Hollie Kerwin and the climate team at Environmental Justice Australia have filed two Court cases in the Federal Court in the past year, as part of the Living Wonders legal intervention, which is heading to trial next month.
They’ve commenced the litigation against Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek for failing to accept the climate harm of new coal and gas to the environment, pursuing it as the latest step in legal intervention compelling the minister to reconsider the climate risks from nearly all coal and gas proposals currently awaiting her approval.
They’re representing a small volunteer environment group in the process, the Environment Council of Central Queensland, and together argue that the science is clear: with new coal mine expansions posing serious and irreversible threats to the climate and thousands of threatened animals, plants and places.
They pursue this action as part of a broader fight for climate justice, which Kerwin says sees them mostly working at the intersection of climate harm and social justice.
Kerwin’s team at EJA is part of a rising global trend in global climate change litigation that is pushing governments and corporate actors to pursue more ambitious climate change mitigation and adaption targets, with the women-led EJA pursuing multiple cases in Australia.
If successful in the above litigation against the Minister, the effects will be game-changing, likely transforming how the current environment minister and future such ministers will assess climate risks.
Kerwin is Principal Lawyer with EJA, working alongside Co-CEOs Nicola Rivers and Elizabeth McKinnon, as well as Chief Operating Officer Thea Lange, and a diverse board.
“It is an absolute highlight to see the bravery of our client and the skills of the climate team at work,” Kerwin said.
“Backed by thousands and thousands of community voices and organisations — they raise crucial legal questions in Court about whether our Federal Minister for Environment is required to recognise the asserted climate impacts of new gas and coal on thousands of protected places and species in Australia.”
We checked in with Kerwin, one year after she was named the Emerging Leader on Climate Action winner at last year’s Women’s Agenda Leadership Awards.
On accepting the award you noted that “…we all benefit from women and non binary folk in our lives who hold us up and make us stronger and encourage us on to new things”.
Has anything changed or strengthened your feminism in the last 12 months?
I guess there are two strands to this. In my personal life, we are in the process of building a new kitchen.
My partner, our kids, my Mum and a team of mostly women and non-binary tradies are working together to turn a corner of our little flat into a place to make food for many years to come! It is an inspiring thing to watch – creative, collaborative, problem solving with mutual respect. A model for all our different ways of living full lives!
The other pressing thought for me is about the ongoing need to reject increasing harmful transphobia. A combination of witnessing this bigotry, and its effects, has made me think hard about how I show up in my workplace, at home and as a citizen.
For me, too, mostly working at the intersection of climate harm and social justice, Judith Butler’s analysis that the renewed rising moral panic about gender and identity reflects (among other things) a misplaced anxiety about different, truly destructive, forces that do exist and need our attention, including climate change, resonates strongly.
What are you most concerned about now in 2023, regarding challenges facing women in law?
Increasing meaningful representation of affected communities in climate advocacy and policy roles, including First Nations people and people of colour.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve learned when it comes to leadership?
I think this might change week by week! But, over the last week I’ve had three conversations with people about our different experiences of imposter syndrome.
Something I’ve been thinking about, which is a piece of advice from earlier this year, is to be very conscious of where our inputs come from at work about our different strengths, especially when I’m finding leading challenging.
Any advice for those who might be hesitating about putting their hand up for an opportunity – whether it’s for an award, a promotion or something else?
Do it! Also, don’t feel like you have to do it! Opportunities will come around again and you might very sensibly choose to wait this one out including so you can have richness in another part of your life.
Photo credit: Emma Byrnes