Sr Brigid Arthur CSB. PHOTO: Supplied, via Sight Magazine.
Octogenarian nun, Brigid Arthur CSB, lost faith in Australian politicians a long time ago - making her a natural ally for defiant teenagers seeking to force action on climate change, writes Michael Taylor for the Thomas Reuter Foundation in Sight Magazine.
Equally fed up with political foot-dragging, the 86-year-old has joined eight students from across Australia in a landmark case seeking to block the expansion of Whitehaven Coal's mine in New South Wales.
The lawsuit, which held its first hearing last week, argues that Environment Minister Sussan Ley has a duty of care to protect young people from climate change that endangers their future.
If successful, it could make it more difficult for coal mines to be approved in Australia, one of the world's largest per capita carbon emitters which is highly reliant on coal exports.
"Our governments, for quite a long time now, seem to be swayed by short-term objectives, and in particular getting elected in the next election," said Sr Brigid, who spent years to working with children as a teacher and principal.
"They seem almost unable to do anything that is going to be a bit unpopular but in the long-term good for the country," she said, citing climate, refugee and economic policies.
The environment ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
As a Brigidine Sister - a Catholic order founded in Ireland more than 200 years ago – Sr Brigid devoted much of her life to education in its Brigidine Colleges - and in 2001 set up the Brigidine Asylum Seekers Project, a charity.
She did not think twice when lawyers involved in the climate lawsuit asked her to be the litigation guardian for the students, aged 13 to 17, who - as minors - legally required an adult to give instructions on their behalf.
"It was an easy sell. I passionately believe that we are doing damage to our planet, and seeing the world as we know it dying around us," said Sr Brigid, who has cropped grey hair and glasses.
"While I'm no expert about climate change, I can't see how people and the world cannot believe that we have a total moral duty to do something about it."
She said the "smart kids" involved in the Melbourne lawsuit had all taken part in the global youth climate strikes - launched by teen activist Greta Thunberg - and they hoped to create a "tipping point" for governments to take climate action”.
A judgment is not expected for several months.
This is an abridged form of an article by Michael Taylor, written for the Thomas Reuters Foundation and published in Sight Magazine. See the full article here.