The Green Desk

This week for Green Desk, Mitchell chats with Extinction Rebellion spokesperson Rosie Gee.The conversation comes after the Auckland branch of the socio-political movement held a funeral procession prior to their meeting with the Environmental Committee. The meeting called on Auckland Council to declare a climate emergency and implement an immediate climate safety plan. Mitchell begins by asking Rosie about the beginnings of the newly formed socio-political movement which emerged in late 2018.

Last week, Mitchell spoke to Dr Mels Barton, the organiser of Seaweek under NZAEE. The week focuses on a range of events from fun competitions to educational lectures. Mitchell and Dr Barton discuss the biggest threats to our underwater ecosystems and how we can begin to start to make positive change.

This week on Green Desk Mitchell speaks to Auckland Council’s water manager Andrew Chin about the Auckland’s Lake Pupuke. There are concerns regarding a potential toxic algal bloom in Lake Pupuke which could have serious implications for the health of the lake, its users and its biodiversity.

The Auckland Council have recently applied for a resource consent to place flocculants in Lake Pupuke in case a toxic algal bloom does occur. Mitchell begins by asking Mr Chin about toxic algal blooms, what they are and how they form.

Today Mitchell Fuller talks to Sedef Dude Ozyurt who was the leader of the Aotearoa Youth Delegation at the COP 24 conference held in Poland in November last year. They discuss the aim of COP, what its all about, New Zealand's stance, and the role the IPCC report played in the conference. Mitchell begins asking Sedef a bit about how she ended up at COP and the nuts and bolts of it all.