When: Saturday, June 29 at 7PM
Where: Downtown Vancouver (TBA)
Who: Bill McKibben and Anjali Appadurai, hosted by Avi Lewis.
Free registration, space is limited.
VANCOUVER (Musqueaum, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Territories) – This spring, oil started to flow through the infamous TransMountain Pipeline expansion, bringing with it a fresh wave of sadness, anger and fighting spirit to the community of Vancouverites who resisted this $34 billion boondoggle for more than a decade. At the same time, with a local government that delights in ripping up bike lanes, and Conservative political parties surging both provincially and federally, the Climate Justice movement has its work cut out for it in the next year.
Avi Lewis is thrilled to host two powerhouse voices in the climate movement: Bill McKibben, renowned environmentalist and founder of 350.org and Third Act, and Anjali Appadurai, the fierce climate justice advocate and former federal candidate for Vancouver–Granville . These speakers have dedicated their lives to challenging the status quo and building a safe and sustainable future.
In this conversation, they'll delve into the stark contrast between the city's embrace of "green" rhetoric and lifestyles alongside the relentless push for fossil export expansion epitomized by the TMX pipeline. How can we reconcile a city that's a beacon of "green living" with one that also stands as a hub for some of the dirtiest oil on the planet? What lessons can Vancouver teach the world about the power and peril of local climate action?
Expect an evening filled with compelling stories of camaraderie and a shared determination to fight for our planet's future. Let's face the climate challenge head-on and explore how collective action can turn the tide. Bring your questions, your frustrations, and most importantly, your hope. Together, we can push for the change we need.
Join Avi and friends for an unforgettable evening, and then let's roll up our sleeves and get back to work, Vancouver!
Bill McKibben, founder of 350.org and Third Act, is a prominent climate activist known for organizing people over 60 for climate and justice actions. He co-founded 350.org, the first global grassroots climate campaign, leading major protests against oil pipelines like Keystone XL and TMX, tanker projects, and spearheading the fossil fuel divestment movement, which has resulted in endowments worth over $40 trillion stepping back from fossil fuels. His 1989 book "The End of Nature," the first general audience book on climate change, has been translated into 24 languages. McKibben has written 20 books and contributes regularly to periodicals such as The New Yorker and Rolling Stone. He is the Schumann Distinguished Scholar at Middlebury College and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, with numerous accolades, including the Right Livelihood Award. McKibben lives in the mountains above Lake Champlain with his wife, writer Sue Halpern, and in 2014, a new species of woodland gnat was named in his honour.
Anjali Appadurai is a climate justice advocate who began her career by building a strong civil society presence at the UN Climate Convention, working with global social movements to demand climate justice. She is passionate about connecting climate change to globalization, colonization, and economic inequality. Anjali has worked as the Climate Justice Lead at Sierra Club BC, applying an equity lens to the climate movement in British Columbia. In addition to her activism, she is a singer, songwriter, and music producer, aiming to merge politics and art to inspire collective action. Anjali has also run for political office, including a candidacy for the BC NDP leadership and as a federal NDP candidate for Vancouver Granville
Avi Lewis is a filmmaker, journalist, and climate activist based in Vancouver, BC. He co-authored the Leap Manifesto with his wife, Naomi Klein, and a coalition of environmentalists, activists, and indigenous leaders in Canada. The manifesto was launched in 2015 to propose a framework for emergency climate action while simultaneously tackling issues of economic inequality, racism, and colonialism. In 2021, Lewis ran as the NDP candidate for West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country. Currently, he is an Associate Professor at UBC's Centre for Climate Justice, where he teaches courses in Climate Justice and Documentaries and Social Change.