Go Simone
Exploring sustainable change and the women inspiring it. Women make up more than half the world’s population, and although they are often disproportionately impacted by climate change, their voices are not always heard due to lack of inclusion and representation at the decision-making level. Go Simone gives them a voice. Each episode, we meet with an academic, activist, artist, entrepreneur, politician, researcher or student who shares her story, roots, passions, and hopes for the future. She tells us more about the alternatives and strategies she has developed to tackle climate change. www.gosimone.org gosimonepodcast@gmail.com
Mon, March 08, 2021
Juliette Deseilligny on movement and sustainability, minimalism vs maximalism, and caring art
Juliette Deseilligny is based in Paris. She is an ecosophist, an artist, a writer, a zero-waster, a rewilding advocate. With Juliette, we talked about being homeschooled and the opportunities it offered, art as a way to respond to big questions, upcycling, movement, sedentary living and its implications on sustainability, low tech lifestyle, the necessity of anger to take action, and the importance of dialogue and having conversations in a caring environment.
Wed, December 16, 2020
Lis Dingjan on systems thinking as a response to the climate crisis
Lis Dingjan has a background in design, international development and law, and community building. She splits her time between several organisations she founded - the experience design studio Identity Division, a community centre in Cambodia, a social enterprise Nowhere and Everywhere where she advocates for climate change, biodiversity, systemic issues, waste and climate justice, and Skwoodle, a children environmental and social teaching platform. With Lis, we talked about nurturing creativity, the shift to new business models, ecogrief, friendships in times of climate crisis, the population debate, space mining, and the greenwashing of Amazon. Full transcript and references mentioned in this episode: http://www.gosimone.org/episode-23-lis-dingjan-systems-thinking-response-to-the-climate-crisis
Thu, November 19, 2020
Sarah Hanson-Young on addressing climate change in the Australian political bubble
Sarah Hanson-Young has been senator for South Australia since 2008, representing the Australian Greens. With Sarah, we talked about human rights activism, feminism, what a Green New Deal should look like, systemic greed in today's world, and being real. The transcript and references mentioned in this episode can be found on Go Simone's website: www.gosimone.org/episode-22-sarah-hanson-young-addressing-climate-change-australian-political-bubble
Thu, November 05, 2020
Corinna Dengler on feminist degrowth and a care-full radical transformation
Corinna Dengler studied Economics, Development Studies, and Socio-ecological Economics and Policy in Vienna, Moscow and Quito. Her research focuses on making degrowth more feminist and on how care can be organized in a degrowth society. With Corinna, we talked about why degrowth is ecologically necessary, the need for a gender-equitable society transformation, degrowth and the Global South and the need to find out what a good life is. All the references mentioned in this episode can be found on Go Simone's website: http://gosimone.org/episode-21-corinna-dengler-feminist-degrowth-care-full-radical-transformation/
Wed, October 21, 2020
Heather Alexander on forest ecology and the danger of simple solutions to complex climate issues
Heather Alexander is an assistant professor in forest ecology in Auburn University, United States. She is an expert in the areas of forest, fire and disturbance ecology. She studies the impacts of changing fire regimes of forest succession, dynamics influence of tree traits on forest flammability and the consequences of changing forest composition on forest ecosystem function. With Heather, we talked about the impacts of increasing wildfire severity on forests, how the melting permafrost affect them, the Sergei Zimov experiment and the Pleistocene Park project in Siberia, the benefits and cons of reforestation and offsetting programs, "playing God" with the environment and ecosystems, and scientists and the activism dilemma.
Wed, September 02, 2020
Aoife O'Leary on decarbonising the shipping industry to unlock a global energy transition
Aoife O'Leary is the Director of international climate at Environmenral Defense Fund (EDF). She is a lawyer and as specialised on the environmental impacts of international shipping in aviation, she's also a board member of Rethinking Economics, a charity campaigning to reform the economics curriculum in the UK. With Aoife, we talked about growing up in a union household, the murky world of shipping, the potential of renewable energy export, navigating complexity, the right way to implement carbon pricing and what to do with the revenues generated, changing the climate change narrative and having the right incentives for corporates. All the references mentioned in this episode can be found on: http://gosimone.org/episode-19-aoife-oleary-on-decarbonising-shipping-to-unlock-a-global-energy-transition/
Thu, August 13, 2020
Karen Ellis on the role of individuals in creating change and the rights to repair
Karen Ellis founded Mend It, Australia with her husband, Dan. They offer their help to repair and mend, building capacity to upcycle and promoting a circular economy culture within their community. With Karen, we talked about the myth of recycling, the need for coordinated repair movement, wisdom, affecting societal change as an individual, man-woman divide when it comes to repair, and finding one's voice. Transcript of the episode and references mentioned: http://gosimone.org/episode-18-karen-ellis-on-the-role-of-individuals-in-creating-change-and-the-rights-to-repair/
Wed, June 24, 2020
Hongqiao Liu on the power of investigative journalism and advocating for a fair and just transition
Hongqiao Liu is an independent consultant on policy research, strategic communication and advocacy, and a multi-award winning journalist. With Hongqiao, we talked about following one's passion, writing for change, the environmental and social issues relating to rare earth in China, promoting a just and fair transition, China as a developing country, and being a female investigative journalist. Full transcript of this episode and all the references mentioned available on gosimone.org: http://gosimone.org/episode-17-hongqiao-liu-on-writing-for-purpose-and-policy-change/
Wed, May 27, 2020
Dekila Chungyalpa on uniting faith leaders to bolster climate activism
Dekila Chungyalpa heads the Loka Initiative, a project which she co-founded with Buddhist scholar researchers, Dr Richard Davidson and Dr John Dunne of the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Center for Healthy Minds. Launched in 2018, the initiative unites religious leaders with environmental experts to bolster climate activism and Dekila also worked at WWF for 13 years. She earned the prestigious Yale McCluskey Award for conservation innovation in 2014. With Dekila, we talked about her roots in the Himalayas, the influence of her mother, a Buddhist nun, reconciling science and faith, how to dismantle climate change denial, and the connections between land, traditional practices, the right to self-determination and gender justice. All the references mentioned in this episode are available here: http://gosimone.org/episode-16-dekila-chungyalpa-on-uniting-faith-leaders-to-bolster-climate-activism/
Tue, May 12, 2020
Arnagretta Hunter on the impacts of the climate crisis on human health and rethinking our society
Arnagretta Hunter is a cardiologist based in Canberra and a Clinical Senior Lecturer at the Australian National University Medical School. She is also Human Futures Fellow at the ANU College of Health and Medicine and part of the Commission for the Human Futures, an ANU initiative which brings together researchers and thinkers to promote ways we can prevent human extinction. With Arnagretta, we talked about growing up on a farm, the impact of the climate crisis on human health, science denial in politics, and the powers of imagination, utopia and dystopia for change. References mentioned during this episode: - Commission for the Human Future - Doctors for the Environment Australia - Australia21 - Global Green and Healthy Hospitals - Climaginaries - Surviving & Thriving in the 21st Century, Commission for the Human Future - Doctors need to meet challenge of climate change, InSight+ - The carbon footprint of Australian health care, The Lancet - We Can Waste Another Crisis, or We Can Transform the Economy, Jacobin Mag - 'Cashed-up activists’ should not be able to hold up developments, Australia's resources minister says, The Guardian - Yuval Noah Harari - From What Is to What If: Unleashing the Power of Imagination to Create the Future We Want, Rob Hopkins - The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming, David Wallace-Wells - Men at Work: Australia’s Parenthood Trap, Annabel Crabb - Climate Change and the People's Health, Sharon Friel - How Democracy Ends, David Runciman - Agency, William Gibson
Tue, April 28, 2020
Ailsa Lamont on the role of higher education in propelling climate action
Ailsa Lamont has had a long career in Australian universities, leading various international and social innovation departments. In 2016, she founded Pomegranate Global, a start-up dedicated to helping the education sector to tackle climate change, and co-founded the Climate Action Network for International Educators. With Ailsa, we talked about Scotland, the value of studying abroad, being a climate reality leader, universities’ carbon footprint, the challenges with top-down university management, and having more women at the decision-making table. References mentioned in the episode: http://gosimone.org/climate-adaptation/episode-14-ailsa-lamont-on-the-role-of-higher-education-in-propelling-climate-action/
Wed, April 08, 2020
Esther Onyango on climate change and its impacts on viral diseases
Esther Onyango is a research fellow at Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia. She is part of a trans-disciplinary research program on the impacts of climate change and vector-borne diseases. With Esther, we talked about her roots in Kenya, her passion for microbiology, how she became interested in the links between health and the environment, and the importance of developing cross-boundary policies in order to respond to the increasing occurrence of viruses due to climate change. All the references mentioned in this episode: http://gosimone.org/science/episode-13-esther-onyango-and-its-impact-on-viral-diseases/ www.gosimone.org
Fri, March 20, 2020
Jojo Mehta on establishing a law of ecocide and drastically changing the rules
Jojo Mehta is the co-Founder of Ecological Defence Integrity and Stop Ecocide. She carries on the legacy left by Polly Higgins, a UK lawyer who found for the recognition of ecocide as an international crime. With Jojo, we talked about how criminalising ecocide internationally can drastically change the rules and put an end to environmentally-destructive activities on the planet. For the references mentioned during this episode: http://gosimone.org/activism/episode-12-jojo-mehta-on-establishing-a-law-of-ecocide-and-drastically-changing-the-rules/
Wed, March 04, 2020
Stacy Levy on combating climate change with land art
Stacy Levy is an American eco-artist. She is a sculptor making large-scale public installations in rivers, streets, parking lots, airports and nature centres. She merges the principles of art, ecology, science and collaborative engagement. Her latest completed art piece is called Collected Watershed; it’s a live map made of 8,500 recycled jars, filled with water collected from every tributary in and around the University of Towson. With Stacy, we talked about combating climate change with art, outside art galleries. Stacy Levy: https://www.stacylevy.com/ All the references mentioned in this episode: http://gosimone.org/creativity-art-for-good/episode-11-stacy-levy-on-combating-climate-change-with-art/
Wed, February 19, 2020
Cecile Gauthier on how the ad industry can use its power for good
Cecile Gauthier co-founded the marketing consultancy and design agency Lime, based in Singapore. It’s 100% women-owned. It is a purpose driven agency which is building brands for businesses with a purpose and helping to create purpose for traditional brands. With Cecile, we talked about how she believes the ad industry can use its power for good, and influence change within businesses, corporations and social entreprises in order to tackle the climate emergency. For all the references mentioned during the episode: http://gosimone.org/circular-economy/episode-10-cecile-gauthier-on-how-the-ad-industry-can-use-its-power-for-good/ Photo Cecile Gauthier by Nathaly Molina @itsanatha
Fri, January 24, 2020
Rita Naumenko on being a climate activist in Russia
Rita Naumenko is a 16 years-old Russian environmental activist and part of the Fridays for Future initiative. When she is allowed to strike by the Russian government, she stands in downtown Moscow with other young activists chanting, brandishing posters and demanding the government to take action. Rita also coordinates an initiative called “upgrade your school” teaching school students how to organise recycling, create eco-teams, and educate on environment protection matters. With Rita, we talked about the way she realised about the urgency of climate change, the difficulty of striking in today’s Russia, the specific challenges Russia faces as a country as temperatures rise, and her dreams for the future. For all the references mentioned during the episode: http://gosimone.org/activism/episode-9-rita-naumenko-on-being-a-climate-activist-in-russia/
Thu, January 09, 2020
Helene Grosbois on embracing the degrowth way of life
Helene Grosbois started working for the finance industry (Societe General and Natixis) in Paris and Hong Kong. Realising about climate change, she transitioned to lobbying activities for NGOs, such as WWF and Finance Watch, created by Pascal Canfin. Since May 2019, she “transitioned” to an autonomous neo-rural living in the Morvan region in France. With Helene, we talked about her “ecophany” realising the urgency of tackling climate change to its roots, her motivations to live the “degrowth way”, the challenges she faces, and her views on climate change adaptation and paths of action. For all the references mentioned in this episode: http://gosimone.org/degrowth/episode-8-helene-grosbois-on-embracing-the-degrowth-way-of-life/
Thu, December 05, 2019
Emma-Kate Rose on creating a sustainable food system & turning climate despair into creative energy
Emma-Kate Rose has over three decades of experience in working in business, social justice, environmental sustainability, food system advocacy, and political activism. In 2006, she co-created a start-up developing a car sharing service in Brisbane and after selling it in 2008, she joined Food Connect, a social enterprise aiming to create a world where everyone has access to healthy, fresh, ecologically-grown food that is fair to growers, eaters, and the planet. With Emma-Kate, we talked about the need to re-localise food production and distribution closer to cities, the challenges of managing a fair and sustainable food system in today’s political environment, the importance of trust, and how to turn climate despair intro creative energy. For all the references mentioned in this episode: http://gosimone.org/food-sovereignty/episode-7-emma-kate-rose-on-creating-a-sustainable-food-system-and-turning-climate-despair-into-a-creative-energy/
Tue, November 26, 2019
Johanna Nalau on moving the climate change agenda from planning to action through brave leadership
Johanna Nalau is an adaptation scientist with a PhD in climate change adaptation at Griffith University based on the Gold Coast, Australia. Her research is focused on understanding how, why and when people make decisions to adapt to climate change, and what role science can and should play in that process. That includes issues such as decision-making, policy development and implementation, limits to adaptation, and the gap that we often see between academic theory and real-world practical actions. Johanna is one of the Lead Authors for the (IPCC)6th Assessment report working on the Small Islands topic, and also an Australian Research Council Fellow (2019-2022), and Managing Editor for the Journal of Climate Risk Management. She also leads the Adaptation Science Research Theme at Cities Research Institute at Griffith University. All of these roles focus on understanding the core principles of climate change adaptation, and how adaptation science can play a positive role in evidence-based decision-making. With Johanna, we talked about Finland, governance in coastal cities, carbon tax, the question of adaptation as a local responsibility, and the need for brave leadership to action climate adaptation. For all the references mentioned in this episode: http://gosimone.org/climate-adaptation/episode-6-johanna-nalau-on-moving-the-climate-adaptation-agenda-from-planning-to-action-through-leadership/
Thu, November 07, 2019
Kylie Newberry on reconnecting with what we eat through food citizenship
Kylie Newberry is a public health nutritionist by training. She has worked in Australia and abroad in the UK in particular. More recently she completed a master in food policy in London. She created an organization called Our Food System advocating for healthy, sustainable, and fair food system. During our conversation, we talked about sustainable diet, building resilience within our cities, farmers markets certification, sharing the food production risk with farmers, and becoming food citizens. For all the references mentioned in this episode: http://gosimone.org/food-sovereignty/episode-5-kylie-newberry-on-reconnecting-with-what-we-eat-through-food-citizenship/
Wed, October 23, 2019
Carly Wilson on wildlife conservation, climate change as a class issue, and building resilience
Carly Wilson has a long background in wildlife care and habitat management. She worked for the RSCPA Wildlife Clinic in Canberra for several years and has also worked as a fauna spotter, relocating animals away from sites of habitat destruction. She is now a film producer. She recently released an environmental documentary called Rubber Jellyfish, about the ingestion of released helium balloons by endangered marine animals. During our conversation, we talked about wildlife conservation, plastic waste management, endangered species' habitat protection, conservative politics, fake science, sexism and building resilience, and the power of environmental documentaries. For all the references mentioned in this episode: http://gosimone.org/conservation/episode-4-carly-wilson-on-wildlife-conservation-climate-change-as-a-class-issue-and-building-resilience/
Tue, September 10, 2019
Alana Mann on shaping sustainable food systems through agroecology and gender justice
Alana Mann is Chair of Media & Communications at the University of Sydney, Australia, and a key researcher at the University’s Sydney Environment Institute. She is also a Chief Investigator on the project FoodLab Sydney with partners including the City of Sydney and FoodLab Detroit. Her research focuses on the communicative dimensions of citizen engagement, participation, and collection action in food systems, planning and governance. She has written two books, her most recent Voice and Participation in Global Food Politics, published in 2019, and Global Activism in Food Politics: Power Shift, in 2014. During our conversation, we talked about the food sovereignty movement and its emergence in Latin-America, agroecology as a pathway towards sustainable food systems and the importance of politicising our food consumption. References mentioned during the episode include: - Alana Mann, Voice and participation in Global Food Politics - Alana Mann, Global activism in food politics: power shift - Christopher Mayes, Unsettling food politics - Bill Gammage, The biggest estate on Earth: how Aborigines made Australia - Charles Massy, Call of the Reed Warbler: a new agriculture, a new Earth - Kate Raworth, Doughnut Economics - Anna Tsing, The mushroom at the end of the world - Rachel Carsen, Silent spring and Under the sea wind - Bruce Pascoe, Dark Emu - Antonio Roman Alcala, Looking to food sovereignty movement for post-growth theory - Philipp McMichael, Global development and the corporate food regime
Sun, August 11, 2019
Sabrina Chakori on circular economy & re-creating the commons
Sabrina Chakori founded the Brisbane Tool Library, a social enterprise based on degrowth and sharing economy which aims to reduce household consumption. During our conversation, Sabrina tells us more about what shaped her strong political engagement and her motivations to fight for a better society. She also highlights the importance of making room for a community-based circular economy to tackle climate change. References mentioned during the episode: - Marc Fleurbaey, Beyond GDP: Measuring welfare and assessing sustainability (book) - Tim Jackson, Prosperity without growth (book) - Richard Denniss, Clive Hamilton, Curing affluenza: how to buy less stuff and save the world (book) - Federico Demaria, Giorgios Kallis, Giacomo d’Alisa, Degrowth: a vocabulary for a new era (book) - Peter Lacy, Waste to wealth: the circular economy advantage (book) - Dennis Meadows, Donella Meadows et Jørgen Randers, The limits to growth (article) - Dan M. Kahan, Culture and identity-protective cognition: explaining the white male effect in risk perception (article) - The true cost, by Andrew Morgan (documentary) - The corporation, by Michael Moore (documentary) Let's keep the conversation going on social media, find us on Twitter @gosimonepodcast, Instagram @gosimone.podcast and Facebook.
Sun, August 11, 2019
Cle-Anne Gabriel on degrowth & wellbeing economies
Cle-Anne Gabriel is a lecturer at the University of Queensland (UQ), Australia, and the UQ Business School's Director for the United Nations Principles for Responsible Management Education. Her research focuses on the areas of sustainable development and postgrowth futures. During our conversation, Cle-Anne Gabriel questions the compatibility between environmental sustainability and economic growth. Is a de-prioritisation of economic growth as a policy objective a way forward to reduce emissions globally? References mentioned during the episode: - Federico Demaria, Giorgios Kallis, Giacomo d’Alisa, Degrowth: a vocabulary for a new era (book); - Cle-Anne Gabriel, Without nature, there can be no business: the harsh bottom line of ecological debt, Entrepreneur Asia Pacific (article) - Yves Cochet, The next thirty-three years on Earth, Momentum Institute (article) - 2040, by Damon Gameau (film) - Planet Earth II, by David Attenborough (film) - Making sense of climate science denial – Climate change is real, so why the controversy and debate? Learn to make sense of the science and to respond to climate change denial, The University of Queensland (free course). Let's keep the conversation going on social media, find us on Twitter @gosimonepodcast, Instagram @gosimone.podcast and Facebook, or via our website www.gosimone.org.
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