Category: politics

Categories
law politics

Alex Kruize

Alex Kruize [ 57:05 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Alex Kruize is an aspiring environmental Lawyer and Green Party List Candidate.   He talks with us about environmental law;  proper process and community input in environmental decision making; legal perspectives of Climate Change; and MMP. Timaru born and strongly influenced by living the effects of large scale industrial agricultural systems, his passions are working for a better future through both legal structures and political action.

Shane’s number of the week: 60,000,000 hectares.   Last year foreign investors bought or leased nearly 60 million hectares of land in Africa – an area about the size of France.   These owners either displace the local farmers or as distant landlords expect greater returns – threatening the food supply of the world’s poor.  Much of this land has also been taken in order to develop biofuel production, in place of normal food production.

 

Today we also celebrate the soft launch of Sam’s newest book “The Green Graduate”.  Subtitled “Educating Every Student as a Sustainable Practitioner”, this book sets out a framework for integrating sustainability into every course of study.   Sponsored by UNESCO and published by NZCER press, The Green Graduate is available here.

 

 

Categories
climate change politics

Dr James Hansen

 

We interrupted our normal program to bring you James Hansen’s lecture that he gave at Otago University on the 18th May 2011.

He talks about climate change, what the future may hold for our children and grandchildren and how we may be able to solve some of these problems.

 

Jame Hansen Lecture [ 59:54 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
Categories
climate change green party politics

Jeanette Fitzsimons

JeanetteFitzsimons [ 56:48 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Jeanette Fitzsimons in a wide ranging interview talks about lignite mining, her current tour with James Hansen of the NASA Goddard Institute, why politicians are not moving on climate change issues, her view of what an activist is and life after being an MP.

Shane’s number of the week: 50% – the UK govt. has just  announced that it is to adopt plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 50% on 1990 levels by 2025 reaching 60% by 2030.

Categories
government green party politics

Metiria Turei MP

Metiria Turei [ 59:17 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

A Green MP since 2002, Metiria was elected Green Party Co-leader in 2009.

In a wide ranging and fascinating interview we talk to Metiria about her father, green politics, rude politicians, poverty, what a sustainable economy would look like and whether she would like to be the first co-Prime Minister of New Zealand Aotearoa.

Metiria’s focus is policy work that helps build a more fair society, as well as electoral law reform and children’s issues. She’s previously led campaigns to save our National Parks from mining, protect the Mokihinui River, and has fought for greater protection of marine animals and the marine environment. Metiria also advocates for implementation of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, restorative justice, and a quality public education system. With a law degree from Auckland, Metiria has previously worked as a lawyer at Simpson Grierson and as an advocate for the unemployed and beneficiaries.

When able to escape the world of politics, Metiria spends time with her family in Dunedin.

 

Shane’s number of the week:  90%

– there is a 90% increase in the risk of psychological illness when you experience food insecurity in New Zealand.

Sam’s joined up thinking:  Earth Day – “mother earth is having her human rights recognised” but we’re a long way off an understanding of what this means (read more>>).