Page 24 - Tropic Magazine Issue 34

TROPIC • ENVIRONMENT

Force of nature

CLIMATE CONNECTION
As the founder of global
environmental movement
Climate Force, Barney Swan is
making climate action simple,
sexy and good business.

Words: Renee Cluff 1
Whether it’s through planting trees with Through his charity organisation Climate
Jane Goodall, sustainably sledge-hauling Force, Barney is dedicated to making
in Antarctica, or working on green climate action inclusive by offering
technology solutions in Silicon Valley, simple opportunities for sustainability COVID is like preschool
Barney Swan is certainly a force of nature. while stimulating social governance and compared with the climate
And he’s inviting everyone along for deep connections to natural areas.
the ride. Growing up off-grid in the Daintree crisis if we don’t get our
Rainforest laid the foundation for his act together in the next 10
philosophies. “Billions of people around
the world don’t have access to clean to 15 years
energy or clean water and that experience Barney Swan
taught me to respect things; don’t have Climate Force Founder
an hour-long shower, turn off the light,
don’t have that fan going too fast, manage
your waste,” he told Tropic. “Seeing trash He’s deeply concerned about what
on the beach I was always cleaning lies ahead if the world fails to act now.
up, then when I began travelling after “Cop26 confirmed that federally, we are
school, I saw forests that had been felled well behind every developed country in
and not managed and it was the most regards to our commitments,” he said.
disgusting thing to see. Then to witness “If we really don’t shift industry, reliance
people starving to death in India, seeing on fossil fuels and gas, it’s going to be a
hard core realities around the world bumpy ride.”
definitely has inspired me to step up my He’s certainly not about demonising any
own responsibility. For a white entitled sectors as many other climate activists
Australian, when you acknowledge that are, instead preferring to work with
you’re a part of the planet you love dying, politicians, big business and
you realise you are part of the solution.” decision-makers.

24 • Tropic • Issue 34