“The best antidote to anxiety is action.”
As part of our commitment to responsible practices, we entered into an ongoing partnership with ClientEarth – an environmental charity using the power of the law to protect all life on Earth – in 2022. So far, we have hosted three pro bono, awareness and fundraising events, aimed at galvanising our creative community. These events have totalled €814,222 in donations to date. In supporting ClientEarth’s critical work, we place our resources where they can have a great impact.
Here, ClientEarth’s CEO Laura Clarke details the work they do, the importance of collaboration and future opportunities for change.
- What was your journey to sustainability and what brought you to ClientEarth?
I spent 20 years as a diplomat in the British Foreign Office because I was motivated to make a positive impact in the world. Diplomacy at its best is about the art of the possible, building understanding and working creatively with others to effect change. My roles included British High Commissioner to New Zealand and Samoa, and Governor of the Pitcairn Islands. Witnessing climate issues firsthand in the South Pacific, I realised I wanted to focus on these issues full-time. I was approached for a job at ClientEarth, which was ideal as it aims for systemic change using the law to create a better world for future generations – if you use the law in the right place at the right time, you get the right rules in place, you bring the right court case that sets a precedent, you really can effect systemic change. I've been with Client Earth for almost two years now, and it's an organisation filled with extraordinarily committed individuals who are always thinking creatively about how to effect change.
- ClientEarth has to work with a wide range of stakeholders, from governments and corporations to NGOs and local communities. How important is collaboration for meaningful change?
Collaboration is absolutely critical. The issues we're facing are so all-encompassing and interwoven that we need input from every sector – business, diplomacy, charity, arts, culture and governments – and we need to collaborate effectively to maximise impact.
We work with other NGOs to get the right laws in place. We work with governments on legislation or regulatory reform. We work with local communities, whether on forest governance or air quality. And we work with the music and arts sector, which is so important. If you think about social movements, from women's rights to LGBTQIA+ rights to the campaign against apartheid, all of these causes were furthered immeasurably by the arts and cultural sector, because arts and culture get people thinking and feeling. It wins hearts and minds, and it reaches where politics or legal activism can't.
- ClientEarth has been involved in groundbreaking legal battles for environmental protection. Can you discuss one particularly memorable case and the impact it had?
A particularly memorable case was in 2019 against a new coal power plant in Poland, the Ostrołęka C plant. It was significant because the plant's emissions would have had the same annual emissions as New Zealand's. We invested in this Polish energy company so we could challenge the plant as shareholders, arguing it was a bad investment and would become a stranded asset. The court agreed and blocked the plant, causing the company's share price to jump, indicating market agreement. It’s a nice example of how you can work creatively using corporate and financial tools to drive effective change.
There was another case close to all of our hearts, which involved the indigenous Torres Strait Islanders of Australia. We supported their argument to the UN Human Rights Committee that Australia's inaction on climate change violated their rights, including the right to life and indigenous culture. The committee agreed, requiring Australia to do more and pay compensation. This case used human rights arguments to drive climate action by governments.
Living in New Zealand, I learned about the Maori concept of kaitiakitanga, which means guardianship of nature for future generations. It’s a worldview that emphasises harmony with nature and I think we can all draw a lot of inspiration from that.
- Sustainability and the climate crisis can feel overwhelming and hard to quantify. In light of this, how does ClientEarth define success?
Success can come in many different forms, but at ClientEarth it means a systemic change in how we power economies, grow food, produce and transport goods, and interact with the environment. It's about shifting mindsets to value sustainability in every decision. Success can be getting the right law in place, winning a legal intervention, or raising awareness through cases. But success can also come from failure. We took a case against the board of directors of Shell, which ultimately didn't succeed as the court refused to hear the substance of the case. Regardless, the case and the responsibility of directors to manage climate risk were written about extensively and talked about in boardrooms around the world. It still had an impact.
The ultimate goal is to change hearts and minds, leading to decisions and behaviours that prioritise sustainability and balance with the Earth.
- How do you manage climate anxiety, both as a company and personally?
The best antidote to anxiety is action. I focus my energies on tackling climate and biodiversity crises. As an organisation, we emphasise well-being, celebrate successes and draw on inspiration from our collaborations. It's important to look at how far we've come and not just the challenges ahead. Being part of a team helps manage anxiety – collaboration fosters a sense of purpose and collective action.
- Who inspires you?
I’m a huge fan of young climate activists like Vanessa Nakate and Luisa Neubauer. But there are also government leaders, like Mia Mottley, who are a driving force. There are many reasons to be cheerful, but we can't ever be complacent. We must keep striving for change.
- What is the next big challenge or opportunity for ClientEarth?
We’re excited about how we can use our tools for climate action to address biodiversity as well. This includes corporate responsibility and human rights related to biodiversity. There will be some interesting cases coming up on this.
We must consider climate and biodiversity together. We’re in a modern, post-industrial age of seeing ourselves as separate from nature, but everything we do depends on it – clean air, water, plants needed for food and medicine – and sometimes that gets lost. Holding on to that is critically important.
Our commitment to being more responsible starts with improving our processes and extends to working with ClientEarth to support systemic change. Learn more about the work we are doing.