Dirt Radio

What have religion and spirituality got to do with climate change?Patrick Nunn, professor of geography at the University of the Sunshine Coast and specialist in Pacific Island cultures, thinks there is a deep and abiding connection that needs to be recognized by ENGOs and climate action campaigners. He explains why in this edition of Dirt Radio.Then, long time climate campaigner and active member of ARRCC (Australian Religious Response to Climate Change) Rabbi Jonathan Keren-Black from the Leo Baeck Centre for Progressive Judaism talks about his recent participation in the 'Funeral for Coal' action at Minister of the Environment Josh Frydenberg's office, and the outcome of a subsequent meeting with the Minister.

Dirt Radio's Phil Evans talks to Friends of the Earth's new Sustainable Cities campaigner Rachel Kate Lynskey and Grow FoE collective's Shalini Rautela and Nabila Norsofiena about Walk this Way - an exciting upcoming project looking at public transport and climate change.

The government’s been sending letters to environment groups registered as eligible for tax deductible donations. That includes Friends of the Earth. They do this every year, but this time around the letters are different, in a disturbing way. First up, Brendan Sydes from Environmental Justice Australia explains the background to latest orchestrated attempt to roll back the tax deductible status of Australia's ENGOs and the current federal treasury inquiry.Then, research co-ordinator at Market Forces, Jack Bertolus, talks about their survey of Australia’s the big four banks' lending practices to the coal industry and the recently published 'Adani list'.

Phil Evans is joined in the studio by Suse Scholem - an activist working for system change who recognises the importance of sustainable activism practice. The show outlines the diverse strategy streams for system change and a Top 3 list of things that activists can do to make their work more sustainable. Check out melbourne.foe.org.au for details about some of the actions described in the show.

This week, Hans Baer, anthropologist and development studies specialist at the University of Melbourne, takes the long view of these turbulent times as he explains what's come to be known as eco-socialism, and talks about eco-socialism's particular approach to climate politics and activism.Hans Baer's publications include: Global Warming and the Political Ecology of Health (2009), Global Capitalism and Climate Change (2012), Climate Politics and the Climate Movement in Australia (2012 edited with Verity Burgmann)

How do you move those seemingly immoveable obstacles on the path to environmental sustainability and gloabal ecological balance?Tria Manley is community organizer at Wilderness Society Australia, and this week she talks about what makes a community organizer and how community organizing builds the collective power needed to create change and maintain public engagement in environmental action.

How much coal mining is enough coal mining? Well, in Australia, it seems there’s never enough. And there’s even an innovative technique being hyped to help convince the state government of New South Wales to let a new mine get started - in the Southern Highlands, right inside the water catchment area used by Sydney. Campaign Coordinator for the Lock the Gate Alliance in the Southern Highlands Charmaine Roth explains what’s been going on.Australia's environmental and climate movement is under attack again. What's at stake is ENGO ‘deductible gift recipient’ (DGR) status - that's the tax deduction that you get for donating to Friends of the Earth and other non-profit environment organizations. Cam Walker, campaigns co-ordinator for Friends of the Earth in Melbourne, elaborates the political context.

First up, Donald Trump - will he or won’t he? – stay in or pull out of the Paris climate agreement? Climate and environmental policy wonk at ANU, and researcher with the Earth System Governance Project at Lund University in Sweden, Luke Kemp, provides his perspective. Then, instead of selling arms to Saudi Arabia, Bryony Edwards, climate emergency campaigner, explains why the US and the rest of the so-called 'developed' world need to start mobilizing their industries like it was WW2 in order to battle the climate change crisis.

Pat Simmons talks about the Yes2Renewables campaign, the pending road trip as part of the western Victoria Energy Future forums, and the Y2R energy future survey asking the community to let the experts and especially the politicans know old paradigms for power no longer work.  Glenn Todd, from ActionSkills, previews "Non-Violent Creative Action – Training and ActionJam", a once in a long time opportunity to join a unique activist networking and skill sharing event, starting this Thursday, open to long-time and just starting out campaigners.

Phil Evans is joined by counterAct's Nicola Paris to discuss policing around the campaign to save Beeliar Wetlands from the Roe8 Highway extension in WA and a recent community report. The report published by the legal support team for the Beeliar protests documents over twenty incidents of excessive use of force, unlawful use of pepper spray, injuries from horses, tasers threatening minors, unlawful arrests, innocent people being strip searched and a culture of aggression and violence towards community activists.[Warning: some viewers may find the reports of violence by police upsetting].