Ep. 038: Thrivalism with Tony Juniper CBE

Tony Juniper, Chair of Natural England, shares with us a powerful thesis: we cannot fight the climate and ecological crisis without first addressing social inequality. Not content with just highlighting these connections, Tony describes the system change necessary to move us all forward; the new political philosophy of Thrivalism. 

Your Hosts

• Tom Constable: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-constable/
• Chloe Constable: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chloe-constable-24155821b/
• Website: https://www.grangeproject.co.uk
• Podcast Journey Page: https://www.grangeproject.co.uk/wilder-podcast

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• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-constable/

Our Guests: Tony’s career is devoted to Nature recovery, environmental protection and sustainable development. Working across many activities, including research, campaigning, policy and writing. Involvement with many organisations including Friends of the Earth, Wildlife Trusts, WWF, HRH The Prince of Wales’s International Sustainability Unit, CISL Cambridge and Birdlife International. In depth activity on climate change, Nature conservation, circular economy and more. Now the Chair at Natural England.

• Website: https://tonyjuniper.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-juniper-cbe-a2763b31/?originalSubdomain=uk
• New book "Just Earth": https://amzn.eu/d/8cwIaHn

Listen out for:

[00:00:00] Tom provides a brief overview of the Grange Project and they discuss their latest addition: The Market Garden.

[00:08:50] Tony introduces himself and his thesis that the environmental crisis cannot be addressed without first considering social inequality. 

[00:11:40] We discuss examples of the connection between these two concepts including the disproportionate use of resources, the perceived value of limitless economic growth and the differing impacts of environmental decline. 

[00:17:07] Tom asks about how the book has been received.

[00:19:05] Chloe reflects on how cost of living is often given as a justification for environmental inaction, particularly with regards to cheap food, water and energy bills.

[00:23:43] We talk about how we need to respond to these challenges and the concept of Thrivalism.

[00:29:07] Chloe raises the point about how it’s in everyone’s interests to work towards a fairer society due to the risks of both environmental and societal collapse. 

[00:30:52] We discuss the benefits of more equal societies and the influences on our political systems.

[00:38:08] Chloe asks about the definition of wealth and the philosophy of indigenous wisdom.

[00:41:32] Tom asks about Tony’s hopes for Thrivalism.

[00:44:40] Tom and Chloe reflect on the interview.

Mentioned in this episode:

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