What it actually takes to sue your government over climate policy – and win – with Georgia Elliott-Smith

“I'm taking the government to court. This is bonkers.” In 2021, environmental engineer and the founder of Fighting Dirty, Georgia Elliott-Smith, did something almost no private citizen had done before: she took the UK government to the High Court over its Emissions Trading Scheme – and won. The landmark ruling established that near-term government policy must account for the Paris Agreement, a precedent described as the most significant regulatory intervention to the UK waste industry in a generation.

In episode one of Season Three, Climate Humans: The Policy Edition, Elliott-Smith speaks to host Mauricio Porras about the reality of citizen-led legal action, the unglamorous persistence it demands, and what her case might mean for environmental accountability elsewhere in the world.

Learn more about ⁠Fighting Dirty⁠.

Climate Humans is brought to you by HERO, the platform for people-powered climate solutions. Produced by Josie Colter. Edited by Ben Beheshty. Hosted by Mauricio Porras.

Timestamps

00:10 Welcome to Climate Humans Season Three: The Policy Edition + today’s guest

02:26 Quickfire warm-up: elevator pitch, comfort food & court theme song

05:56 Advice that fuels the work: “Don’t let lack of money stop you”

07:07 The 2019 wake-up call: when sustainability work stopped feeling enough

10:17 Meaningful change vs. “fiddling while Rome burns”

11:13 Greenwashing from the inside: how ESG language gets gamed

13:36 From consultant to activist: joining Extinction Rebellion & dropping the ego

15:47 The incinerator turning point: re-reading the science and changing sides

17:13 Go after the system: law, policy, finance – and the legal challenge begins

18:20 Crowdfunding courage: community support and the long-run win

19:21 How legal action forces change: disclosures, consultation, and rewriting the rules

21:05 ‘The Queen vs Me’: Seeing your name up against the government!

22:13 Why Elliott-Smith founded Fighting Dirty (and the legal dream team behind it)

23:22 Carrot vs Stick: Why law beats voluntary corporate sustainability

27:25 Fundraising without burning out: community, kindness & chocolate

31:20 Case study: The UK waste tyre scandal and the ‘one-two punch’ strategy

36:54 What’s next: PFAS, waste & holding iIndividuals accountable

38:41 The Future Elliott-Smith is fighting for & final thanks

Det här avsnittet är hämtat från ett öppet RSS-flöde och publiceras inte av Podme. Det kan innehålla reklam.

Avsnitt(37)

How to start over in the world of changemaking, with Melati Wijsen

"We had no idea what the word activism was. It was just doing the right thing, at the right time, for the right reasons." Melati Wijsen was 12-years-old when she helped say “bye bye” to plastic bags i...

20 Maj 45min

Climate justice & collective liberation with poet and activist Liba Ravindran

“Stepping up as a hero for me means collective redemption; this collective arc of solidarity and liberation,” says poet and activist Liba Ravindran on the Climate Humans podcast. In conversation with ...

15 Juli 202529min

Why climate funding needs a justice-first approach, with Impatience Earth CEO Yasmin Ahammad

“Now is the time to really double down on tackling equity and justice as part of climate work, rather than shying away,” says the CEO of Impatience Earth, Yasmin Ahammad, on the Climate Humans podcast...

13 Maj 202523min

Why truth is the new frontlines for climate action, with Germany’s best known climate activist, Luisa Neubauer

“If there’s no shared understanding of what is true, we’re going to have a hard time organizing for real change,” says Germany’s Fridays for Future leader, Luisa Neubauer, on the Climate Humans podcas...

20 Mars 202540min

Why real climate leadership is about empowering others, with former Costa Rican President Carlos Alvarado

“If somebody's really empowered, it's from within.” Former Costa Rican President Carlos Alvarado joins the Climate Humans podcast to share why true climate leadership isn’t about authority—it’s about ...

24 Feb 202537min

Building the parent-led climate movement of love around the world, with Maya Mailer

“I think many parents are everyday heroes,” says Our Kids’ Climate co-director and Mothers Rise Up co-founder, Maya Mailer, on the Climate Humans podcast. In conversation with HERO’s Mauricio Porras, ...

13 Jan 202533min

Igniting the creative climate revolution, with Lucy von Sturmer

“If this work isn't valued now, what hope do we have as a humanity?” asks Lucy von Sturmer, the founder and director of Creatives for Climate, on the Climate Humans podcast. In conversation with HERO’...

18 Nov 202449min