Take a closer look
New Zealand Listener|May 20-26 2023
Sustainability scientist Maja Göpel sees nothing radical in the actions of climate protesters and says we can all help to save the planet
CATHRIN SCHAER
Take a closer look

No, it's not just the planet heating up. It's a particular word - "radical" - that gets one of Germany's most influential environmentalists a little heated. "When you think about the tremendous costs of carrying on as usual, why do we use the term 'radical' for people who say we need to speed up the necessary changes?" Maja Göpel says. Her indignation is in response to being asked about recent controversial court cases that have seen German climate change protesters given jail time for gluing themselves to traffic intersections.

"It's actually radical to say we're going to carry on taking these risks when we really are nearing a lot of environmental tipping points."

Those tipping points include things like polar ice sheets collapsing or the demise of key biodiverse habitats such as the Amazonian rainforest. As Göpel, a political economist, sustainability researcher and co-founder of Scientists for Future, has previously pointed out, those changes will be irreversible and the future unpredictable.

According to the most recent report from the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, we're well on the way to these points of no return. That's why the description of young environmentalists as "radical" annoys Göpel so much.

"All they're asking for is for politicians to match their stated goals and ambitions on climate change with behaviour," she says.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM NEW ZEALAND LISTENERView all
First-world problem
New Zealand Listener

First-world problem

Harrowing tales of migrants attempting to enter the US highlight the political failure to fully tackle the problem.

time-read
3 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Applying intelligence to AI
New Zealand Listener

Applying intelligence to AI

I call it the 'Terminator Effect', based on the premise that thinking machines took over the world.

time-read
2 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Nazism rears its head
New Zealand Listener

Nazism rears its head

Smirky Höcke, with his penchant for waving with a suspiciously straight elbow and an open palm, won't get to be boss of either state.

time-read
2 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Staying ahead of the game
New Zealand Listener

Staying ahead of the game

Will the brave new world of bipartisanship that seems to be on offer with an Infrastructure Commission come to fruition?

time-read
4 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Grasping the nettle
New Zealand Listener

Grasping the nettle

Broccoli is horrible. It smells, when being cooked, like cat pee.

time-read
3 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Hangry? Eat breakfast
New Zealand Listener

Hangry? Eat breakfast

People who don't break their fast first thing in the morning report the least life satisfaction.

time-read
3 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Chemical reaction
New Zealand Listener

Chemical reaction

Nitrates in processed meats are well known to cause harm, but consumed from plant sources, their effect is quite different.

time-read
4 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Me and my guitar
New Zealand Listener

Me and my guitar

Australian guitarist Karin Schaupp sticks to the familiar for her Dunedin concerts.

time-read
2 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Time is on my side
New Zealand Listener

Time is on my side

Age does not weary some of our much-loved musicians but what keeps them on the road?

time-read
7 mins  |
September 9, 2024
The kids are not alright
New Zealand Listener

The kids are not alright

Nuanced account details how China's blessed generation has been replaced by one consumed by fear and hopelessness.

time-read
4 mins  |
September 9, 2024