Climate change, Indigenous activism and the fight for justice | UpFront (Full)

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The protest movement calling for action on climate climate gained momentum this year with millions taking to the streets across the world demanding that governments do more to fix the crisis.

Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg gained widespread attention for her "you have stolen my childhood" speech at the UN climate action summit in September.

The environmental protest movement Extinction Rebellion launched dramatic protests in the UK and across the world. India's capital New Delhi made headlines after its pollution levels became so bad that the city announced a public health emergency and closed schools.

The EU meanwhile declared a global 'climate and environmental emergency'. The United Nations released multiple reports warning of the dangers of climate change. While in the US, the climate crisis emerged as one of the issues among democratic presidential hopefuls.

Indigenous Mexican-American activist Xiuhtezcatl Martinez has been campaigning against climate change since he was six-years old. He says now, more than ever, the need for indigenous voices is being recognised.

"Every part of the crisis is directly connected to social justice, to racial justice, to the human rights violations that are happening ... and now, more than ever, there is a recognition of the need of indigenous communities' voices being at the forefront," Xiuhtezcatl said.

Xiuhtezcatl, along with 20 other activists, is suing the US federal government for climate inaction. He was also involved in another lawsuit against the fracking industry in Colorado, but lost the case. Despite this, Xiuhtezcatl says he remains positive that 'people power' can overcome big money.

"I think the power of people is being recognised as an unstoppable force, both with the mobilisation of bodies on the streets, the mobilisation in our courts, the way that we are taking to the polls," he said.

Indian environmentalist Shiva Vandana has spent her career taking on multinationals as part of her fight to preserve the planet. Originally trained as a physicist, Vandana has written over 20 books and served as an advisor to both NGOs and the Indian government.

She says climate change is the result of irresponsible actors, particularly the fossil fuel industry.

"So, I would say the problem is chemical industrial fossil fuel-based farming, and the solution is ecological biodiverse farming, in the hands of small farmers," Vandana said.

"I think we have to reduce the infrastructure that was built for the fossil fuel empire. We've got to learn how to have better lives with a lower ecological footprint," she added.

Vandana also says there needs to be a global conservation goal.

"We [do] need a Green New Deal with the earth, remembering that the earth is alive, and we have to work with her laws and processes to protect her species diversity, avoid the sixth mass extinction, and avoid climate catastrophe," Vandana said.

On this week's UpFront special, we discuss the fight for climate justice with Xiuhtezcatl Martinez and Shiva Vandana.
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Poor countries are paying huge price for deeds of world's largest polluters.

sportsmania
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Wow! This guy know his stuff, very informative...keep up the good work for the sake of our home Earth!

Mary-izhg
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People are so full of baloney, the climate has been changing since the beginning of time.

Rita-yuse
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Do you know how much CO2 is released into the atmosphere from fermenting alcohol

bosshoggg
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I have the solution to climate change but I've got nobody to share the idea with, it will bring an end to this climate crisis

obamafx
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I never (not once) even heard of this Indigenous Mexican-American activist "Xiuhtezcatl Martinez" ... just Greta Thunberg, Greta Thunberg, Greta Thunberg, Greta Thunberg, Greta Thunberg, Greta Thunberg, Greta Thunberg, Greta Thunberg, Greta Thunberg, Greta Thunberg... is it because she's from Sweden and he's Native American?

Prince-utxv
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It's a pretty interesting report, for sure! Thanks UpFront!

angelobugini
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Your talking about the UN which he's trying to opt out of! Because then he would have to go by the declaration of human Rights which was signed into Law by Truman

me
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poor, black, brown, oppression, marginalized. he is missing a few victim cards.. well he may have hit them but i got sick of hearing all his buzzwords.

ohioplayer-blem
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Just watched this excellent programme with superb expert speakers showing the way forward
Hey trolls if you're not part of the solution you're part of the problem!

keithlambe
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we are going ti final day and we watch the truth justice with allah most gracios morroco

weihgun
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You'll should speak about camtrail .why you news people don't talk about camtrail spraying camical in the air

eliasdsouza