South Asian Heritage Month

Hi everyone! As we prepare to celebrate South Asian Heritage Month, we thought we would take the opportunity to introduce you to 3 incredible women of South Asian heritage –?and their unique contributions to saving our planet.

It’s the perfect opportunity to do so as we are seeing in real time the effects climate change is having specifically on their demographic. The UN reports that more than 80% of displaced individuals of climate change will be women. In addition, the majority of the communities that are and will continue to be affected are communities of colour and?indigenous people.

Anita Sethi?

Environmental writing has become one of the major turning points for raising awareness of the dangers facing our planet. Something Manchester born, journalist and writer, Anita Sethi is well aware of. Sethi has written some ground-breaking pieces that address British relations with nature, racism, and our uses of the environment. She has written for?The Guardian, The Observer, The Times,?and many more news outlets exploring topics surrounding culture and the environment. On top of this, her work has been anthologised into pieces such as?Women in Nature?(2021),?Seaside Special: Postcards from the Edge?(2018) and?Seasons?(2016).

Perhaps her biggest achievement yet is her award-winning book?I Belong Here?(2021). The idea for book and the trilogy that is to follow were sparked after Sethi was racially abused. She was told to;?“go back to where you’re from’?whilst aboard the pennine express train travelling to Newcastle. Not letting the bigoted, misplaced comment get under her skin. She instead is inspired and takes us along on her journey across the Pennines, aka ‘the backbone of England’. On foot this time, exploring nature and the environment around her whilst examining ideas of ‘roots’ and belonging.

As a keen walker and a hiker, Sethi is constantly seeking out nature beyond the manic U.K. cities. Her time outside gives her chance to reflect on the way we treat our environment. And, how it’s not too dissimilar to how we treat others in current society. Referencing things like British banana plantations and railway developments, she makes connections between?colonialism, slave labour and the commonwealth?and how these have affected our earth and will continue to do so.

Sethi is a brilliant example of how environmentalist work is not just limited to protesting or activism.

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?Tessa Khan?

Tessa Khan is now an environmental lawyer currently living in the UK. However whilst working for a non profit women’s rights organisation during her time living in Thailand. She realised how powerful the law and courts could be in regards to fighting climate change. When she heard of a court ruling, ordering the Netherlands to reduce its greenhouse-gas emissions.

Inspired by the case, she moved over to the UK and joined Urgenda (the climate case against the Dutch government). In partnership with Urgenda, she cofounded the?Climate Litigation Network?to support similar cases all over the world. With her background in international human rights, she was able to bring a new skillset to the organisation. Her main role is providing legal assistance to people who are fed up with their government and their climate polices. Ultimately, encouraging them to take them to court.

Through her work she has assisted many activist groups. Helping them in suing their government,?getting them to make steady changes for a greener future. The company has helped many cases over the world, including Canada, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, and South Korea. But their biggest win came in 2019. When the Supreme Court of the Netherlands ordered their government to scale back on coal power. And to invest around 3 Billion Euros in cutting carbon emissions. Khans’ main hope for the future of the organisation is that it brings public attention to where their government is failing. And how, if supported, easy it is to provoke them into action.

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