|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Wanjira Mathai:
Karibu. Welcome, wherever you are.
The climate crisis is not only a planetary emergency—it’s a human story. It’s a story of dignity, of forgotten wisdom, of stolen futures—and of the unshakable will to restore balance. In these five conversations, I sat with some of the world’s most courageous minds and boldest hearts—not to debate, but to listen, remember, and reimagine.
From the fields of Burkina Faso to the rooftops of Kigali, from ancient monasteries to youth festivals bursting with color and conviction—we explored the soul of sustainability, the power of women, the urgency of climate justice, and the unstoppable energy of youth. And always, the Earth was with us—watching, waiting, and whispering: Heal me by healing each other.
This isn’t about hope as a slogan. It’s about hope as a practice—rooted in action, justice, and love.
Let’s begin.
(Note: This is an imaginary conversation, a creative exploration of an idea, and not a real speech or event.)
Restoring Africa – How Local Wisdom Can Heal Global Climate Wounds
Participants:
Wanjira Mathai – Environmental leader and advocate for African-led restoration
Yacouba Sawadogo – Farmer known for reviving traditional farming to green the desert
Jane Goodall – Legendary primatologist and community conservationist
Felix Finkbeiner – Founder of Plant-for-the-Planet, youth-led tree planting movement
Ibrahim Thiaw – Executive Secretary, UNCCD
Moderator: Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson – Marine biologist and climate futurist
[Scene: A sun-dappled open-air circle under an ancient baobab tree in Senegal. The earth is warm and rich with new growth. A camera drone gently hums in the distance. Everyone is seated in a semi-circle, with traditional woven mats beneath them. Birdsong and wind accompany the moment.]
Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson (Moderator):
Thank you all for gathering in this sacred space. Today, we begin with a simple but essential question: Can Africa restore herself through the power of her own wisdom, and how can the world support without interfering?
Wanjira, would you begin?
Wanjira Mathai:
Thank you, Ayana. Africa doesn’t need to be saved. She remembers who she is—we’re just helping her recall. From Kenya to the Sahel, local communities have been stewards of the land long before the world started measuring carbon. Restoration here is not just ecological; it’s spiritual, social, and economic. What we need is trust—in our knowledge, in our youth, in our indigenous methods.
Yacouba Sawadogo (smiling deeply):
When I started planting in the desert, people laughed. But my ancestors whispered through the soil. I used zaï—old methods that bring water back. Now the land feeds hundreds. We don’t need foreign machines. We need time, patience, and listening to the ground.
Jane Goodall:
What Yacouba did is exactly what I’ve witnessed in many villages—true restoration starts from the ground up. Trees are not just carbon stores; they are homes, healers, and storytellers. I’ve always said: when you empower local communities, especially women, the environment heals itself.
Felix Finkbeiner:
That’s why we train children—because they don’t doubt. They just plant. We’ve planted millions of trees because kids believed they could. But we must ensure they inherit a living planet, not a greenwashed one. Restoration is also justice.
Ibrahim Thiaw:
We cannot separate land from dignity. Africa’s restoration is a justice project, not a charity one. The world must shift—from doing things to us to doing things with us. And yes, policy matters, but what matters more is restoring respect for the wisdom already rooted here.
Dr. Ayana Johnson:
Powerful. Let me pose this next: What’s the biggest obstacle to scaling these efforts—and how do we remove it without losing authenticity?
Wanjira Mathai:
The biggest obstacle is disbelief—especially from donors and decision-makers. They want data before stories. But restoration is a slow miracle. Let us invest in people who stay, not just in pilots that fade.
Yacouba Sawadogo:
Obstacles come when the land is spoken of without soul. I always say, “You cannot hurry the tree.” Let the people lead, and the land will follow.
Jane Goodall:
We must redefine success. Not in hectares restored, but in lives restored. Culture, memory, and love for nature must count as metrics.
Felix Finkbeiner:
Also: fund youth. Trust them. And don’t just give them platforms—give them power. Restoration is not a future thing; it’s now or never.
Ibrahim Thiaw:
Africa is not a blank canvas. It’s a mosaic. Each village is a pixel in the greater healing. We need funding models that honor this decentralization.
Dr. Ayana Johnson (Closing):
To those watching: restoration isn’t planting trees—it’s restoring trust. It’s not reforestation—it’s re-rooting ourselves in Earth’s wisdom. Thank you, Wanjira, Yacouba, Jane, Felix, and Ibrahim, for reminding us that Africa doesn’t need to catch up. She needs space to lead.
Women and the Climate Crisis – From Victims to Visionaries
Participants:
Wanjira Mathai – Champion of women-led environmental solutions in Africa
Greta Thunberg – Youth climate icon pushing the global conscience
Vanessa Nakate – Ugandan climate justice advocate spotlighting African voices
Mary Robinson – Former President of Ireland, global climate justice leader
Christiana Figueres – Lead architect of the Paris Agreement
Moderator: Angelina Galiteva – Renewable energy strategist and global advocate for inclusive, female-centered energy futures
[Scene: A circle of woven chairs on a rooftop garden in Kigali at dusk. The sun dips behind volcanic hills. Bougainvillea climbs the edges of the structure, and solar lanterns begin to flicker on as the women settle into soft conversation.]
Angelina Galiteva (Moderator):
We often hear about women as “climate victims,” yet each of you is proof that women are also the fiercest visionaries. So I’ll begin with this: What shifts when women lead climate efforts—not just support them?
Wanjira Mathai:
Everything. When women lead, solutions grow deeper roots. In Kenya, women plant trees not for carbon credits—but to restore life, water, food, dignity. Women understand regeneration, not just reform. We don’t need more seats at the table—we need new tables built by women, for all.
Greta Thunberg:
And we need to stop asking women to be nice while the world burns. I’m not interested in applause—I’m interested in accountability. If leadership doesn’t include justice, it’s not leadership. It’s performance. Women are tired of waiting. We’re already acting.
Vanessa Nakate:
Yes. And let’s talk about who gets the mic. I’ve watched conferences where African women are told to wait their turn. Meanwhile, we are living the crisis. In Uganda, floods and droughts are killing communities. So when I speak, I’m not asking for permission—I’m protecting my people.
Mary Robinson:
Brilliantly said, Vanessa. I've seen that when women—especially from the Global South—step into climate leadership, the dialogue becomes more human, more just. We ask: who is being left behind? And why? This isn’t just about emissions—it’s about ethics. Women see the whole system.
Christiana Figueres:
And let’s be clear: when we negotiated the Paris Agreement, I fought to keep the heart in the room. Not just the science. Not just the politics. But the moral force. That came from women. We understood that climate policy is intergenerational motherhood. It’s about protecting all children—now and forever.
Angelina Galiteva:
Powerful. So let me ask next: What stands in the way of more women leading this movement—and how do we remove those blocks together?
Wanjira Mathai:
One word: resources. Women have the solutions but not the funding. If we want justice, fund women. Trust women. And let us define success—not in GDP, but in thriving, fed, educated children and forests.
Greta Thunberg:
Also, media. Stop portraying women as either saints or screamers. We are complex. We are angry. We are wise. Let us speak without filters.
Vanessa Nakate:
And stop tokenism. Don’t invite us for photo ops—partner with us in decision-making. Our communities don’t need pity. We need power.
Mary Robinson:
There must also be legal protections. In many countries, women leaders are jailed, harassed, or erased. Let’s not just cheer women’s rise—let’s defend it.
Christiana Figueres:
And lastly: remind young girls that they are not too small to matter. The future will be designed by those who dare to believe they belong in it.
Angelina Galiteva (Closing):
You’ve each painted a bold truth: the climate movement is not whole until it fully belongs to women. Not just as icons—but as architects. Thank you all for being the blueprint.
Climate Finance Justice — Who Owes What to Whom?
Participants:
Wanjira Mathai – African climate leader advocating for equity-centered restoration
Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala – WTO Director-General, global economic strategist
Muhammad Yunus – Nobel Peace Prize laureate and father of microfinance
Jeffrey Sachs – Economist and UN advisor on sustainable development
Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim – Indigenous climate activist from Chad
Moderator: Nikhil Seth – UN Assistant Secretary-General and director of UNITAR, known for navigating diplomacy and justice in global climate policy
[Scene: A roundtable set in Nairobi’s Karura Forest, shaded under a pavilion made of reclaimed wood. A transparent globe sculpture spins quietly at the center of the table. A breeze carries the scent of fresh soil and rain. This is a financial dialogue grounded in nature.]
Nikhil Seth (Moderator):
Welcome, everyone. Today, we explore a controversial yet necessary truth: In the global fight against climate change, who really owes what? And how do we make the system just without repeating colonial patterns masked as aid?
Wanjira, please open.
Wanjira Mathai:
Thank you, Nikhil. The Global South—especially Africa—is owed not pity but payment. We are bearing the brunt of a crisis we did not create. Climate finance is not charity. It's a moral and historical debt. And if we continue to count dollars but not dignity, we will never restore this balance.
Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala:
Agreed. What Africa needs is not more promises, but liquidity and leverage. Climate finance must be accessible—fast, simple, and local. We need to trust grassroots entrepreneurs, women-led co-ops, and community solutions. And let’s stop treating “risk in Africa” as a reason for denial. The real risk is inaction.
Muhammad Yunus:
Let me add: we talk about billions, but forget that the poor are already investing their lives in adaptation. The problem isn’t money—it’s imagination. What if we gave climate finance not to governments, but to social businesses run by villagers, youth, women? We must invert the funnel.
Jeffrey Sachs:
And what’s stopping us? The Global North clings to power by controlling the flow of capital. Every year we hear the $100 billion promise, but delivery is fuzzy, bureaucratic, and laced with self-interest. Real justice would mean not just grants—but debt cancellation, carbon reparations, and local sovereignty over how funds are used.
Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim:
Let me speak for Indigenous peoples: we’ve received zero dollars. But our lands are still 80% of the world’s biodiversity. If we lose them, the planet loses. Yet we are invisible in the budget sheets. Give us direct funding—not to be studied, but to be trusted.
Nikhil Seth:
What would a radically just climate finance model look like? Not aspirational—actionable.
Wanjira Mathai:
Decentralized climate banks. Local leaders managing microgrants with accountability but without colonial oversight. Finance as a tool of freedom, not a leash.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala:
Build green credit scores for communities—not just countries. If a village plants 10,000 trees, that’s worth financing. Let’s shift value systems.
Muhammad Yunus:
Also: never lend to polluters. Finance must follow purpose. Let the money flow like a river—not a locked vault.
Jeffrey Sachs:
And let’s codify this in global trade rules. Make it illegal to profit from emissions while withholding funds from frontline nations.
Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim:
Fund our dreams—not just your fears.
Nikhil Seth (Closing):
Today’s currency is not just carbon—it’s conscience. Climate finance must no longer be framed as help, but as healing a long imbalance. Thank you all for reshaping what justice can mean, in numbers and in spirit.
The Soul of Sustainability — What’s Missing in Global Climate Agreements?
Participants:
Wanjira Mathai – Advocate for people-centered climate solutions
David Attenborough – Legendary storyteller of Earth’s beauty and fragility
Satish Kumar – Peace pilgrim and philosopher of “soil, soul, and society”
Joanna Macy – Scholar of deep ecology and founder of the “Work That Reconnects”
Pope Francis (represented via Laudato Si’ and spiritual perspective)
Moderator: Dr. Vandana Shiva – Environmental thinker and physicist who unites science with sacred ecology
[Scene: An ancient monastery courtyard in Assisi, Italy. Olive trees surround a circular fountain. Wind rustles through linen banners printed with earth prayers. The group sits in quiet reverence, gathered to explore not just “how” to save the planet—but why.]
Dr. Vandana Shiva (Moderator):
Thank you for being here. Today’s question is not about policy—but purpose: In our global climate response, have we forgotten the soul of Earth? And if so, how do we remember it—together?
Wanjira Mathai:
Too often, climate talks become sterile—charts, targets, deadlines. But land is not just soil—it’s the keeper of our ancestors, our stories. In Africa, we call this Ubuntu: I am because we are. Restoration must include healing of the spirit—of the land and its people.
David Attenborough:
Indeed. I've spent my life filming Earth's wonders—and its wounds. But what pains me most is our loss of reverence. We speak of “natural resources” as though Earth were a warehouse. But she is our mother, not our servant. Without awe, sustainability has no soul.
Satish Kumar:
Exactly, David. We have disconnected the economy from ecology. We must bring them back together. I walked from India to the UK for peace—and along the way, I realized: you cannot fight for the Earth if you don’t love her. That love must be the foundation of every treaty, every policy.
Joanna Macy:
And we must face our grief. The climate crisis is not just a problem to be solved—it’s a heartbreak to be felt. When we allow ourselves to mourn what’s being lost, we awaken to the fierce beauty of what still lives. That’s where deep action begins.
Pope Francis (via Laudato Si’ excerpt, read aloud by moderator):
“The Earth herself, burdened and laid waste, is among the most abandoned and maltreated of our poor. She groans in travail. We have forgotten that we ourselves are dust of the Earth.”
Dr. Vandana Shiva:
That quote gives me chills every time. So let me ask you: What would a climate agreement look like if it truly respected the sacredness of life?
Wanjira Mathai:
It would listen. To rivers, to elders, to silence. It would fund joy—art, rituals, forest walks—as valid restoration tools. Because joy sustains movements longer than fear.
David Attenborough:
And it would slow down. Not everything must be “scaled.” Some things must simply be cherished. The Earth is not a machine—it breathes.
Satish Kumar:
It would begin every meeting with gratitude. Before budgets, before blueprints—gratitude for the miracle of life. That is the seed of care.
Joanna Macy:
And it would include the voices of unborn generations. Not metaphorically—but as guiding lights. What would they thank us for?
Pope Francis (via reflection):
“Living our vocation to be protectors of God’s handiwork is essential… it is not an optional or secondary aspect of our existence.”
Dr. Vandana Shiva (Closing):
May we plant not just policies—but prayers into the soil of this Earth. Let this be the decade where we don’t just restore the planet—but reawaken the sacred within ourselves.
Green is the New Youth – Can Environmental Stewardship Save a Generation?
Participants:
Wanjira Mathai – Youth empowerment and green jobs champion across Africa
Boyan Slat – Ocean cleanup innovator and founder of The Ocean Cleanup
Autumn Peltier – Indigenous water protector and Anishinaabe climate leader
William Kamkwamba – Inventor from Malawi, subject of The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
Licypriya Kangujam – Young Indian climate activist speaking truth to power
Moderator: Jacqueline Novogratz – Founder of Acumen, a pioneer in impact investing and youth-driven social entrepreneurship
[Scene: A vibrant youth-led sustainability festival in Cape Town. Bamboo pavilions, recycled sculptures, and solar booths surround the group seated on a colorful woven mat. Behind them, a mural of a giant tree made of handprints. Music and laughter drift in the air—but this moment is one of vision.]
Jacqueline Novogratz (Moderator):
Today we ask: Can environmental stewardship become the path that gives young people not just jobs—but meaning? Can it save a generation hungry for purpose, power, and belonging?
Wanjira Mathai:
Absolutely. Stewardship is not just about saving the planet—it’s about saving ourselves. In Africa, 70% of the population is under 30. If we don’t engage them with green skills and dignity, we waste the greatest renewable resource we have: youth energy. Stewardship is the heartbeat of our collective future.
Boyan Slat:
I agree. When I started cleaning plastic at 16, people thought it was cute. But this isn’t about idealism—it’s about innovation. Young minds see through complexity. We don’t carry as much baggage. Stewardship means giving youth tools, not just slogans. Then watch them transform industries.
Autumn Peltier:
As an Indigenous youth, I was taught that water is alive. Stewardship, for me, means protecting my relatives—rivers, lakes, trees. It's not a career path. It’s an identity. But to save the Earth, young people need more than just passion. We need access: to platforms, to funding, to elders.
William Kamkwamba:
That’s why I built the windmill. We had no electricity, but I had a library card and a dream. Stewardship must begin in our villages, our homes. We don’t need big money—just small chances. Schools should teach hope through action. Not just fear of crisis.
Licypriya Kangujam:
And don’t wait until we grow up to take us seriously. I’m 13. I already know what’s wrong. I already know what I want to fix. Stewardship should be part of every school in every country. Make it fun. Make it fair. And please: listen to us when we speak.
Jacqueline Novogratz:
What do each of you believe is the single most powerful way we can support youth-led stewardship starting today?
Wanjira Mathai:
Create Green Hubs—community spaces where youth learn, grow food, build tech, and lead. Make them beautiful. Make them theirs.
Boyan Slat:
Invest in crazy ideas. Not just safe bets. Youth will surprise you—if you let us.
Autumn Peltier:
Honor our culture. Teach the sacred with the science. Let stewardship be storytelling too.
William Kamkwamba:
Make failure okay. Let young people build, break, and try again—without shame.
Licypriya Kangujam:
Stop calling us “future leaders.” We are leaders now.
Jacqueline Novogratz (Closing):
Today’s conversation reveals a truth we too often forget: young people don’t need to be motivated—they need to be trusted. Stewardship is not just saving the Earth. It’s giving every child something to believe in. Thank you, all of you, for reminding us what leadership looks like when it begins with love.
Final Thoughts by Wanjira Mathai
After every tree is planted, there is a moment of silence. Not just for the soil to settle—but for our spirits to align. That is how I feel at the end of these conversations.
We have seen that restoration is not a technical task—it is an act of memory. We have remembered that women are not supporting roles—they are the architects of survival. We’ve felt the sacred pulse beneath policy, and we’ve honored the fierce brilliance of the youngest among us. And most of all, we have told the truth: the world owes a debt to those who protect her.
Let these not be five conversations—let them be five seeds. May you water them with courage. May they grow into forests of action, gardens of justice, and rivers of renewal.
Because the Earth is not asking us for pity. She is asking us to come home.
Asanteni sana. Thank you deeply.
Short Bios:
Leave a Reply