Planet: Critical Folgen

Climate researcher and activist Pasha Bell was jailed for 22 months for protesting against the British government’s climate inaction. They join a growing group of concerned citizens disproportionately punished by the British state for exercising their democratic right to protest. The draconian measures introduced by the last Conservative government—which the current Labour government is making no plans to repeal—were drafted by think tanks funded by Big Oil. The laws are so unjust that the UK’s own High Court declared them illegal earlier this year.Pasha joins me to run through exactly which laws were changed and how they’ve led to the criminalisation of protest in one of the world’s richest “democracies”, and how these laws are now impacting journalists’ attempts to cover the genocide in Gaza. We go on to discuss the connections between corporations, oligarchs and nation states in liberal democracies, and the alternatives that activists and communities are organising on the ground all over the UK, including Citizens’ Assembly, Youth Demand, and Just Stop Oil. Get full access to Planet: Critical at www.planetcritical.com/subscribe

Is the law fit for purpose?This is one question Nikki Reisch, Director of the Climate and Energy Program at the Center for International Environmental Law, and I discuss on today’s episode. Nikki joins me to explain the wave of climate litigation taking place around the world, making climate a human rights issue for the first time in history. We discuss this in the context of nation states currently undermining international law on the global stage. Nikki insists that the law is a powerful tool which must be both used and protected by support from the public arena, reminding us that the basis for law is consent, and that these landmark decisions provide credence for citizens to take action on the ground against climate inaction. Planet: Critical is 100% independent and community-powered. If you value it, and have the means, become a paid subscriber today. Get full access to Planet: Critical at www.planetcritical.com/subscribe

How does trauma show up?Kosha Joubert is the CEO of the pocket project and NGO dedicated to exploring and healing collective trauma. She joined me to discuss the impacts that collective trauma has on our bodies, on our systems and how it can even explain the way we are seemingly barreling towards even further destruction rather than turning towards healing. Pocket project is launching a Climate Consciousness Summit that begins Friday the 15th and runs to next Thursday, the 21st of November, including amazing speakers like Amy Westervelt and Gabor Mate.Planet: Critical is 100% independent and community-powered. If you value it, and have the means, become a paid subscriber today! Get full access to Planet: Critical at www.planetcritical.com/subscribe