and one of the press officers at UK Youth 00:01:40.620 --> 00:01:43.780 Coalition. Charlotte has been involved with climate 00:01:43.780 --> 00:01:46.680 justice for several years, both in the UK and 00:01:46.680 --> 00:01:49.540 on an international context. I cannot wait to 00:01:49.540 --> 00:01:52.099 hear more. Thank you to both of you for joining 00:01:52.099 --> 00:01:54.379 me today. Thank you to Olivia and to Charlotte. 00:01:55.049 --> 00:01:57.909 Tell us about your work and your interest in 00:01:57.909 --> 00:02:00.909 the environment and where that stems from and 00:02:00.909 --> 00:02:04.989 how has that developed into this career. My kind 00:02:04.989 --> 00:02:09.030 of climate change, climate activist journey actually 00:02:09.030 --> 00:02:12.569 started in primary school. So I still remember 00:02:12.569 --> 00:02:15.389 we read this picture book that was all about 00:02:15.389 --> 00:02:19.569 sort of a rainforest being concreted over and 00:02:19.569 --> 00:02:22.789 turned into a car park. And I had nightmares 00:02:22.789 --> 00:02:25.789 for two weeks after that. And I think that was 00:02:25.789 --> 00:02:29.229 something that really I kind of don't want children 00:02:29.229 --> 00:02:32.210 to have that experience, both in real life, but 00:02:32.210 --> 00:02:35.569 also we weren't really given any information 00:02:35.569 --> 00:02:38.569 about what we could do or it kind of was presented 00:02:38.569 --> 00:02:41.830 as this is a crisis that's happening and it's 00:02:41.830 --> 00:02:44.349 out of our control. And so I think that's something 00:02:44.349 --> 00:02:48.280 that. I really like about UKYCC, the UK Youth 00:02:48.280 --> 00:02:50.780 Climate Coalition, is that it's about empowering 00:02:50.780 --> 00:02:54.379 young people and kind of rather than just focusing 00:02:54.379 --> 00:02:57.400 on what's going wrong, kind of focusing on what 00:02:57.400 --> 00:03:02.580 are our powers and changing things. But obviously, 00:03:03.180 --> 00:03:05.139 as a primary school student, there wasn't that 00:03:05.139 --> 00:03:09.120 much I could do individually. And so I kind of 00:03:09.580 --> 00:03:12.120 pushed down those feelings for a while until 00:03:12.120 --> 00:03:15.120 I got to university and then I joined some local 00:03:15.120 --> 00:03:18.259 climate activist groups and then only a year 00:03:18.259 --> 00:03:21.379 ago actually I joined UKYCC in the recruitment 00:03:21.379 --> 00:03:24.400 and we're recruiting some new members at the 00:03:24.400 --> 00:03:26.659 moment so that'll be really exciting to get a 00:03:26.659 --> 00:03:29.979 new lot of recruits in. That's really interesting 00:03:29.979 --> 00:03:32.240 to hear about how that vision or that image in 00:03:32.240 --> 00:03:35.650 your head then started off this kind of spiral 00:03:35.650 --> 00:03:38.469 of, it could easily start this spiral of despair, 00:03:38.750 --> 00:03:40.650 which is probably what we'll get onto later for 00:03:40.650 --> 00:03:43.289 young people because there is that very delicate 00:03:43.289 --> 00:03:46.729 balance isn't there between this anxiety and 00:03:46.729 --> 00:03:49.590 actually giving people a voice. Charlotte, how 00:03:49.590 --> 00:03:52.830 about you? How does your, how does that, does 00:03:52.830 --> 00:03:55.879 that reflect your experience? Yeah, really, really 00:03:55.879 --> 00:03:59.099 similar. But mine didn't start until high school, 00:03:59.120 --> 00:04:01.099 so I went to prime school in like the countryside. 00:04:01.340 --> 00:04:03.840 So it was very much like I was seeing nature 00:04:03.840 --> 00:04:06.539 all the time and growing up in that environment. 00:04:06.599 --> 00:04:10.000 So it was never kind of crossing any of our minds 00:04:10.000 --> 00:04:12.800 that things were worse other places because we 00:04:12.800 --> 00:04:14.819 were in this kind of echo chamber. There was 00:04:14.819 --> 00:04:18.079 22 people in my class. Like we were such a small 00:04:18.079 --> 00:04:22.040 kind of community. So it wasn't. even crossing 00:04:22.040 --> 00:04:25.620 my mind that, you know, things were bad for people 00:04:25.620 --> 00:04:28.600 across the world. And then I went to high school 00:04:28.600 --> 00:04:33.360 in more of a city setting and started noticing 00:04:33.360 --> 00:04:37.980 that, oh, nature is not being looked after and, 00:04:37.980 --> 00:04:41.120 oh, the government isn't caring as much. And 00:04:41.120 --> 00:04:44.379 then when I got to GCSEs, it was just in a science 00:04:44.379 --> 00:04:48.779 lesson and it barely scratched the surface. like 00:04:48.779 --> 00:04:51.779 it was you know melting ice caps and recycling 00:04:51.779 --> 00:04:56.279 there was no mention of justice or power or the 00:04:56.279 --> 00:04:59.860 real impacts of the world or it just felt really 00:04:59.860 --> 00:05:04.519 kind of distant and abstract and then I ended 00:05:04.519 --> 00:05:07.420 up just seeing a post that youth strike was happening 00:05:07.420 --> 00:05:13.540 in my local city and I was like yeah I feel like 00:05:13.540 --> 00:05:16.160 I need to do it and it isn't like I didn't I 00:05:16.160 --> 00:05:19.199 didn't wake up one day wanting to be an activist 00:05:19.199 --> 00:05:21.939 it kind of was I looked around and felt like 00:05:21.939 --> 00:05:25.220 I had to be and needed to be and needed to kind 00:05:25.220 --> 00:05:29.699 of make some sort of difference and make my voice 00:05:29.699 --> 00:05:32.879 heard in some sort of way. Okay because of course 00:05:32.879 --> 00:05:34.899 research does show that young groups are more 00:05:34.899 --> 00:05:37.279 concerned about climate change and Gen Z is the 00:05:37.279 --> 00:05:40.680 most eco -conscious generation according to various 00:05:40.680 --> 00:05:43.379 reports and researchers that have been carried 00:05:43.379 --> 00:05:47.769 out. So Olivia what kind of future do you imagine 00:05:47.769 --> 00:05:50.610 for generations to come? And how should climate 00:05:50.610 --> 00:05:53.550 justice be assessed because presumably it is 00:05:53.550 --> 00:05:57.310 a long -term picture, a long -term impact on 00:05:57.310 --> 00:06:01.029 people, on future generations, on the planet? 00:06:02.149 --> 00:06:05.449 What do you think the way ahead is? How can that 00:06:05.449 --> 00:06:09.490 future, what kind of future do you imagine? Yeah, 00:06:09.589 --> 00:06:12.730 I think for me the key word and the future that 00:06:12.730 --> 00:06:15.920 I imagine is connection. because I think one 00:06:15.920 --> 00:06:20.060 of the key problems today and that has led to 00:06:20.060 --> 00:06:22.699 the climate crisis that we're in is a kind of 00:06:22.699 --> 00:06:25.379 lack of connection both to the environment but 00:06:25.379 --> 00:06:28.680 I also think to each other and kind of the sense 00:06:28.680 --> 00:06:32.120 that even now sometimes when countries are trying 00:06:32.120 --> 00:06:35.339 to reduce their own CO2 emissions they're basically 00:06:35.339 --> 00:06:38.060 just outsourcing them to other countries rather 00:06:38.060 --> 00:06:39.459 than thinking if this is something that we're 00:06:39.459 --> 00:06:42.529 all in together so I think that's something that 00:06:42.529 --> 00:06:46.009 would be key for me in any imagined future. Also 00:06:46.009 --> 00:06:49.750 because I think sometimes climate interventions 00:06:49.750 --> 00:06:52.470 can be framed as kind of we're losing things 00:06:52.470 --> 00:06:55.170 that people are kind of having to make sacrifices. 00:06:55.529 --> 00:06:58.050 Whereas actually if you reframe that around connection, 00:06:58.449 --> 00:07:01.949 it becomes a much more kind of intentional fulfilling 00:07:01.949 --> 00:07:04.050 way of living that you're thinking about your 00:07:04.050 --> 00:07:06.829 connection to other people and getting something 00:07:06.829 --> 00:07:08.529 back from that rather than just giving something 00:07:08.529 --> 00:07:13.300 up. And in terms of climate justice, I think 00:07:13.300 --> 00:07:16.160 if people haven't really heard the term before, 00:07:17.000 --> 00:07:22.180 a definition would be including historically 00:07:22.180 --> 00:07:25.240 marginalised groups and everyone in this transition. 00:07:25.480 --> 00:07:28.399 So rather than just replicating the current model 00:07:28.399 --> 00:07:30.500 that we've got but with lower carbon emissions, 00:07:30.740 --> 00:07:33.540 it's kind of taking this moment as a chance to 00:07:33.540 --> 00:07:35.579 reframe how we do everything and kind of include 00:07:35.579 --> 00:07:38.420 people whose voices aren't normally heard. And 00:07:38.420 --> 00:07:42.149 I do think that sometimes includes being open 00:07:42.149 --> 00:07:45.410 to having your point of view challenged and kind 00:07:45.410 --> 00:07:48.389 of the privilege that you have. So I mean, I 00:07:48.389 --> 00:07:50.670 acknowledge I'm also maybe not always the best 00:07:50.670 --> 00:07:53.990 person to speak about this stuff. And I think 00:07:53.990 --> 00:07:56.329 that's something we're keen on in UKYC actually, 00:07:56.470 --> 00:08:01.129 sorry to keep plugging us, but when we get passes 00:08:01.129 --> 00:08:05.410 for the UN's COP and kind of other big climate 00:08:05.410 --> 00:08:07.350 events, we try and pass some of those passes 00:08:07.350 --> 00:08:09.790 on to activists in the global south who don't 00:08:09.790 --> 00:08:12.240 get. given those opportunities to speak and his 00:08:12.240 --> 00:08:15.000 voice is also need to be heard. In terms of how 00:08:15.000 --> 00:08:17.939 to assess it, it is quite difficult because some 00:08:17.939 --> 00:08:20.180 of it is imagining a completely different world 00:08:20.180 --> 00:08:22.540 from the one that we currently have. So I do 00:08:22.540 --> 00:08:25.459 think that some of it that kind of that have 00:08:25.459 --> 00:08:27.920 been institutional and systemic changes rather 00:08:27.920 --> 00:08:30.680 than just kind of carrying on with business as 00:08:30.680 --> 00:08:34.250 usual, but finding ways to reduce. CO2 emissions. 00:08:35.250 --> 00:08:37.809 Okay, so you've got this voice, and it can always 00:08:37.809 --> 00:08:42.750 be greater. I'm sure you can always have an even 00:08:42.750 --> 00:08:45.269 greater contingency of young people in that voice, 00:08:46.049 --> 00:08:48.129 but millennials are certainly the ones who are 00:08:48.129 --> 00:08:50.250 going to be seeing the impacts of all the policy, 00:08:50.289 --> 00:08:53.230 all the changes that are going on now. And a 00:08:53.230 --> 00:08:55.750 question for Charlotte, really, we've talked 00:08:55.750 --> 00:08:59.370 about that kind of balance between the anxiety, 00:08:59.490 --> 00:09:03.500 but also the action. How do you think in UK youth 00:09:03.500 --> 00:09:08.860 coalition, how do you think you can embed a positive 00:09:08.860 --> 00:09:15.899 attitude, and socially aware attitudes? How do 00:09:15.899 --> 00:09:19.620 you embed that positivity when the conversation 00:09:19.620 --> 00:09:23.179 is so difficult, isn't it? It is, it is really 00:09:23.179 --> 00:09:27.139 difficult, but I think it's by starting to treat... 00:09:27.240 --> 00:09:30.519 is by treating young people as active participants 00:09:30.519 --> 00:09:34.159 not passive receivers of things that are happening 00:09:34.159 --> 00:09:37.360 so actually you know including them in decision 00:09:37.360 --> 00:09:40.519 making visibility in the media and validation 00:09:40.519 --> 00:09:43.620 in classrooms actually teaching them about the 00:09:43.620 --> 00:09:45.919 the consequences of the climate crisis actually 00:09:45.919 --> 00:09:49.600 teaching them What is actually happening at other 00:09:49.600 --> 00:09:51.899 parts of the world and that it's not this distant 00:09:51.899 --> 00:09:55.740 abstract in the future? Thing is something that 00:09:55.740 --> 00:09:58.240 is happening now and it's affecting people in 00:09:58.240 --> 00:10:01.240 the present and we need to show that change is 00:10:01.240 --> 00:10:04.179 possible and it's happening and it's led by people 00:10:04.179 --> 00:10:08.779 it's led by people like them and Hope isn't kind 00:10:08.779 --> 00:10:12.299 of this naive thing and I think that's what people 00:10:12.299 --> 00:10:14.360 keep on thinking that it is, that hope is this 00:10:14.360 --> 00:10:17.100 abstract concept that it's out in the never, 00:10:17.480 --> 00:10:21.340 it can never be grass -backed but it can be strategic 00:10:21.340 --> 00:10:24.519 and when it's shared it can become really contagious 00:10:24.519 --> 00:10:27.659 as well. So actually treating those young people 00:10:27.659 --> 00:10:30.019 as active participants and giving them that hope 00:10:30.019 --> 00:10:33.299 and those tools can be a really really powerful 00:10:33.299 --> 00:10:35.860 thing and that's kind of how you embed that positive 00:10:36.389 --> 00:10:39.490 attitude and keep people going and about having 00:10:39.490 --> 00:10:41.830 that connection as Olivia was saying and that 00:10:41.830 --> 00:10:44.830 community as well. Okay I'm lucky enough to go 00:10:44.830 --> 00:10:48.169 to quite a few schools. We work on decarbonisation 00:10:48.169 --> 00:10:50.309 projects so that's getting rid of those old fossil 00:10:50.309 --> 00:10:52.889 fuel boilers and looking at a range of energy 00:10:52.889 --> 00:10:55.649 efficiency measures to help protect our planet 00:10:55.649 --> 00:10:57.950 and also future -proof some of these buildings 00:10:57.950 --> 00:11:01.240 way into the future for these schools. I get 00:11:01.240 --> 00:11:04.320 to meet a lot of young people from primary school 00:11:04.320 --> 00:11:07.100 all the way to secondary. I was in a big secondary 00:11:07.100 --> 00:11:10.519 school actually last week. And you look at the 00:11:10.519 --> 00:11:12.299 walls and they've got pictures about the, you 00:11:12.299 --> 00:11:13.860 know, pictures of the earth, pictures of the 00:11:13.860 --> 00:11:17.480 planet. It's very important to them. It is part 00:11:17.480 --> 00:11:19.820 of that discussion. They've often got eco committees. 00:11:20.299 --> 00:11:23.389 They're rarely engaged in that discussion. Do 00:11:23.389 --> 00:11:27.730 you think as we move on to secondary school and 00:11:27.730 --> 00:11:30.710 there's a whole wealth of subjects for students, 00:11:30.830 --> 00:11:33.350 I mean, they take huge numbers of GCSEs, etc. 00:11:33.590 --> 00:11:38.049 Do you think that the climate change should be 00:11:38.049 --> 00:11:43.950 embedded into the curriculum? Olivia? Yes, I 00:11:43.950 --> 00:11:45.909 think it definitely should. I mean, Charlotte 00:11:45.909 --> 00:11:48.669 was talking about her experience of climate change 00:11:48.669 --> 00:11:51.529 really coming up in a science lesson and it was 00:11:51.529 --> 00:11:55.519 simple for me. I'm 26 so I was at school a little 00:11:55.519 --> 00:11:59.120 while ago and it was very much focused on kind 00:11:59.120 --> 00:12:01.259 of if we were told about actions it was oh don't 00:12:01.259 --> 00:12:02.820 forget to turn off the lights when you leave 00:12:02.820 --> 00:12:06.600 the classroom or recycle and obviously those 00:12:06.600 --> 00:12:08.860 are important things and they're things that 00:12:08.860 --> 00:12:11.220 school children have agency over and I think 00:12:11.220 --> 00:12:13.259 that's partly why schools used to emphasize that 00:12:13.259 --> 00:12:18.500 so much but I also think they've done lots of 00:12:18.500 --> 00:12:21.190 studies that have shown that part of the reason 00:12:21.190 --> 00:12:23.529 Gen Z are so engaged is because they have this 00:12:23.529 --> 00:12:26.490 really high level of climate anxiety. And I think 00:12:26.490 --> 00:12:29.350 that partly comes from climate change being framed 00:12:29.350 --> 00:12:32.769 as a kind of global scientific issue, but that 00:12:32.769 --> 00:12:35.149 does impact them somehow, but sort of that link 00:12:35.149 --> 00:12:38.710 isn't quite clear. And I think covering climate 00:12:38.710 --> 00:12:41.129 change in all sorts of different subjects would 00:12:41.129 --> 00:12:43.620 really help with that. I think if it was covered 00:12:43.620 --> 00:12:46.080 in more kind of arts and humanities subjects 00:12:46.080 --> 00:12:49.340 that gives people a chance to engage creatively 00:12:49.340 --> 00:12:52.720 with the problem. So both in terms of like expressing 00:12:52.720 --> 00:12:54.960 their climate anxiety in a way that might help 00:12:54.960 --> 00:12:57.980 them work through it in an art lesson or also 00:12:57.980 --> 00:13:01.580 kind of maybe writing a short story imagining 00:13:01.580 --> 00:13:03.759 what a potential future could be and that could 00:13:03.759 --> 00:13:06.659 help come up with some new solutions rather than 00:13:06.659 --> 00:13:08.320 just ones that I've been come up with before. 00:13:08.539 --> 00:13:10.899 So I really think it is important. I think there 00:13:10.899 --> 00:13:13.029 have been a lot of there's been a lot of progress 00:13:13.029 --> 00:13:15.470 since I was at school but I do think there's 00:13:15.470 --> 00:13:18.289 still some way to go and that it's not just a 00:13:18.289 --> 00:13:20.330 kind of scientific issue that needs to be in 00:13:20.330 --> 00:13:22.169 science classes because that's not how people 00:13:22.169 --> 00:13:25.490 experience and so it doesn't feel true to young 00:13:25.490 --> 00:13:27.909 people. We're experiencing climate change every 00:13:27.909 --> 00:13:34.110 day to some extent so I get that point. Now going 00:13:34.110 --> 00:13:37.049 back to being at the table and using your voices, 00:13:37.549 --> 00:13:40.210 I talk here to a lot of scientists, a lot of 00:13:40.210 --> 00:13:42.740 engineers, about what's happening to our planet, 00:13:42.980 --> 00:13:45.980 the warming, how it looks. And your organization 00:13:45.980 --> 00:13:49.659 talks about radically transforming systems of 00:13:49.659 --> 00:13:53.120 power. What does that mean for you? What does 00:13:53.120 --> 00:13:56.139 that look like, that radically transforming? 00:13:56.480 --> 00:13:58.179 I've been on your website, I've looked at that. 00:13:58.620 --> 00:14:05.440 How do you see that? I think it means not just 00:14:05.440 --> 00:14:08.220 asking for a seat at the table, it's like redesigning 00:14:08.220 --> 00:14:12.600 the table. fundamentally and redesigning how 00:14:12.600 --> 00:14:15.100 it looks like and how young people are involved 00:14:15.100 --> 00:14:17.480 because right now decisions are made by people 00:14:17.480 --> 00:14:21.100 who often won't face the consequences or won't 00:14:21.100 --> 00:14:24.419 face them as much as young people or marginalised 00:14:24.419 --> 00:14:26.960 people now and that's why I think it's really 00:14:26.960 --> 00:14:29.379 really important that we are youth led and we 00:14:29.379 --> 00:14:32.039 don't want to be consultative we want we want 00:14:32.039 --> 00:14:35.480 to lead. the fight we want to lead those attitudes, 00:14:35.700 --> 00:14:39.179 those policy decision makers. We want to influence 00:14:39.179 --> 00:14:42.159 those decision makers and influence those policy. 00:14:42.679 --> 00:14:46.320 And we believe in shifting the power to the margins, 00:14:46.559 --> 00:14:49.120 so the people, the communities and the nations 00:14:49.120 --> 00:14:51.820 most affected by the climate crisis, as Olivia 00:14:51.820 --> 00:14:54.399 was saying, when we have those passes that we 00:14:54.399 --> 00:14:57.580 can give to those people that we do. We don't 00:14:57.580 --> 00:15:00.039 just want to be heard. We want to be in charge 00:15:00.039 --> 00:15:03.419 of building what comes next and being part of 00:15:03.419 --> 00:15:06.179 those conversations, not in a tokenistic way, 00:15:06.440 --> 00:15:08.500 but in a really meaningful and impactful way 00:15:08.500 --> 00:15:14.740 as well. Okay, so there are challenges when you 00:15:14.740 --> 00:15:17.200 talk about your membership in engaging the youth, 00:15:17.259 --> 00:15:22.980 aren't there? The statistics show that The younger 00:15:22.980 --> 00:15:25.320 generation have a shorter attention span and 00:15:25.320 --> 00:15:28.179 that's maybe to do with social media and the 00:15:28.179 --> 00:15:30.399 flicking through, I think it's eight seconds 00:15:30.399 --> 00:15:32.460 flicking, flicking. There's an eight second rule 00:15:32.460 --> 00:15:34.820 of people flick, drunk people flick through from 00:15:34.820 --> 00:15:37.600 screen to screen, which means you've got to really 00:15:37.600 --> 00:15:41.240 engage your audience. There's the influencing 00:15:41.240 --> 00:15:43.259 part, but you also have an audience, which is 00:15:43.259 --> 00:15:46.059 those billions of young people across the world. 00:15:46.200 --> 00:15:48.299 I mean, in New York, UK, but we want to kind 00:15:48.299 --> 00:15:51.149 of, we need to work together. Climate. crisis 00:15:51.149 --> 00:15:54.809 isn't just here, it's a global issue. So what 00:15:54.809 --> 00:15:58.129 are the challenges in engaging the younger generation 00:15:58.129 --> 00:16:03.269 in your messaging? Yeah, I think that's a really 00:16:03.269 --> 00:16:05.350 important question. That's something we've been 00:16:05.350 --> 00:16:08.190 thinking about quite a lot, at least in the communications 00:16:08.190 --> 00:16:12.029 working group, which I'm part of. I think there's 00:16:12.029 --> 00:16:14.990 an assumption, I've heard this from so many older 00:16:14.990 --> 00:16:18.100 people, that our generation will save save the 00:16:18.100 --> 00:16:21.440 world and save us. But I think that's putting 00:16:21.440 --> 00:16:23.399 a lot of responsibility on young people, but 00:16:23.399 --> 00:16:25.860 also assuming that we're a monolith and it's 00:16:25.860 --> 00:16:28.299 not, although there are higher levels of engagement 00:16:28.299 --> 00:16:32.259 and kind of climate activism in the younger generation, 00:16:32.299 --> 00:16:34.379 that doesn't mean that that's uniform across 00:16:34.379 --> 00:16:39.299 everyone. And I think some of that is that sometimes 00:16:39.299 --> 00:16:42.460 climate activism, well, it's definitely true 00:16:42.460 --> 00:16:46.100 and it's being criticized rightly. that climate 00:16:46.100 --> 00:16:48.860 activism has kind of become a bit of a niche 00:16:48.860 --> 00:16:51.700 kind of elite activity. And I think a lot of 00:16:51.700 --> 00:16:54.879 that's put people off and also kind of means 00:16:54.879 --> 00:16:56.940 that the way that climate activism has been designed 00:16:56.940 --> 00:17:00.679 doesn't always include people. So a lot of it's 00:17:00.679 --> 00:17:04.859 kind of big protest movements that if you're 00:17:04.859 --> 00:17:08.259 busy or you don't feel safe going to that, that's 00:17:08.259 --> 00:17:10.359 not a way you can engage. So you're trying to 00:17:10.359 --> 00:17:13.539 think of how to engage people and kind of meet 00:17:13.539 --> 00:17:15.940 them where they already are. So we're currently 00:17:15.940 --> 00:17:18.680 designing a campaign which is thinking about 00:17:18.680 --> 00:17:21.700 what are young people already interested in and 00:17:21.700 --> 00:17:25.259 how can we kind of show that that is an activity 00:17:25.259 --> 00:17:28.099 that can be kind of slightly shifted to become 00:17:28.099 --> 00:17:31.339 climate activism. So for example, one of the 00:17:31.339 --> 00:17:33.380 things that I'm particularly interested in is 00:17:33.380 --> 00:17:36.539 there are so many sports fans around the world 00:17:36.539 --> 00:17:40.880 and there are some kind of sometimes negative 00:17:40.880 --> 00:17:44.559 behaviors associated with fans of sports, particularly 00:17:44.559 --> 00:17:49.500 football, in the past anyway, and kind of showing 00:17:49.500 --> 00:17:51.799 them that that collective power that they have 00:17:51.799 --> 00:17:54.980 as a member of this sports club, that gives them 00:17:54.980 --> 00:17:58.880 this power to reframe things. So for example, 00:17:59.180 --> 00:18:01.680 telling the sports club they're a fan of to improve 00:18:01.680 --> 00:18:04.039 their sustainability policy, or to use their 00:18:04.039 --> 00:18:06.779 soft power to kind of influence things. Because 00:18:06.779 --> 00:18:09.299 I know there are football teams that have become 00:18:09.299 --> 00:18:14.730 fully green clubs. went off on a little bit of 00:18:14.730 --> 00:18:17.950 a tangent, but that's kind of, I think the challenges 00:18:17.950 --> 00:18:21.750 are also places where there's a kind of opportunity 00:18:21.750 --> 00:18:25.529 and trying to reframe what climate activism is 00:18:25.529 --> 00:18:28.690 or what caring about the environment means so 00:18:28.690 --> 00:18:30.619 that people... don't necessarily have to make 00:18:30.619 --> 00:18:33.380 a dramatic change to their lifestyle. They can 00:18:33.380 --> 00:18:35.339 kind of use things that they're already engaged 00:18:35.339 --> 00:18:38.240 in, but just kind of shift the focus to be more 00:18:38.240 --> 00:18:39.900 on the climate. And of course, there is that 00:18:39.900 --> 00:18:42.140 health focus as well, linking climate change 00:18:42.140 --> 00:18:44.259 to what is better for your health, you know, 00:18:44.400 --> 00:18:47.279 encouraging healthier lifestyles. Eating less 00:18:47.279 --> 00:18:51.160 meat has got to be a healthier way to live. So 00:18:51.160 --> 00:18:53.519 it's kind of bringing that together, isn't it? 00:18:53.880 --> 00:18:56.819 That kind of clean image and also improve mental 00:18:56.819 --> 00:19:00.500 health as well. and bringing all that part of 00:19:00.500 --> 00:19:03.660 the into the discussion. And of course, the linking 00:19:03.660 --> 00:19:06.759 of issues like social, economic, environmental 00:19:06.759 --> 00:19:10.000 issues, they're all interconnected. So it's linking 00:19:10.000 --> 00:19:14.359 that climate change to that social justice. And 00:19:14.359 --> 00:19:19.559 I don't suppose you can do that enough. But in 00:19:19.559 --> 00:19:22.920 terms of practical aspects, If people are going 00:19:22.920 --> 00:19:25.720 to say, yes, we can influence, we can lobby, 00:19:26.000 --> 00:19:28.000 we want a voice, we want a seat at the table, 00:19:28.259 --> 00:19:30.779 we don't want to just be, this isn't just tokenism. 00:19:30.920 --> 00:19:34.519 And I know that's a big issue and young people, 00:19:35.079 --> 00:19:38.140 the fear of being disenfranchised. But what can 00:19:38.140 --> 00:19:41.200 people, what do you think Charlotte, people can... 00:19:41.109 --> 00:19:44.069 practically do if you're one of those billions 00:19:44.069 --> 00:19:46.089 of young people. And there are many, I think 00:19:46.089 --> 00:19:48.829 I've looked at statistics today, the world is 00:19:48.829 --> 00:19:51.650 home to about 1 .8 billion young people aged 00:19:51.650 --> 00:19:54.990 between 10 and 24. That's huge. So when you think 00:19:54.990 --> 00:19:57.549 of those numbers, and of course, there are other 00:19:57.549 --> 00:19:59.829 or there are many issues around that globally 00:19:59.829 --> 00:20:04.609 in terms of their situations and economic abilities, 00:20:04.609 --> 00:20:07.589 etc. But what do you think in the UK, because 00:20:07.589 --> 00:20:10.849 we're talking to you about UK climate? action. 00:20:11.369 --> 00:20:13.609 So what is the practical things that people can 00:20:13.609 --> 00:20:16.049 do, young people can do Charlotte, to make a 00:20:16.049 --> 00:20:19.869 difference? I think especially it's easy to think 00:20:19.869 --> 00:20:21.970 like this is too big for me, this is too much 00:20:21.970 --> 00:20:24.930 for me, this is too much for me to even think 00:20:24.930 --> 00:20:28.150 about. And I think that it's really, really easy 00:20:28.150 --> 00:20:30.269 to kind of get yourself in that mindset that 00:20:30.269 --> 00:20:33.369 you can't do anything. But it's all about kind 00:20:33.369 --> 00:20:36.990 of those little changes that you can make to 00:20:36.990 --> 00:20:41.650 make yourself kind of Do better for not only 00:20:41.650 --> 00:20:43.930 yourself, but for the environment You can you 00:20:43.930 --> 00:20:47.390 know go vegan for a day or go vegan if you can't 00:20:47.390 --> 00:20:49.369 give up cheese But you can go vegan everything 00:20:49.369 --> 00:20:52.390 else don't give up that cheese become vegan everywhere 00:20:52.390 --> 00:20:54.769 else That's what really frustrates me when people 00:20:54.769 --> 00:20:56.609 like oh, I could go vegetarian, but I couldn't 00:20:56.609 --> 00:20:59.759 give up this progress one product go vegetarian 00:20:59.759 --> 00:21:01.579 don't give up that product that's absolutely 00:21:01.579 --> 00:21:04.819 fine to do if you can find your ways in contributing 00:21:04.819 --> 00:21:08.059 in a meaningful way that's absolutely fine if 00:21:08.059 --> 00:21:11.460 signing a petition is the way that you can contribute 00:21:11.460 --> 00:21:14.500 that's absolutely amazing if you can contribute 00:21:14.500 --> 00:21:18.660 a post educate somebody within your life that's 00:21:18.660 --> 00:21:22.420 amazing that's incredible that's one step more 00:21:22.420 --> 00:21:25.279 than what you were doing yesterday but i think 00:21:25.279 --> 00:21:30.490 it's really important to also be conscious that 00:21:30.490 --> 00:21:34.190 it's the top 1 % that admits more than the bottom 00:21:34.190 --> 00:21:38.289 66%. So while individual choices really do matter, 00:21:38.509 --> 00:21:41.049 it's the system change that will shift the dial. 00:21:41.630 --> 00:21:44.450 So making these individual changes are great 00:21:44.450 --> 00:21:48.089 and will show to other people and to businesses 00:21:48.089 --> 00:21:51.009 and corporations and governments that you want 00:21:51.009 --> 00:21:54.049 to live a more eco and sustainable lifestyle. 00:21:54.589 --> 00:21:57.890 and that is proven to them that there was a shift 00:21:57.890 --> 00:22:01.910 within their community but it's actually like 00:22:01.910 --> 00:22:04.470 lobbying them and forcing them to make the changes 00:22:04.470 --> 00:22:06.630 that will have that effect on everyone else. 00:22:06.630 --> 00:22:08.950 So it is always seeing that bigger picture and 00:22:08.950 --> 00:22:11.730 staying engaged and aware of what's happening 00:22:11.730 --> 00:22:15.609 and of course watching the progress you're making 00:22:15.609 --> 00:22:19.230 but not just watching but being part of it. Personally, 00:22:19.769 --> 00:22:22.410 okay, I have to ask this question. So we're talking 00:22:22.410 --> 00:22:24.470 about climate change, talking about sustainability, 00:22:24.789 --> 00:22:27.549 talking about healthier lifestyles. How has that 00:22:27.549 --> 00:22:30.269 affected your lifestyle? I mean, do you both 00:22:30.269 --> 00:22:32.750 count your carbon footprint every day, for example? 00:22:33.710 --> 00:22:39.789 How do you figure that in? I don't count my carbon 00:22:39.789 --> 00:22:42.890 footprint. I think I did. I think at secondary 00:22:42.890 --> 00:22:46.009 school we had to calculate it, but that was at 00:22:46.009 --> 00:22:48.390 least 10 years ago, so it's probably quite a 00:22:48.390 --> 00:22:52.220 lot bigger now. Yeah, I think. I've made some 00:22:52.220 --> 00:22:54.500 of the changes that Charlotte was talking about, 00:22:54.519 --> 00:22:57.619 so I haven't eaten meat for the last sort of 00:22:57.619 --> 00:23:00.500 five or six years and having watched the near 00:23:00.500 --> 00:23:03.559 David Attenborough documentary Ocean now thinking 00:23:03.559 --> 00:23:08.119 about cutting down on fish or making a really 00:23:08.119 --> 00:23:10.940 conscious effort to look for sustainably sourced 00:23:10.940 --> 00:23:13.460 fish. Although it does make you realise how difficult 00:23:13.460 --> 00:23:16.400 that is, especially if you're shopping in a supermarket, 00:23:16.539 --> 00:23:20.009 just things aren't labelled very clearly. as 00:23:20.009 --> 00:23:21.789 much as consumers can try and make a difference. 00:23:21.970 --> 00:23:24.450 If the infrastructure isn't set up for that, 00:23:24.490 --> 00:23:27.410 then it is really difficult. And then lucky to 00:23:27.410 --> 00:23:30.230 live in a city with really good public transport 00:23:30.230 --> 00:23:32.990 and it's very walkable. So that's usually how 00:23:32.990 --> 00:23:36.230 I get about. I don't have a car. And then I'm 00:23:36.230 --> 00:23:38.690 also quite lucky that most of my family live 00:23:38.690 --> 00:23:42.029 within the UK so I can also get the train to 00:23:42.029 --> 00:23:45.369 see them. OK, so you're not up in the sky. You 00:23:45.369 --> 00:23:48.829 don't have to use that for transport. I try not 00:23:48.829 --> 00:23:51.470 to fly. Also partly, I just really hate flying. 00:23:54.049 --> 00:23:56.190 Charlotte, is there anything that you can tell 00:23:56.190 --> 00:23:58.750 us that you're doing that might inspire others 00:23:58.750 --> 00:24:03.049 to follow? Same as Olivia, I try to make those 00:24:03.049 --> 00:24:06.579 sustainable choices and vegetarian limit. flying 00:24:06.579 --> 00:24:09.059 as much as I can if I'm going to a different 00:24:09.059 --> 00:24:11.740 country I try and take you know boats and trains, 00:24:12.240 --> 00:24:14.559 a shop second hand as much as my bank account 00:24:14.559 --> 00:24:17.359 doesn't like that, charity shops and and places 00:24:17.359 --> 00:24:20.400 like vintage are like my favorite places to go 00:24:20.400 --> 00:24:23.259 but I'm not kind of like obsessed with like that 00:24:23.259 --> 00:24:27.220 personal. perfection piece of it all. It is just 00:24:27.220 --> 00:24:29.700 trying to make sure that you are a little better 00:24:29.700 --> 00:24:32.140 every single day and it's about making a little 00:24:32.140 --> 00:24:35.500 difference every single day. So even if it is 00:24:35.500 --> 00:24:38.890 you don't have that one meal. that has a load 00:24:38.890 --> 00:24:42.589 of meat in it that one day. I think that's good 00:24:42.589 --> 00:24:45.430 enough for that person. And that's the key, isn't 00:24:45.430 --> 00:24:47.890 it? It's making all of those little differences 00:24:47.890 --> 00:24:51.309 but not taking your eye off the big picture and 00:24:51.309 --> 00:24:55.109 having that big influence and that voice. So 00:24:55.109 --> 00:24:57.109 thank you very much to Olivia and to Charlotte 00:24:57.109 --> 00:24:59.730 today. Thank you very much for providing such 00:24:59.730 --> 00:25:03.579 valuable insight into this. important issue that 00:25:03.579 --> 00:25:05.640 we're talking about. There can be no doubt that 00:25:05.640 --> 00:25:07.599 climate change is the biggest challenge of our 00:25:07.599 --> 00:25:10.519 time. Today we must reduce greenhouse gas emissions 00:25:10.519 --> 00:25:13.700 to slow global warming. Today we must act for 00:25:13.700 --> 00:25:15.960 tomorrow, adjusting our lifestyles to current 00:25:15.960 --> 00:25:18.519 and future impacts of climate change. Today we 00:25:18.519 --> 00:25:21.000 must use our collective wisdom to deliver on 00:25:21.000 --> 00:25:24.220 our climate commitments. Today we work for tomorrow's 00:25:24.220 --> 00:25:26.960 world. Don't forget to subscribe to our podcast 00:25:26.960 --> 00:25:30.480 channels and please do email us at podcast .salixfinance 00:25:30.480 --> 00:25:33.559 .co .uk. We'd love to know what you think and 00:25:33.559 --> 00:25:36.740 we're always open to new ideas and new suggestions 00:25:36.740 --> 00:25:40.279 for our podcasts. But thank you very much to 00:25:40.279 --> 00:25:43.140 both Charlotte and Olivia. Really appreciate 00:25:43.140 --> 00:25:45.500 your time today to come along and talk about 00:25:45.500 --> 00:25:48.359 your work and talk about and also to give us 00:25:48.359 --> 00:25:50.819 a sense of that huge passion that you have and 00:25:50.819 --> 00:25:52.880 obviously to explain everything about UK Youth 00:25:52.880 --> 00:25:55.880 Coalition, which is something we're going to 00:25:55.880 --> 00:25:58.180 certainly be watching out for in the future. 00:25:58.440 --> 00:26:01.559 So thank you very much to both of you. Thank 00:26:01.559 --> 00:26:10.559 you so much. For more information about our work 00:26:10.559 --> 00:26:14.480 and to find more content, please visit salixfinance 00:26:14.480 --> 00:26:17.579 .co .uk forward slash podcasts.