The Daily Show: Ears Edition - Vanessa Nakate - "A Bigger Picture"

Episode Date: November 7, 2021

Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate talks about her memoir "A Bigger Picture" and why African countries should be at the center of the global conversation about climate change. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Like none of this stuff gets looked at. That's what's incredible. I'm Seth Done of CBS News. Listen to 60 Minutes, a second the th.. th. th. th. the th. th. th. th. th. th. the th. the th. th. th. th. the th. th. th. the the th. th. th. thi-S. the, the, thi-S. thi-S. thea-Sepepea-Sepe-Sepnipe, the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. th. th. th. There. There. There. There. There. It. It. It's th. It's th. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's th. It's th. It's the. It's the. It's the. 0e. 0e. 0e. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. That's what's incredible. I'm Seth Done of CBS News. Listen to 60 Minutes, a second look, starting September 17th, wherever you get your podcasts. Vanessa Nakate, thank you very much for taking the time today. You're welcome. It's really great to have you on the show, you know, because I feel like in the past two years you have come up the ranks and you know, because I feel like in the past few years you have come up the ranks and you you have risen to become one of the the most outspoken activists for climate change around the world, you know, and and you've been an activist who's proudly been campaigning not just for

the world, but also for a continent that is often overlooked and that is of course the African continent. And you were inspired by Greta Tumberg, I believe. But there's no denying, Greta comes from a very different world in that like, she lives in a world of free speech, she lives in a place where you live in a place, you know, going up against the government, isn't anything that could ever where you have to be respectful even in your activism because if you're not careful, things may not go well for you. So what was that like for you?

It hasn't really been very easy and when I started activism, I knew very well how hard it was to get permits to organize strikes. And in countries like mine, education is really prioritized. From when we are children, we are told education is the key to success. So many students understand how important it is for them to be in school and not skip school and go for a climate strike. So these are some of the things that have really hindered us from organizing big strikes. However, that hasn't stopped us from doing activism.

We've been going to these schools and reaching students within the school so that we can try to keep advocating and demanding for climate justice, even though we can't go out on the streets easily. You have found, I think, really effective ways to get a message out there. You are now on the cover of Time magazine. I found, I think, really effective ways to get a message out there. You are now on the cover of Time magazine. I mean, congratulations. You know, what did it feel like being on the cover of Time magazine, you know, as a climate

activist? And then number two, what do you hope to achieve with some of the fame that comes with that status? I was really surprised to find myself on the time cover and I would never imagine it in my life or even dream. So it's not like it was a dream come true, no it wasn't a dream so I never really sought of it. It helps give me a platform and just reach more people to keep talking about the same thing that I've been talking about all this time about the climate realities of the people in my country, Uganda, and the people across the African continent. For people to always know that while Africa is on the front lines of the climate crisis, it

is one of the least emitters of CO2 emissions of all continents except for Antarctica. It's funny you talk about emissions. Africa emits less than all these other countries in the countries countries countries countries countries countries countries countries countries countries countries countries countries countries countries the countries the countries to to to the countries of all continents except for Antarctica. It's funny you talk about emissions. Africa emits less than all these other countries in the conversation, but the conversation seems to be focused on, you know, predominantly European countries or Western nations. I feel like you have had that experience on a personal level as well. Multiple times, you have gone to an event to speak,

to represent the continent, to talk about climate change, and you have been cropped out of the photo that talks about the event. You talk about that in your book, by the way, and I'd love to know what you think that is and how you've responded to that. Well, I think that is the horrible reality of the climate crisis. Africa is responsible for only 3% of global emissions. While we are on the front lines of the climate crisis, we are not on the front pages of the world's newspapers.

But we are seeing continuous under-representation of activists from the most affected areas. Even those who are able to be at these conferences or press conferences, like my personal experience, we still face a regia, you know, of being in those spaces. You know, I think that, you know, we won't be able to have climate justice if everyone is not included. Climate justice is only justice. If every community, if every voice is listened to, is amplified, especially people from the most affected areas, there really is no climate justice without racial justice.

And that is a conversation very many people don't want to have. Recently, the president of Uganda, Museveni wrote a scathing op-ed, you know, really indiiting the West in how it talks about climate change. Now his conclusion is one that I don't know that you would or wouldn't agree with, but he said to say to developing nations especially in Africa that they need to step away from fossil fuels is to basically condemn them to a constant cycle of poverty. As a climate activist who has programs where you go, you know, and try and get solar

panels and cleaner cooking methods into schools or homes in Uganda, what would your response be to that and what do you think an added conversation to this whole dialogue could be? When it comes to this issue, I understand when presidents like mine or presidents from developing countries, you know, talk about things like this, because the global North developed and became rich at the expense of very many communities while extracting fossil fuels, like oil, like coal, like gas, and we see how wealthy these nations are. So for many people in developing countries, coal or the discovery of coal or oil and gas in their countries means like a door to wealth.

That's why there is a huge responsibility on developed countries to provide climate finance for developing countries to easily transition to renewable energy to easily to easily transition to, to easily transition to provide climate finance for developing countries to easily transition to renewable energy to easily transition to you know more sustainable cities but even the promised climate finance is going to be delayed until 2023 which is unfair which is so disappointing for communities that are on the front lines and if we are to get this climate finance, we want it in form of grants, not loans, because we don't want more debt to be added on already existing debt. Many parts of Africa have people who are saying, look, I don't care about 50 years from now because

tomorrow isn't even promised to me. So when you're in your communities and when you're talking to some of these people convincing them of not going..... to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, the, the, to, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, to, the, the, the, to, to, to, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, and, the, their, their, their, their, toe, their, toe.a, toe.a, toe.a, toe.a, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, isn't even promised to me. So when you're in your communities and when you're talking to some of these people convincing them of not going into oil or convincing them of not going into coal, or what do you find as a conversation that helps them understand? I think that what has really worked for some of the people or communities that we've reached out to, is helping them understand the intersection of climate change and, you know, the daily life. For people to understand that climate change is more than weather, it's more than statistics, it's more than data, it's about the people.

We talk about 1.5, but not everyone understands what 1.5 degrees is, but people will understand when you say that this is an issue that is going to affect the food. Tomorrow you may not have access to food, or today you may not have access to food because of this disaster. You may not be able to access water because of this disaster. So it's more of helping people understand that. It's an issue that is beyond statistics or specific degrees. It is something that affects every sector over our lives and it's important for all of us to work together and be able to transform this world

and make it a better place. Well Vanessa thank you so much for taking the time. I know that you are having these conversations with some of the most powerful people in the world so I appreciate you coming on the show and sharing your your wisdom with us. Congratulations on the book and hopefully we'll see you again. Thank you. Vanessa's book, A Bigger Picture, is available right now. Watch the Daily Show, Week Nights at 11, 10 Central on Comedy Central, and stream full episodes anytime on Paramount Plus. When 60 Minutes premiered in September 1968, there was nothing like it. This is 60 Minutes. It's a kind of a magazine for television.

Very few have been given access to the treasures in our archives. But that's all about to change. Like none of this stuff gets looked at. That's what's incredible. I'm Seth Done of CBS News. Listen to 60 Minutes, a second look on Apple podcasts starting September 17. This has been a Comedy Central Podcast.