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Power, People and Planet

Power, People and Planet

Kumi Naidoo

Feeling at all freaked out by the state of the world at the moment? Wondering what you can do about it? Join Kumi Naidoo, the veteran social and environmental justice campaigner, to tackle some of the biggest issues of our time. In each episode Kumi is joined by activists, artists and community leaders who are dismantling our broken system - and building something better in its place. Hear their stories. Learn what has kept them fighting. Find out how we all can make a difference. Learn more about the podcast by visiting: powerpeopleplanet.org
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Top 10 Power, People and Planet Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Power, People and Planet episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Power, People and Planet for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Power, People and Planet episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

Power, People and Planet - Grassroots Activism | Luisa Neubauer & Sashi Kiran
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01/31/23 • 59 min

The right to participation is one of the most powerful and basic rights, and far too often people who are living in the frontlines of various struggles at the grassroots levels are spectators where they should be central players. In the climate movement we have seen how activists from the global south and the lives of everyday people are consistently sidelined in the climate summit negotiations.
These spaces often purport to be an opportunity for activists to engage with power but in reality these engagements and spaces only reify the current power dynamics while serving as tokenistic acts for both activists and those in power. Bringing the voices of those that do not make it out of the congested media environment, which is already stacked against them, is one of the many struggles that face grassroots activists in poor and marginalised communities around the world. So what do we need to strengthen the voices of grassroots activists? What are the barriers to the voices of grassroots activism being heard?
Our guests:
Luisa Neubauer was one of the lead organisers of Fridays For Future in Germany - a movement that brought 1.4 million people to the streets of German towns and cities in September 2019. A talented community organiser and rousing public speaker, she has since become a powerful voice among a generation of young Germans who are taking a stand against climate inaction.
Follow Luisa’s work:

Sashi Kiran is the trailblazing founder and chief executive officer of a grassroots not-for-profit that provides economic opportunities for underserved communities in Fiji. She started FRIEND as it is better known, after Fiji’s 2000 political crisis to create income generating opportunities for women and men from rural and peri-urban settlements and villages, youth and people with special needs; and to strengthen relations between Fiji’s two main communities. She has worked with the Commonwealth Foundation, and networks such as CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation, Asia South Pacific Association for Basic and Adult Education and serves on the Regional Advisory Group Member of the Global Network of CSOs on Disaster Risk Reduction (GNDR).
Follow Sashi’s work:

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Click here to watch a full video version of this episode.
Learn more about Power, People & Planet on the website:
https://powerpeopleplanet.org
To watch full episodes of the podcast follow Kumi's YouTube channel

Follow Kumi on social media:

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Power, People and Planet is produced in association with the Green Economy Coalition, the world’s largest movement for a green and fair economy:
https://greeneconomycoalition.org
Additional support for the podcast was provided by the Robert Bosch Stiftung:
https://www.bosch-stiftung.de/en

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Power, People and Planet - Civil Disobedience | Clare Farrell & Marta Benavides
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02/28/23 • 61 min

Unjust laws certainly should be broken. Mandela, Rosa Parks, and many other inspirational leaders had no hesitation in calling to break unjust laws. But laws that prevent the voices of ordinary people from being heard also need to be resisted, because right now, in more than 100 countries around the world, governments in the last decade have taken various actions to shrink the civic space by restricting freedom of association, freedom of assembly, and freedom of expression.
At a time when there is so much hate, violence, and aggravation, activism must be imbued by love, compassion, caring, and a sense of justice, peace, and dignity. How can we embolden creative, peaceful, civil disobedience on a significant scale to wake up our leaders before it is too late and dig in deep to have the stamina and perseverance to keep going until those injustices are removed?

Our guests:
Clare Farrell is an active citizen, devoting her creativity, her energy, and occasionally her personal liberty to fight against climate collapse and the wider environmental crisis. She is also a fashion designer and lecturer. She has been arrested numerous times for her climate activism and as one of the founders of Extinction Rebellion she helps coordinate a mass movement of people using non-violent civil disobedience.
Marta Benavides is a theologian, ordained minister, permaculturist, educator, and artist. A leader of an ecumenical revolution focused on bringing peace to her country El Salvador, she is an ordained pastor who chose “to live and not die for the revolution” and has been bringing people from all fields to defend human rights and develop a culture of peace. She worked closely with Archbishop Oscar Romero who was assassinated in 1980, which would see her go into exile in Mexico and the US, she returned to El Salvador in ‘92 following the peace accords.
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Learn more about Power, People & Planet on the website:
https://powerpeopleplanet.org
To watch full episodes of the podcast follow Kumi's YouTube channel

Follow Kumi on social media:

-----------------------

Power, People and Planet is produced in association with the Green Economy Coalition, the world’s largest movement for a green and fair economy:
https://greeneconomycoalition.org
Additional support for the podcast was provided by the Robert Bosch Stiftung:
https://www.bosch-stiftung.de/en

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Power, People and Planet - Engaging Disagreement | Sharan Burrow & Alnoor Ladha
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02/14/23 • 58 min

The challenge of activism today must include winning over those with whom we disagree, for example, those who have not yet embraced the agendas of climate and economic justice. In a country like the US where about 40% of people have been misled by the falsehoods of right-wing media, democracy is under great threat if activists for justice are not able to win over a significant number of those who support antidemocratic ideas. This episode explores the questions of why this is so difficult and what strategies we may employ to build much-needed bridges of dialogue, engagement, and possibly conversion. Can we build narratives and messages that help people break out of ideological silos? How do we win over people who occupy positions vastly different from those promoting economic, gender, and climate justice?
Our guests:
Sharan Burrow
is the general secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and a former president of the Australian Council of Trade Unions. Sharan is a passionate advocate and campaigner for social justice, women’s rights, the environment, and labour law reforms, and has led union negotiations on major economic reforms and labour rights campaigns in her home country of Australia and globally.
She has also served as a member of the Governing Body of the International Labour Organisation and is represented on a number of international commissions concerning climate action, industrial transition, and economic reform.
Follow Sharan’s work:

Alnoor Ladha is a political strategist, writer, and activist. Alnoor’s work focuses on the intersection of political organising, storytelling, and technology. He was the co-founder and Executive Director of The Rules, a global network of activists, coders, researchers, writers, and others focused on changing the rules that create inequality, poverty, and climate change. The Rules started in 2012 as a time-bound project and an experiment in anarchist organisational design, exploring new ways of how to work, play, and make trouble together.

He is a co-founder of Tierra Valiente, an alternative community and healing centre in the jungle of northern Costa Rica. He is a board member of Culture Hack Labs and The Emergence Network.
Follow Alnoor’s work:

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Learn more about Power, People & Planet on the website:
https://powerpeopleplanet.org
To watch full episodes of the podcast follow Kumi's YouTube channel

Follow Kumi on social media:

-----------------------

Power, People and Planet is produced in association with the Green Economy Coalition, the world’s largest movement for a green and fair economy:
https://greeneconomycoalition.org
Additional support for the podcast was provided by the Robert Bosch Stiftung:
https://www.bosch-stiftung.de/en

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In this special live episode, Kumi discusses the connection between arts and activism with the renowned artist Olafur Eliasson and Molly Fannon, CEO at Museum for the United Nations - UN Live.
In the face of collective action problems such as the climate crisis, one of the biggest weaknesses in activism is the inability to communicate its narratives, messages, and vision beyond certain groups of people. How can the work of artists help create change? What can art and activism learn from each other?
This episode was recorded at an event hosted by the Robert Bosch Stiftung on the 20th April 2022.
Our guests:
Ólafur Elíasson
is an Icelandic–Danish artist known for his large-scale installation art employing elemental materials such as light, water, and air temperature to enhance the viewer's experience. Regarded as a leading artist in bringing awareness of climate and environmental issues to the public, Ólafur’s work often focuses on the interaction between spectator and environment, and the common ground between art and science. He currently lives and works in Berlin, where he was a professor at the Berlin University of the Arts. His studio now employs more than 40 people including artists, architects, scientists, and technicians.
Follow Ólafur’s work:

Molly Fannon is the CEO of Museum of the United Nations - UN Live, a global institution based in Copenhagen with a mission to “unleash the power of culture to inspire local action and drive global change”. Before joining UN Live, Molly was Director of the Smithsonian’s Office of International Relations and Global Program, leading partnerships with major global organizations such as the World Economic Forum and governments worldwide. Molly’s early career centred around designing and managing largescale international development programs, funded by institutions such as USAID and the World Bank. Her professional experience spans more than 40 countries on 6 continents.
Follow Molly’s work:

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Click here to watch a full video version of this episode.
Learn more about Power, People & Planet on the website:
https://powerpeopleplanet.org
To watch full episodes of the podcast follow Kumi's YouTube channel
Follow Kumi on social media:

-----------------------

Power, People and Planet is produced in association with the Green Economy Coalition, the world’s largest movement for a green and fair economy:

https://greeneconomycoalition.org
Additional support for the podcast was provided by the Robert Bosch Stiftung:

https://www.bosch-stiftung.de/en

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Power, People and Planet - Introducing | Season 2 : The Future of Activism
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11/05/22 • 1 min

Power, People and Planet returns for its second season to tackle the toughest and most urgent questions of our time.
In this new series of in-depth discussions, host and veteran activist Kumi Naidoo talks with guests from across the globe about the current state of activism, its failure, its successes and its future.
In the most consequential decade in humanity's history, we must focus and improve our efforts not simply for change but for a just transition to a more equitable, more inclusive and more sustainable world.
***
Learn more about Power, People & Planet: https://powerpeopleplanet.org
Follow Kumi Naidoo:
Twitter
Instagram
LinkedIn
Facebook

***
Power, People and Planet is produced in association with the Green Economy Coalition
https://greeneconomycoalition.org
Additional support for this season was provided by Robert Bosch Stiftung
https://www.bosch-stiftung.de/en

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Power, People and Planet - Lysa John | Secretary General of CIVICUS
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12/07/21 • 46 min

"There is no alternative to alliances and there is no alternative to solidarity"

Born in Mumbai, Lysa John started out building grassroots campaigns around urban poverty, governance and housing rights. Since then she has worked with Save the Children International and as Head of Outreach for the UN High Level Panel on the Sustainable Development Goals, and today describes herself as “a relentless enabler of activism.” She currently serves as the Secretary General of CIVICUS, a global alliance of civil society organisations and activists.

In this episode Lysa and Kumi discuss the future and vulnerability of citizen action and civil society, the limitations of international organisations, and the growing dangers of the widening inequality gap. They also speak about her early work as a grassroots organiser in Mumbai, outdated geo-political thinking and her idea that "the present system is not merely broken but deliberately malevolent".
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Produced by the Green Economy Coalition, the world’s largest movement for a green and fair economy: https://greeneconomycoalition.org
Lysa on Twitter: @lysajohn
CIVICUS on Twitter: @CIVICUSalliance
CIVICUS website: https://www.civicus.org/
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Learn more about Power, People & Planet by visiting: https://powerpeopleplanet.org

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Power, People and Planet - Catarina de Albuquerque | CEO of Sanitation and Water for All
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11/23/21 • 58 min

“What we need are good politicians... who understand how basic access to water and sanitation is, if you want to deliver on any other development priority ”

Lawyer and human rights activist Catarina de Albuquerque made history as the first person to serve as United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to safe drinking water and sanitation (2008 - 2014). She currently serves as CEO of Sanitation and Water for All, a global multi-stakeholder partnership with the goal of ensuring the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation worldwide.

In this frank and powerful conversation, Catarina and Kumi discuss the vital but often overlooked topics of water and sanitation. While access to these have been human rights since 2010 (thanks in part to Catarina’s work) she explains the ongoing crises and impacts that continue to affect billions in both the Global North and South. Water and sanitation, as you will hear, are not just matters of health and well-being but impact every aspect of human development from security, to education, to national prosperity.

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Produced by the Green Economy Coalition, the world’s largest movement for a green and fair economy: https://greeneconomycoalition.org

Catarina on Twitter: @CatarinadeAlbuq

Sanitation and Water for All website: https://www.sanitationandwaterforall.org/

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Learn more about Power, People & Planet by visiting: https://powerpeopleplanet.org

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Power, People and Planet - Disha Ravi | Climate and Environmental Activist
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11/09/21 • 47 min

“There are no prisons big enough for ideas. They can’t put our ideas behind bars. Your movement and what you work for will always be bigger than you.”

Disha Ravi is an Indian climate and environmental activist. She is a founder and active member of Fridays For Future India with a focus on “MAPA” (most affected people and areas). Her arrest and detention by the Indian government in February of 2021 was met with widespread international condemnation.

In conversation with Kumi, Disha shares her perspective as a youth climate leader from the Global South. She explains what it means to be part of a movement that is bigger than oneself, how the climate struggle differs between rich and poor countries, and speaks passionately about what brings her inspiration and keeps her fighting.

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Produced by the Green Economy Coalition, the world’s largest movement for a green and fair economy: https://greeneconomycoalition.org

Disha on Twitter: @disharavii

Disha on Instagram: @disharavii

Fridays For Future website: https://fridaysforfuture.org

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Learn more about Power, People & Planet by visiting: https://powerpeopleplanet.org

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Power, People and Planet - Dr Amara Enyia | Managing Director of Diaspora Rising
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11/02/21 • 43 min

“The social contracts can always be negotiated. I think our responsibility actually is to be constantly negotiating what that social contract looks like. How we relate to each other. How we live with one another.”

Dr Amara Enyia is a community organizer, lawyer and political strategist. A former candidate for Mayor of Chicago, she is currently the managing director of Diaspora Rising, an advocacy hub dedicated to strengthening the bonds amongst members of the global Black family.

In this conversation, Kumi and Amara take an in-depth look at the relationship between cities and their residents, the intersection between environmental & urban justice issues, and what it means to be an organiser and activist on both local and international levels.

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Produced by the Green Economy Coalition, the world’s largest movement for a green and fair economy: https://greeneconomycoalition.org

Dr Amara Enyia on Twitter: @AmaraEnyia
Amara's website: https://amaraenyia.com
Diaspora Rising website: www.diasporarising.org

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Learn more about Power, People & Planet by visiting: https://powerpeopleplanet.org

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In this episode, we reflect on the critical importance of the power of intersectional approaches between different movements so that they might win bigger battles faster. Intersectionality refers to the interconnected nature of social categories such as race, class, and gender. They create overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage. Intersectionality is a lens that allows us to view the hidden and invisible connections in our society. While many in civil society and different movements recognize this theoretically, there’s still far too high a propensity towards siloed activism.

Our guests:
Naomi Klein
is an award-winning journalist, columnist, and international bestselling author of eight books including No Logo, The Shock Doctrine, This Changes Everything, No Is Not Enough and On Fire, which have been translated into over 35 languages. She is a Senior Contributing Writer for The Intercept. She was the inaugural Gloria Steinem Endowed Chair in Media, Culture and Feminist Studies at Rutgers University, and is now Honorary Professor of Media and Climate at Rutgers.
Follow Naomi’s work:

Laura Garcia is a Mexican feminist who has advocated for human rights, social justice, and civil society throughout her career. Before joining Global Greengrants as CEO, Laura served for seven years as the Executive Director of Fondo Semillas, a Mexican non profit organisation that finances grassroots organisations to achieve gender equality. Laura has co-created networks to promote community philanthropy in the Global South. She currently serves on the boards of Oxfam Mexico, Co-Impact, and the Global Fund for Community Foundations.
Follow Laura’s work:

Georgia Hirsty is the co-founder and executive director of Frailty Myths, a community-rooted diversity, equity, and inclusion group that uses hands-on activities and the principles of practice to transform oppressive cultures and advance justice. Georgia has worked extensively with Greenpeace and across social and environmental movements in a variety of leadership roles, with a focus on direct action, empowerment, and a deep interest in long term behaviour change. All of her work grows from the ethos that we must practice being in the new world we want to live in so as not to replicate destructive patterns.
Follow Georgia’s work:

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Click here to watch a full video version of this episode.
Learn more about Power, People & Planet on the website:
https://powerpeopleplanet.org
Follow Kumi on social media:

Power, People and Planet is produced in association with the Green Economy Coalition

https://greeneconomycoalition.org
Additional support provided by the Robert Bosch Stiftung

bookmark
plus icon
share episode

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FAQ

How many episodes does Power, People and Planet have?

Power, People and Planet currently has 23 episodes available.

What topics does Power, People and Planet cover?

The podcast is about Social, Rights, Non-Profit, Society & Culture, Change, Activism, Climate, Environment, Justice, Podcasts and Business.

What is the most popular episode on Power, People and Planet?

The episode title 'Civil Disobedience | Clare Farrell & Marta Benavides' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on Power, People and Planet?

The average episode length on Power, People and Planet is 53 minutes.

How often are episodes of Power, People and Planet released?

Episodes of Power, People and Planet are typically released every 14 days.

When was the first episode of Power, People and Planet?

The first episode of Power, People and Planet was released on Jul 15, 2021.

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