A Path to Climate Justice—bringing Lore to Law | Isabelle Reinecke and Aunty McRose Elu | TEDxSydney
In this compelling and timely conversation, Dr. Aunty McRose Elu, a Saibai Seisia Elder, visionary storyteller, and global climate advocate joins friend and collaborator Isabelle Reinecke, leading expert on the intersection of power, law and social justice, to explore the urgent need to harness both Western law and Indigenous knowledge systems in the fight for climate justice.
Drawing on decades of advocacy—from the UN to the courtroom—Aunty McRose shares the wisdom of Ailan Kustom and the lived realities of climate change in the Torres Strait. Isabelle brings over a decade of experience as a lawyer and change maker, supporting communities around Australia to hold power to account inside, and outside, of court. The two women draw on their experience collaborating on the groundbreaking Australian Climate Case in the fight for climate justice for communities in the Torres Strait and beyond.
Together, they ask: What kind of justice is possible when we bring both systems together? Dr Aunty McRose Elu is a Saibai Seisia Elder - a formidable leader and scholar. Since 1980, Dr Elu has been drawing global attention to the impact of climate change on the Torres Strait, including speaking at the UN and to business and political leaders. Building on this long history of climate organising she is part of the Australian Climate Case, a landmark class action taking the federal government to court for failing to prevent climate change. She is an Executive Producer and Writer on the new documentary Testimony which follows this case. She brings to this role her power as a visionary on story and keeper of deep cultural knowledge and guidance on protocols and Ailan Kustom.Isabelle Reinecke is a lawyer and the founding Executive Director of Grata Fund, a leading not-profit based at the University of NSW that campaigns, incubates litigation and funds people and communities challenging systemic gridlocks across human rights, climate injustice and democratic freedoms.For more on this story, watch out for the forthcoming documentary, Testimony, www.testimony-film.com
www.gratafund.org.au www.australianclimatecase.org.auInstagram: @gratafund @australianclimatecase @isabelle.reinecke This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
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