art and climate justice, art and activism 

Season 2 

The climate crisis and the broader ecological crisis is a symptom of the deeper disease, which is that rift from nature, that seed of domination, of accumulation, of greed and of the urge to dominate others through colonialism, through slavery, through othering – the root is actually othering – and that is something that artists can touch. That is what has to be healed, and when we heal that, what does the world on the other side of a just transition look like? I really don’t want to believe that it it looks like exactly this, but with solar. The first language that colonisation sought to suppress, which was that of indigenous people, is where a lot of answers are held.anjali appadurai, conscient podcast, April 2, 2021, VancouverAnjali Appadurai is a climate justice advocate, communicator and consultant who works to strengthen climate change messaging and discourse in Canada by centering the stories of those on the frontlines of the climate crisis. She currently works at Sierra Club BC.Anjali contacted me while I was in Vancouver in March 2021 to help with her and Seth Klein, author of A Good War : Mobilizing Canada for the Climate Emergency (who will be a guest on a future episode) to mobilize the arts and cultural sector as part of their Climate Emergency Unit. I was honoured to accept their offer.This episode was recorded at Trout Lake Park in Vancouver on April 2, 2021. Anjali kindly accepted to go on a ‘soundwalk’ with me (see e22 westerkamp for more on soundwalking). Anjali and I exchanged on a wide range of issues that I do not know enough about, including: Who is the ‘we’ and issues of privilegeDistribution of the remaining carbon budgetAtmospheric space as a human rightThe long history of human extinctionAs I did in e22 westerkamp, I integrated excerpts from e19 reality into this episode. I would like to thank Anjali for taking the time to speak with me, for sharing her deep knowledge about the climate emergency and her passion for the arts.For more information on Anjali’s work, see https://sierraclub.bc.ca/anjali-appadurai/
*END NOTES FOR ALL EPISODESHey conscient listeners, I’ve been producing the conscient podcast as a learning and unlearning journey since May 2020 on un-ceded Anishinaabe Algonquin territory (Ottawa). It’s my way to give back.In parallel with the production of the conscient podcast and its francophone counterpart, balado conscient, I publish a Substack newsletter called ‘a calm presence' see https://acalmpresence.substack.com. Your feedback is always welcome at claude@conscient.ca and/or on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Threads or BlueSky.I am grateful and accountable to the earth and the human labour that provided me with the privilege of producing this podcast, including the toxic materials and extractive processes behind the computers, recorders, transportation systems and infrastructure that made this production possible. Claude SchryerLatest update on March 26, 2025 

https://conscient-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/e23-appadurai-what-does-a-just-transition-look-like