Whitewashing climate action: where are the voices of colour?
Chaired by Rebecca Omonira-Oyekanmi
World over, the poorest and most oppressed communities have long felt the sharpest impact of climate breakdown and environment degradation. In countries rich and poor, the poorest suffer most. Be it polluted water, devastating storms, deadly factories spewing killer chemicals, or swathes of indigenous lands and rainforests stolen for industrial extraction. World over, people of colour in poorer countries have resisted, raised the alarm and challenged powerful vested interests.
Yet the stories we tell about climate action and resistance rarely feature people of colour. We portray environmentalism as a modern Western phenomenon. Why is this?What role does the media play in setting these narratives? Do white journalists see heroism and resistance only when it happens on their doorsteps or the activists look like them? What would climate reporting look like if national newsrooms were truly diverse? Come and join our panel of journalists, activists and climate experts to discuss the role of people of colour in telling stories about climate change and the environment.
Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah
Simmone Ahiaku
Dalia Gebrial
Damian Gayle
