Climate Emergency & AIDS Activism

Published in Maverick Citizen, 3 December 2019

I chaired this vibrant discussion between Farhana Yamin & Mark Heywood at the expert gathering of movement leaders and movement lawyers, Power of Law, Power of People, in Bellagio in September. The lively and energetic discussions inform my new book, and help to build learning across the movements: how can we share lessons across movements that have already made great change, notably the extraordinary impact of AIDS Activists in the earliest years of the global crisis?

We know that successful social movements reach a tipping point where change happens. It has been anticipated that this happens when 3.5% of the population shares the vision for change. Throughout the world energy is gathering at remarkable pace to address the Climate Emergency that leaves us so little time to protect the future of our world. What can we learn from the AIDS movement to strengthen other movements, especially women’s movements and those tackling the urgency of the climate emergency?

This is the focus of my forthcoming book, and this vibrant discussion between Mark and Farhana picks up many of the links that exist between our movements – and reminds us how much more we must learn from each other to make the urgent changes we need.