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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/live/2019/mar/15/webchat-share-questions-for-george-monbiot-and-climate-strike-activists
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| George Monbiot and young climate activists answer your questions – live | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| severnsider61 asks: | |
| Isn’t the fight for social justice and greater economic equality a necessary part of environmental activism? Populist movements are reflecting valid grievances, and unless those grievances, particularly around economic inequality, are addressed, it will be much harder to obtain consensus for urgent action against climate change and environmental pollution. | |
| Isn't the fight for social justice and greater economic equality a necessary part of environmental activism? | |
| It is. Not least because, as Prof Kevin Mackay contends, oligarchy has been a more fundamental cause of the collapse of civilisations than social complexity or energy demand. Oligarchic control thwarts rational decision-making, as the short-term interests of the elite are radically different to the long-term interests of society. | |
| At present, oligarchic control is strongly reasserting itself, to a large extent through the purchase of politics by exceedingly rich people and corporations (think of ExxonMobil, BP, the Koch brothers, the media barons). Their interests are radically different to the broader public interest. We cannot prevent climate and ecological breakdown until we put them back in their boxes and ensure that democracy triumphs over plutocracy. | |
| Jenny, 57, from Devon, asks: | |
| I’m so proud of young strikers and am with them all the way. I try to live a low impact life and I write to my MP, but I want to do more. What do you think people of my generation can do to help you? | |
| Hi Jenny, Jake here from UKSCN. Thank you for your kind words, and great to hear you try and live as low impact as possible. It’s really important for the older generations to support young people by amplifying their voices, giving them platforms to speak, and helping to make sure their voice is heard. | |
| As well as taking part in the comments George and our young activists have been sent some questions in advance from readers of a callout launched earlier in the week. | |
| Here’s the first of those from Franklin, in Aberdeen: | |
| Hi George. I’ve been hearing for a while about the Friday strikes – and Greta Thunberg, from Sweden – but wondered when was the first time you heard of the school strikes, and what you thought of them when you did? Thank you! | |
| The moment I heard about Greta’s strike, I felt inspired. But I had no idea it would snowball as it did. I spoke at the youth strike in my home city a month ago at their request, and stayed for the other talks and to watch the march. I don’t remember ever being so moved by a public event. | |
| The young people were amazing: articulate, clear-headed, passionate, determined. They came out in huge numbers, with beautifully-made banners and posters. Their testimony shook me profoundly. For 30 years I’ve been talking and writing about how my generation and those preceding it have been compromising the life chances of those yet to come. And here they were, the people I was thinking about before they were born, explaining just what they face as a result of our failures. I have to admit I cried. And so did most of the adults who witnessed it. | |
| George Monbiot is in the building and ready to answer your questions, along with Jake and colleagues from the UK Student Climate Network – keep them coming in the comments below! | |
| As part of our coverage of the global youth strikes around the world we are inviting readers to submit questions about the movement, and climate change issues more generally, for a live discussion taking place here on Friday. | As part of our coverage of the global youth strikes around the world we are inviting readers to submit questions about the movement, and climate change issues more generally, for a live discussion taking place here on Friday. |
| Young climate activists around the world: why I’m striking today | Brianna Fruean and others | Young climate activists around the world: why I’m striking today | Brianna Fruean and others |
| Young campaigners as well as Guardian columnist and environmental campaigner George Monbiot will be online from around 10.30am (GMT). The young activists will be posting their answers using their Student Climate Network account. | Young campaigners as well as Guardian columnist and environmental campaigner George Monbiot will be online from around 10.30am (GMT). The young activists will be posting their answers using their Student Climate Network account. |
| George has written about how the campaign requires the support of all generations to succeed, but how does that work in practice? What does success mean and how can it be achieved? How can older generations best support younger members of society in their action? What moved people to take action, and what exactly does that look like? | George has written about how the campaign requires the support of all generations to succeed, but how does that work in practice? What does success mean and how can it be achieved? How can older generations best support younger members of society in their action? What moved people to take action, and what exactly does that look like? |
| If you have questions for the campaigners or for George Monbiot about this growing movement or about how to become involved more generally in climate activism share them in the comments below – we’ll feature some of the best, along with the answers, above the line here. | If you have questions for the campaigners or for George Monbiot about this growing movement or about how to become involved more generally in climate activism share them in the comments below – we’ll feature some of the best, along with the answers, above the line here. |