Confronting the climate crisis: new moderate flank strategy or eco-Leninism?

This evening conference (Palace of Westminster – Houses of Parliament) was organised by Green House Think Tank and focused on the new potentialities for climate activism which may have been created by Extinction Rebellion (XR) and the school strikes, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic experience and the cost-of-living crisis triggered by the war in Ukraine. It asked whether this situation offers an unprecedented moment of confluence and the chance for a major transformative re-set.

Speakers included Rupert Read, well-known philosopher, activist and author of Why Climate Breakdown Matters, and John Foster, author of Realism and the Climate Crisis. Discussants were Kevin Anderson, climate scientist, author and activist, and Molly Scott-Cato, Professor of economics and former Green Party MEP. The event was chaired by Zoe Williams from The Guardian. Baroness Jenny Jones brought the event to a close with some words.