Eco Activist Journeys

This is a special episode that was recorded at the UN Conference of the Parties - COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. Join me for a discussion in the Blue Zone of COP27 with Nataliya Kholodova and Julia Guziy from Ecoclub in Ukraine and their initiative bringing solar power to Ukrainian hospitals. I hope that you as listeners decide to support this important initiative - even if it is just a small donation of a cup of coffee. Furthermore, if you could help share the initiative and podcast to others and especially to businesses and any potential doners – I’m sure that would be very much appreciated. I hope you enjoyed this episode. For me the true hope and outcomes of COP27 are the ones by the people of COP that come together and collaborate for our planet. I think this episode is a small but good example of that. If you’d like to hear any more updates from me about my experience at COP27 or any follow- up interviews with fellow youth delegates - let me know and contact me either via email or Instagram @ecoactivist.lea or @ecoactivistjourneys Find the link to the Ecoclub website and donation page linked below: https://ecoclubrivne.org/en/solar_hospitals/ All best wishes, Léa --- Donation page - https://ecoclubrivne.org/en/donation_hospitals/ Site - https://ecoclubrivne.org Linkedin- https://ua.linkedin.com/company/ngo-ecoclub Twitter- https://twitter.com/ecoclub_rivne Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/Ecoclubrivne.org Instagram: @go.ecoclub Instagram: @ecoactivist.lea and @ecoactivist.lea

Join me in a discussion with Jojo Mehta, executive director and co-founder of “Stop Ecocide International". We met in person for the first time in Stockholm for the Stockholm+50 United Nations Conference in June 2022. In this episode we discuss the criminalisation of the destruction of nature and how we can safeguard our future through changing international law. Furthermore, we talk about progress on ecocide law that was made in Stockholm and how everyone can and must form part of the global narrative to change norms and laws. I hope this episode inspires you to join the movement. Please check out the Stop Ecocide Foundation for more information and share this episode on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or directly with friends, colleagues, and fellow concerned citizens that want to help change the world. Take care and all best wishes, Léa #ecocidelaw #stockholmplus50 #naturerights #StopEcocide #JojoMehta #InternationalLaw --- Podcast Instagram: Eco-Activist Journeys Podcast (@ecoactivistjourneys) • Instagram-Fotos und -Videos Instagram Léa: Léa Weimann (@ecoactivist.lea) • Instagram-Fotos und -Videos My Twitter: (2) Léa Weimann (@WeimannLea) / Twitter My website: HOME - Eco Activists (eco-activists.co.za) Stop Ecocide International Webpage: Stop Ecocide International Stop Ecocide International Instagram: Stop Ecocide International (@ecocidelaw) • Instagram-Fotos und -Videos

Welcome to the 51st episode on Eco Activist Journeys! Join me in a conversation with Lindon Pronto, a senior fire management expert at the European Forest Institute in Bonn, Germany, and previous wildland fire fighter in California, USA. We talk about the current fires in Europe and around the world, Lindon's story from being a fire fighter to becoming a fire management expert, Climate Change and fire as the missing element in international law, and what we can all do in an increasingly burning world. I hope you learn something from this episode and are inspired into action! Take care and best wishes, Léa #fires #ClimateEmergency #burningworld #FiresinEurope #FireManagement #ClimateChange --- Podcast Instagram: Eco-Activist Journeys Podcast (@ecoactivistjourneys) • Instagram-Fotos und -Videos Instagram Léa: Léa Weimann (@ecoactivist.lea) • Instagram-Fotos und -Videos My Twitter: (2) Léa Weimann (@WeimannLea) / Twitter My website: HOME - Eco Activists (eco-activists.co.za) Lindon Pronto Twitter: (2) Lindon Pronto (@AnotherFireGuy) / Twitter

Humans need water and food to survive. However, the world is increasingly entering a global food system crisis and our current agricultural system is also significantly contributing to climate change. All our contemporary crises are interlinked. This challenges us as a society to change our global food system! This podcast episode is a discussion I had with Professor Mads Fischer-Moller who works on food policy at Scotland’s Rural College and is leader at the Future Food System Challenge Centre. Before coming to Scotland Mads worked as a civil servant in Denmark and for the Nordic Intergovernmental Cooperation on Food Policy. In this episode we discuss a range of topics including what the biggest challenges in our current food system are, food poverty, food culture, what we can learn from the Nordic countries, Scotland’s Good Food Nation Bill, and how we can contribute to changing the global food system! I hope you enjoy this episode and if you do - please share it and feel let me know on Instagram or Twitter. All best wishes, Léa --- Podcast Instagram: @ecoactivistjourneys Instagram Léa: @ecoactivist.lea My Twitter: @WeimannLea My website: HOME - Eco Activists (eco-activists.co.za) #SystemChange #GlobalFoodSystem #FoodCrisis #FoodPolicy #ClimateChange

Welcome to Eco Activist Journeys. My name is Léa and I am your show host. Today I invite you to join me in a discussion with Kate Wilcox, a museums professional and postgraduate museums studies student at the University of St Andrews. We discuss the topic of museums in the climate crisis, how to communicate climate change, what we can do about climate anxiety, and how we can drive societal changes from different sectors in society. I really learned a lot through this discussion about how museums can and have to play a role in these societal shifts and Kate also shared some really interesting case studies of museums and galleries that communicate climate change and use art for the planet so I hope you will tune in for the journey …. Thank you, Kate, for your time and work. Down below find links to some initiatives that Kate shared and her social media platforms: https://www.museumsassociation.org/campaigns/climate-crisis/https://climatetoolkit.org/#focus-areaskatemwilcox.com Podcast Instagram: @ecoactivistjourneys Instagram Léa: @ecoactivist.lea My Twitter: @WeimannLea My website: HOME - Eco Activists (eco-activists.co.za) #Museums #ClimateChange #SocietalChange #ExhibitionsforChange #ClimateAction #ArtforthePlanet

Join me in a discussion with Ellie King, an undergraduate from the University of St Andrews, who led the Ecosia campaign to get the University to switch to setting Ecosia as their standard browser on computers. We start by talking about the Ecosia campaign in St Andrews and how anyone can start a campaign to create change. Then we dive into the main topic of if corporation can do good and respond to one of my earlier podcast episodes where I talked about the myth of corporate sustainability. Furthermore, we talk about topics such as B-corporation certification, analysing the intensions of companies, greenwashing, social justice and the continuous journey to sustainability. Hope you enjoy this conversation and let us know if you want a part II by contacting me via Instagram on @ecoactivistjourneys and/or @ecoactivist.lea Take care and best wishes, Léa

The COP26 has been a much anticipated conference pinned as humanity's “last best chance” to limit global warming to 1.5°C degrees and keep the ambition of the Paris Agreement alive. However, as COP26 concluded it became clear that Glasgow would not be the turning point that the world needs. Now widely regarded as a failure this throws lights on the system change we need to create real change. However, before diving deeper into those discussions – let’s explore what actually happened and how it was for youth delegates to be part of COP26. In this episode I interview a number of youth delegates: -Aditi Mishra, COP26 delegate for IFSA from India -Nele Römer, COP26 delegate for IFSA from Germany -Libby Tobey, COP26 delegate for IFSA from the US -Benjamin Nevarro, COP26 delegate for IFSA from Chile -Johannes Herzog, COP26 delegate for IFSA from Germany -Montague Jones, COP26 delegate for the University of St Andrews from the US Thank you so much to the amazing people that I met over the last few weeks and for uniting efforts for climate action. Power to the people! I hope this gives you some food for thought about the COP, integration of youth voices and the future of these conferences. Take care and best wishes, Léa

Welcome to Episode 2 of the COP26 Series. Why is it critical that we keep the 1.5°C goal alive? What makes this COP in Glasgow so important? How can we create change and push for climate action? Join me in a discussion with Dr James Rae, Earth Scientist from the University of St Andrews, about the scientific importance of the international diplomatic meeting of COP26. Hope you are inspired by this Series and please help spread the message. Let's engage people in these discussions around COP26 and climate change to raise awareness about the emergency that is is but also spread hope about the possibility that the creation of this new world entails. Take care, stay strong, unite for climate change & be kind. Best wishes, Léa --- My website: HOME - Eco Activists (eco-activists.co.za) My twitter: Léa Weimann (@WeimannLea) / Twitter My Instagram: Léa Weimann (she/her) (@ecoactivist.lea) • Instagram photos and videos James' website: James Rae (jameswbrae.com) James' Twitter: Twitter @mudwaterclimate

Welcome back to Eco-Activist Journeys. I’m finally back with a new episode and it’s the start of a new chapter in my eco activist journey. A month ago I started my masters in Global Environment and Climate Change Law at the University of Edinburgh. Furthermore, at the end of October the international UN talks on climate change are taking place in Glasgow. Thus, I am starting my podcast journey again with a series on the Conference of the Parties (COP)! In this episode I introduce what COP26 is and also dive into some new things I learned about the Paris Agreement, international law, and also discuss key topics that leaders need to discuss at the Conference of the Parties (COP) in Glasgow including market-mechanisms for climate finance, loss and damage, agriculture, and nature-based solutions. Hope you enjoy this episode, thanks for tuning in and please follow and support this podcast! All best wishes, Léa

Welcome to Eco-Activist Journeys! In this episode I talk to Dr Clair Linzey, Deputy Director of the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics, and also a University of St Andrews alumna. She completed her master and PhD in theology at St Andrews. In addition to being the Deputy Director of the Animal Ethics Centre at Oxford, she is also Director of the Annual Oxford Animal Ethics Summer School, co-editor of the Journal of Animal Ethics, and the Palgrave Macmillan Book Series on Animals Ethics. Clair has published a lot on this topic area, so I hope you enjoy our discussion ranging from animal ethics, veganism, nutrition, theology, and animal testing. Here is a link to the website of the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics, what they do, and more resources on the topic: Welcome - Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics (oxfordanimalethics.com) This episode was recorded virtually in the beginning of April 2021 and first broadcast on St Andrews Radio. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the Eco-Activist Journeys podcast for more discussions about life on Earth, sustainability, and visions for the future. Furthermore, watch out for some exciting changes to the Eco-Activist Podcast… Take care and best wishes, Léa My website: HOME - Eco Activists (eco-activists.co.za) Instagram: @ecoactivist.lea and @ecoactivistjourneys

This podcast episode is a recording of a live virtual event at the University of St Andrews with the German Climate Activist Luisa Neubauer that took place on the 1st of March 2021. This was probably one of the most inspiring interview conversations that I have conducted, and I hope you will enjoy, learn, and be inspired by it too. Luisa Neubauer, born in Hamburg in 1996, is one of the co-organizers of Fridays for Future and the most prominent representative of the German movement in the media. In 2018 she met the Swedish student Greta Thunberg at the UN Climate Change Conference and then started the movement in Germany together with other activists. Since then, Luisa has met with various heads of states and governments, participated in the world climate conference in Madrid and the world economic forum in Davos. Thank you, Luisa, for joining us virtually in St Andrews. Thank you also to Dr Louise Reid for opening the event and monitoring the questions. Furthermore, thank you to the staff at the University of St Andrews that helped organise and support this so that it could happen. Not least, thank you to you as listeners. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the Eco-Activist Journeys podcast for more discussions about life on Earth, sustainability, and visions for the future. Take care and best wishes, Léa

On Friday the 19th of March 2021, the Fridays for Future movement organised another global climate strike. To stand in solidarity with the global action we organised an on-air climate strike discussion among student activists. I was joined in the virtual St Andrews Radio studio by Heather from the St Andrews Rector’s Committee, Francesca from my Environment Subcommittee, Juliette from Extinction Rebellion St Andrews, and Tom from XR Unis Keele University. We spoke about the importance of digital climate strikes, the impact of the pandemic, Fridays for Future, Extinction Rebellion, XR Unis, as well as the perks and difficulties of online campaigning and activism. We interacted with the buzzbox on STAR radio and shared events and climate strikes that we participated in that inspired us. We also talk about the St Andrews Line in the Sand actions in 2019 and 2020 and the power of citizens coming together to call for action. #NoMoreEmptyPromises #GlobalClimateStrike #ClimateActivists Thank you for tuning in and supporting the climate movement. Make sure to follow Eco-Activist Journeys for more inspiring discussions on sustainability and climate action. Best wishes, Léa

In this episode I talk with Professor Doug Benn from the University of St Andrews about the science behind climate change and we debunk popular climate myths around the topics of “natural” climate change, climatic variation and crucially the difference between weather and climate. We also touch on some commonly asked questions around geoengineering and climate solutions. Thank you to Professor Doug Benn for his time and for sharing his expertise on climate science. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the Eco-Activist Journeys podcast for more discussions about life on Earth, sustainability, and visions for the future. Take care and best wishes, Léa

I think that this last year of living in a global pandemic has challenged all of us in some way or another and highlighted how important it is to take care of ourselves and mental wellbeing. How can we balance taking care of ourselves and our beautiful planet? How is sustainability part of wellbeing? What daily practices are there that include wellbeing and sustainability? In this episode I talk to Emma Rose Walsh, the University of St Andrews Students’ Association Director of Wellbeing for 2020-21, and Eleanor Clyburn, who is the Sustainable Lifestyle Rep in the Environment Subcommittee as well as the Mental Health Rep of the Wellbeing Subcommittee. This is a recorded show which took place virtually on St Andrews Radio on Friday the 12th of February. We talk about sustainable lifestyle choices, tips for those who feel overwhelmed by the magnitude of environmental problems, activism empowerment, and habits for happiness. Hope you enjoy and don’t forget to take of yourself. Love, Léa

Join us in a conversation with Dr Margaretha Wewerinke Singh on the topic of writing climate justice into law. We talk about legal tool for climate justice litigation, the Paris Agreement, the Heathrow Airport Court Case in the UK, supporting indigenous communities, civil disobedience, and human rights law. Dr Margaretha Wewerinke Singh is an Assistant Professor of Public International Law at Leiden University and an Adjunct Senior Lecturer in Environmental Law at the Pacific Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development at the University of the South Pacific. She is also an Attorney at Blue Ocean Law which is a boutique international law firm specialising in human and indigenous rights, self-determination, and environmental justice in the Pacific. Maragaretha has acted as a legal advisor to governments at international climate negotiations, represented NGOs at the UN Human Rights Council, and advised the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights’ Regional Office for the Pacific on human rights and climate justice. This episode is a recording of the live online event at the University of St Andrews in collaboration with the Students' Association Environment Subcommittee, the Rector’s Committee and Amnesty St Andrews.

In this episode I talk to my friend Gabi Frank, a fellow University of St Andrews student, and we talk about the importance of designing sustainable cities for our future. We talk through examples of the most sustainable cities in the world and Gabi shared insights from her time in Singapore, what makes it such a sustainable city and how it approaches urban design. We also talk about conservation within cities, how to increase green spaces, and Gabi shares insights from a biology & ecology perspective. This episode is a recording from my live STAR radio show on the 19th of November 2020. Apologies that the audio quality is not the usual standard, but virtual radio shows mean that we cannot record in the studio anymore due to the global pandemic. However, it is such an exciting topic and I really enjoyed the show with Gabi, so I hope you enjoy it too! If you do please follow the Eco-Activist Journeys podcast for more episodes. Love, Léa

Like so many of you – the end of an old year and the start of a new year are a time of reflection and goal setting for me. In this episode I am sharing a reflection that I wrote on the 31st of December 2020. May we take the lessons of 2020 into the future. Happy New Year 2021! In hope, Léa --- Background music includes snippets from the Auld Lang Syne instrumental cover by Amy Lee (2017)

Join us for a discussion on community climate action, carbon conversations, and the community garden in Tayport, Scotland. In this episode I interview Kaska Hempel and Kathleen Grey from PLANT. We talk about the importance of community for environmental activism and standing up for change. Furthermore, we reflect on the enriching experience of volunteering, being part of a community, giving back and taking climate action in your personal life. I hope you enjoy this episode. If you are from Tayport or Fife in general do check out the PLANT website: https://tayportgarden.org/ In addition, Kathleen also interviewed me on climate activism on PLANT Voices which you can find here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6i0qYCgo8qIMuRasFmvN6z?si=-seJfhx4TZOFlXQHX4HyzQ Thank you for listening and if you enjoyed this episode follow Eco-Activist Journeys podcast to be notified of more episodes in the future! Best wishes, Léa

Join me for a discussion on ecofeminism, social justice, caring for the planet and poetry from my debut poetry book “Dear Earth”. This is a recording from my live radio show that took place on Thursday the 15th of October 2020 on St Andrews Radio. Social justice and environmentalism are integrally linked, and climate justice cannot be achieved without social justice. This episode explores the topic of ecofeminism to highlight the effects gender stereotypes have on climate politics and the relationship between humans and nature. In addition, I also read two poems from my not-for profit poetry book “Dear Earth” and share some reflections on them. Here are some more resources and links on the topics for you to explore: My article about feminism and climate politics in Brizo Magazine: Do Women Care More About Climate Change? How Can Feminist Theories Contribute to Climate Change Politics? (brizomagazine.com) My website and more information about my Dear Earth poetry book: Dear Earth - Eco Activists (eco-activists.co.za) Hope you enjoy this episode of Eco-Activist Journeys! Best wishes, Léa

This interview with Dr Fiona Hill is part of a series interviewing all Rector candidates on the topic of climate justice and sustainability in St Andrews. In this episode I speak to Dr Fiona Hill on the topic of climate justice, activism, politics, and sustainability in St Andrews. Fiona Hill originally came to St Andrews from a working-class family in Durham. Once she graduated from St Andrews, she went on to study both a Masters and PhD at Harvard University. In the United States, she has advised three Presidents, and is a world-renowned voice on foreign affairs, specifically on Russia. Furthermore, she was a witness at the 2019 Trump Impechment Trial. Despite all her achievements, Fiona has never forgotten St Andrews, from serving as head of the St Andrews American foundation, where she worked to increase and diversify the numbers of American students coming to St Andrews, to administering the University's honorary graduation address in 2019. As a rectoral candidate, Fiona wants to increase accessibility across St Andrews from facilitating communication between the administration and students, increasing interaction with alumni networks, and bolstering and advertising the Rector's Fund. Many thanks to Fiona for taking time to do the interview with me. If you are a student at the University of St Andrews, please take time to listen to all three interviews and make sure vote in the Rector Elections on Thursday the 15th and Friday the 16th of October 2020.