Ama in OneWorld: Climate justice asks for non-Western stories
Ama and her big black rain boots were interviewed by OneWorld Magazine. She shared her vision on climate justice and the Church of Climate Change. The interview is in Dutch (find the link here), but we've also translated a part to English.
"Ama has taken a seat behind her laptop to tell us about Dr. Monk and her vision on climate change. But that vision is so elaborate, that she soon is talking about the cocoa industry, the history of transatlantic slave trade, the disappearance of traditional language, her thoughts on the inclusiveness of the Black Lives Matter- movement (is this also about Africa?), and how all of this is has also shaped her own identity.
Dr. Monk does research for NGOs, companies and political organizations. They work on interventions that can help make society more inclusive and sustainable. Take the Solar Soaker, a sustainable washing device that needs only a bit of water and sunlight, and that can liberate women who have their hands full doing household chores but cannot afford a washing machine.
Since 2018, Dr. Monk's has an initiative called the Church of Climate Change, a new climate movement. Van Dantzig: "With the Church of Climate Change we are searching for new stories and perspectives on climate change that resonate in non-Western countries, to facilitate collective action."
Van Dantzig continues: "I personally do not think that the biggest change will come from consuming differently. It's more about a redistribution of wealth worldwide: the climate problem starts with the extraction of natural resources, the exploitation of laborers and farmers, the dumping of waste, largely on the African continent."
"Any approach to climate change needs an eye for inequality," according to Van Dantzig. The countries with the highest greenhouse gas emissions feel the least effects of the climate crisis: climate justice is what we need. "That's a popular term now, but it wasn't when we started in 2011. That's what Dr. Monk is about: whether we are working on sustainable innovations or female leadership, we're obsessed with tackling inequality."
Van Dantzig chooses her words carefully and speaks with a friendly, soft voice - except for the moments when she switches to English. "I hope you don't mind, when I get excited I switch to English." She becomes espeially fired up when she speaks about core concepts like justice, colonialism, and the effects of it in the present. "There is no Europe without Africa, you know? There is no prpgress without Africa, that is something we need to see on the continent - how powerful we actually are."
Image by: Coco Olakunle