Niamh James

Heroes, hunger strikes and a Climate Satyagraha

On 14th March 2022, 52-year-old Angus Rose embarked on a hunger strike outside the UK Parliament gates demanding that MPs receive a climate crisis briefing by Sir Patrick Vallance, the UK Government Chief Scientific Advisor. A group of 79 leading climate scientists wrote a letter supporting his demand, including Sir David King who attended our...

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Niamh James

Why are health professionals joining climate protests?

From April 9th – 17th, climate action group Extinction Rebellion (XR) staged a number of protests across London demanding an immediate end to all new fossil fuel investments. When we think of the type of person who may be a climate activist, a healthcare professional isn’t the first that comes to mind. However, doctors and...

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Niamh James

Five climate actions that support natural capital ‘co-benefits’

Co-benefits are the positive effects that an action to tackle climate change may have on other outcomes such as employment, transport or health. Highlighting co-benefits in policymaking is essential to delivering climate action faster.  Natural capital refers to the elements of the natural world which provide valuable goods (such as timber and food) and services...

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Niamh James

What can we learn from Indigenous Wisdom?

By Pooran Desai OBE (Founder) and Niamh James (Researcher) Indigenous knowledge provides key insights to tackle climate change. Indigenous peoples make up just six per cent of the world population, yet they maintain and protect 80 percent of the planet’s biodiversity which is vital for maintaining a stable climate. Having a close relationship to the...

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Niamh James

Collapse of the Conger Ice Shelf is yet another call for climate action

Satellite imagery of the Antarctic shows that the Conger Ice Shelf collapsed into the ocean around March 15th. The ice shelf was approximately 1,200 sq km in surface area which is a similar size to Rome or New York City. Ice shelves protect glaciers and ice sheets from melting and contributing to sea-level rise. The...

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Niamh James

Forests, Ecosystems and OnePlanet Technology

Today marks International Day of Forests, which was established in 2012 by the United Nations to celebrate and raise awareness of the importance of forests.  Why are forests so important? Forests are home to around 80% of the world’s land biodiversity where flora, fauna and fungi work together in complex ecosystems.  Around 2 billion people...

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