AFON
Lessons from the youth climate movement – by Cat Hudson
Welcome to our series of blog posts in the run up to the general election (7th May 2015). Over this month AFON members will share their own Visions for Nature: what they want the natural world to look like by 2050 and how they want to get there. We have created a hashtag on Twitter so why not join the conversation? What’s your #VisionforNature?
I don’t know much about wildlife, the politics of it, or the challenges which big NGOs are facing to ensure wildlife is protected. My personal struggles have been with climate change and with liberation campaigns, ensuring we aren’t recreating the systems which have caused these issues in the first place.
I’m quite a standard young person. I don’t attend a Russel Group University, I grew up in a relatively working class town and the majority of my friends aren’t involved in social action. This is important because I don’t need to know the in-depth politics in order to know that we need nature.
Respecting nature is like respecting each other, it’s about recognising someone or something’s moral worth, and because of this, I think we need to explore the journey to get to that point for everyone. Subsequently, I’m going to explore two things: first my vision for nature and second the journey I think we need to go on to get there.
- My vision for nature
Coming from the climate movement, my vision for nature really aims to ensure we are living in a low carbon environment, integrated into industry and our cultural values. Climate change is one of the greatest threats to nature, and so protecting nature can’t be done without dealing with climate change.
I dream of a world where technology and industry are intertwined with sustainable energy, open green spaces and sustainable travel. I think current models are disjointed and organisations are designed to immediately appease employees, without thinking of the effect this could have in the future. I want to see buildings based upon efficiency and with renewable energy incorporated; I want to see big open spaces, buildings and bridges designed to encourage wildlife growth.
- The journey towards this
I’ve been part of the youth climate movement for a number of years and I’ve learned a very important lesson. NGOs really need to stop recreating the systems we are trying to knock down.
I think the amount of good we have achieved has been limited by having mostly white, male leaders in NGOs, and we need to be aware of this.
Intersectionality is the belief that no one is free until we are all free and, subsequently, all oppressions are interlinked. Tackling climate change without tackling the decline of nature without tackling sexism without tackling racism, and myriad other oppressions, is pointless.
We need to be aware of this when creating our vision and ensuring that our movements focus on liberation for all. I believe that the wildlife movement needs to mobilise young people to bring wildlife to the forefront of the agenda, and also recognise systemic oppressions that persist within the community.
The journey towards liberation is tough and requires checking our privilege and making sure we are tackling oppressive systems to liberate not only us, but our environment. I think this requires working in teams and putting time aside to recognise other struggles, rather than just those in the wildlife or climate change sphere. Respect is based upon recognising moral worth. Hopefully by recognising each other’s worth, we’ll recognise that of nature as well.