In our next episode of the Food for thought series we are with artist, teacher and co-founder of May Poject Gardens, Ian Solomon-Kawall. In this episode, 'Nature is our leveller', Ian explores both how nature can put us on a level playing field both in societally and individually.By The human rights and environmental podcast, hosted by Melanie Désert and Pippa Neill

Thinking of food In this first introductory episode of 'Food for thought,' EarthRights' hosts, Mel and Pippa, welcome listeners to revive their connection to the land and nourish change. The episode unfolds during the harvest season with vivid reflections on Mel's recent experiences at Coed Talylan in Wales and Pippa's stay on a farm in the Montene…

In the realm of "Food for Thought," hosted by Mel and Pippa of EarthRights, the series explores environmental justice, human rights, and sustainability through food. Mel's transformative experience in the Brecon Beacons in the forst and Pippa's at a farm in Montenegro reignite their connection with Earth, inspiring them to delve into the complexiti…

"Coming back down to EarthRights: The Healing Power of Nature" In the final episode of our Cycle for Life series, join me (Mel) for a walk in the woods where I bring our journey full circle, exploring the profound impact of nature on mental health and well-being. As avid cyclists, we embarked on a remarkable 10,000km journey, not just as a personal…

By The human rights and environmental podcast, hosted by Melanie Désert and Pippa Neill

By The human rights and environmental podcast, hosted by Melanie Désert and Pippa Neill

By The human rights and environmental podcast, hosted by Melanie Désert and Pippa Neill

By The human rights and environmental podcast, hosted by Melanie Désert and Pippa Neill

By The human rights and environmental podcast, hosted by Melanie Désert and Pippa Neill

By The human rights and environmental podcast, hosted by Melanie Désert and Pippa Neill

By The human rights and environmental podcast, hosted by Melanie Désert and Pippa Neill

By The human rights and environmental podcast, hosted by Melanie Désert and Pippa Neill

By The human rights and environmental podcast, hosted by Melanie Désert and Pippa Neill

By The human rights and environmental podcast, hosted by Melanie Désert and Pippa Neill

By The human rights and environmental podcast, hosted by Melanie Désert and Pippa Neill

By The human rights and environmental podcast, hosted by Melanie Désert and Pippa Neill

By The human rights and environmental podcast, hosted by Melanie Désert and Pippa Neill

By The human rights and environmental podcast, hosted by Melanie Désert and Pippa Neill

By The human rights and environmental podcast, hosted by Melanie Désert and Pippa Neill

By The human rights and environmental podcast, hosted by Melanie Désert and Pippa Neill

By The human rights and environmental podcast, hosted by Melanie Désert and Pippa Neill

In this episode of the Cycle for Life series, Mel and Arthur reflect on the inability to avoid winter in Europe. They cycled through huge storms, including the 'Bura', which is a North-Westerly wind coming off the Velabit mountain range of Coatia, and nearly took them off their bikes. They experienced gusts of 125km/h and encountered snow on the is…

5 days 5 borders - a conversation about the first 5 days of Mel and Arthur's cycle for life, through France, Switzerland, Northern Italy, Slovenia and into Croaita. A sunny and mountainous start, foggy and flat middle, and a final 50k along a blissful stretch of the Slovenian-Mediterranean coast on Euro Velo 8. An Epic first chapter of their journe…

Episode 2 reflects on Mel and Arthur's time in Sardinia with Highlining Bounceland crew. Beautiful memories were created. The community in the hills of Mekey's Farm next to Samugheo was established a few years ago by some highliners. It was thanks to 76 year old farmer, Mekey, that highliners and climbers are able to use his gorgeous land to train,…

It's just the beginning is the first episode of a new EarthRights series: Cycle for Life. In this episode Mel and Arthur share their stories of the first two weeks of their trip so far. Join for lots of laughter over the silly, ridiculous, oftentimes surprising situations they found themselves in. Cycle for Life is a new, more adventurous podcast s…

Join for an introduction to a new, more adventurous podcast series following Mel from EarthRights and her partner, Arthur, on their 5000km cycle for life (from Italy - Cairo) in memory of a close friend lost to suicide and in celebration of life itself. Please consider supporting the two suicide prevention and bereavement support charities they are…

In this episode of the EarthRights podcast, Mel is joined by fellow vehicle dweller, Juliet Murray, to discuss life on the road, fighting against eviction and protecting the rights of vehicle dwellers within the wider Gypsy, Roma, Travller community. ***Juliet and Mel recorded this a few weeks ago, the Community with Mel representing has since gone…

In this episode of the EarthRights podcast, Pippa is joined by Kate Liashchenko and Anastasia Laznya for a follow up conversation about the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Expanding on the conversation EarthRights had with Kate in Feburary just days before the Russian invasion, Anastasiya, a Ukranian ecologist/marine biologist, discusses further issue…

A timely and critical conversation with EarthRights' Ukrainian friend, Kate Liashchenko, as today Putin has officially invaded Ukraine, unprovoked. It is sending shivers down the spine. To get a clearer picture on the ongoing conflict and tense relationship between Ukraine and Russia, listen to Kate, Pippa and Mel's discussion on this tense and emo…

The EarthRights podcast is back with new music and an insightful conversation with Ray Chang about living in Taiwan under the threat of Chinese invasion. Ray is a recent Taiwanese graduate in political science, who we met in Prague awed by his break-dancing moves. Today's episode begins with a historical account of the relationship between Taiwan, …

Pippa and Mel reflect on their year of podcasting with EarthRights, their current concerns in terms of politics and the media, their jobs, COP26 and their personal favourite moments.By The human rights and environmental podcast, hosted by Melanie Désert and Pippa Neill

EarthRights is in conversation with Alphonsine Kabagabo, Director of Women for Refugee Women, about the difficulties in seeking asylum and being a refugee. We are focusing on women and other systemically disadvantaged groups, such as children and LGBTQ+ groups. This is so important as we must give a voice to the most vulnerable. We discuss why peop…

This is a very special episode. EarthRights is with Siva, a human trafficking survivor. Starting with Siva's poem about growth and perspective, we spend the episode going through Siva's 4 year journey from Sri Lanka to the UK, as well as the difficulties that he has faced since arriving and living in the UK. After all he has been through, he was on…

In this next BONUS episode of the EarthRights Podcast about post-war peace processes, Mel is in conversation with Paola (Colombian national living in the UK) and Mary (PhD student researching the impact of the armed conflict and drug policy in Colombia). In view of the very recent uprisings and protests going on in Colombia and Europe, Paola and Ma…

In today's BONUS episode, of the EarthRights Podcast Mel and Pippa talk to Ovida about Sri Lanka's ethnic conflict and the problems with peace processes. In this episode, we start by defining what peace processes are and exploring the difficulties that can occur when other nations intervene with internal conflicts. Ovi gives a detailed explanation …

In this timely episode of the EarthRights Podcast, as people experience a new-found freedom in heading out of the year of 'lockdowns', Mel is in conversation with their dancing companion, Philipp Reimann, about the history of Berlin's liberal clubbing culture. Mel and Philipp talk about the difficult to define right to leisure. Leisure, play time a…

Mel and Pippa are in conversation with Mexican journalist, Frank Hernandez, for Episode Nine of the EarthRights Podcast. They discuss the Mexican border crisis and whether the new Biden administration is a cause for hope or concern. Frank was born and raised in Ciudad Juarez, a Mexican town on the border of the U.S.. He is now residing in the U.S.,…

For Episode Eight of the EarthRights Podcast, Pippa and Mel are in conversation with Melis Omalar, journalist at Guiti News(an independent news outlet that focuses on migration) and communications assistant at the International Rescue Committee. Identity is so complex - there are so many different aspects to each person's live. Melis shares with us…

During Episode Seven of the EarthRights Podcast, EarthRights is in conversation with Roxane Chaplain, Personal Assistant to Marie Taussaint at the European Parliament. Together they work on environmental and legal matters at the EU level. Roxane, Pippa and Mel discuss the concept of climate justice, which means to frame the climate emergency as a p…

Welcome to Episode Six of the EarthRights Podcast; Mel and Pippa are in conversation with Cheila Collaço Rodrigues and Inès Deroche Rios, current and former Extinction Rebellion (XR) activists in Portugal. We start with the impact of the Portugese dictatorship, which Cheila explains moulded modern Portugese culture. People are very conservative and…

For Episode Five of the EarthRights Podcast, Mel and Pippa are in conversation with two Russian friends, who have asked to remain anonymous given the current unstable political situation in Russia. Ideology, corruption, propaganda, Alexei Navalny and methods to silence criticism - this episode aims to unveil some of Russia's secrets... Whilst the i…

For Episode Four of the EarthRights Podcast, we are in conversation with Marketa Fišarová, former Social Inclusion Officer in the Czech government. When Mel first moved to Prague for her Masters, Marketa offered Mel a place to live and consequently showed her around the city and taught her about the Czech way of life. This laid the foundations for …

For Episode Three of the EarthRights Podcast, we are in conversation with Kataryna Liashchenko, Ukrainian Sociologist, about the Frozen Conflict: Ukraine's Coal Crisis. This is an extremely informative episode on how Ukraine's failure to move away from coal production has led to an environmental crisis, but also a society and economy rooted in corr…

In this episode of the EarthRights Podcast Series Two, Pippa and Mel are in discussion with Vlada Melnychuk and Olja Brusko, two climate activists from Ukraine, who formed Zero Waste Society Ukraine. The discussion starts with #FridaysForFuture Movement, which began in August 2018, after Greta Thunberg and other young activists sat in front of the …

We are kick starting Series Two of the EarthRights podcast in conversation with Fil Sys, trainee lawyer and Roma rights campaigner. "There is a creeping injustice across Europe that is just not talked about. Roma people are the largest minority in Europe yet these people are subject to some of the most medieval racism, segregation and prejudice in …

EarthRights is back for Series Two to unravel the connection between human rights and climate change like never before. Join Pippa and Mel for conversations with activists and professionals from around Europe and beyond telling their stories of struggle against human rights abuses and the climate crisis. Visit our website for more information and t…

In this final episode of the first series of the EarthRights podcast, Pippa and Mel are discussing what the Covid-19 pandemic has exposed; the fragilities and inequalities in our system, and why ethical standards need to be restored on our road to recovery. Ethical standards guide laws, human rights and the ways we live our lives. So Pippa and Mel …

In episode 7, EarthRights looks at the possibility for a green and environmentally focussed recovery from Covid-19. The lockdowns which were introduced at the start of the pandemic provided the earth with a break, a tiny chance to recover and pause. It also provided the opportunity for many of us to slow down our previously fast-paced lives and tak…

In episode 6 of the EarthRights Podcast, we talk with Miles Rudgley about his research into Ecuador, oil extractivism and the rights of nature. Miles is currently working as a research associate at Fidelio Partners, which focuses on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues in the UK and abroad. At the end of his year abroad working in Peru…

In Episode 5 of the EarthRights Podcast we discuss the ins and outs of corporate sustainability with Curtis MacGeever, Senior Sustainability Consultant at Anthesis. Curtis’ role is extremely important because he helps to map action plans for businesses and local authorities in order for them to meet targets under the Paris Agreement.Sustainability …