Mikaela Loach
{{Short description|Climate justice activist ()}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Mikaela Loach
| image =
| nationality = Jamaican/British
| education = The University of Edinburgh medical student
| birth_date =
| birth_place = Kingston, Jamaica
| death_date =
| years_active =
| known_for = Climate justice activist, blogger and podcaster
}}
Mikaela Loach is a British climate justice activist, author, and former medical student.{{Citation |last=Pickard |first=Sarah |title=Disruptive do-it-ourselves politics: young climate and environmental activists |date=2024-05-16 |work=Research Handbook on the Sociology of Youth |pages=254–267 |url=https://www.elgaronline.com/edcollchap/book/9781803921808/book-part-9781803921808-31.xml |access-date=2024-07-21 |publisher=Edward Elgar Publishing |doi=10.4337/9781803921808.00031 |isbn=978-1-80392-180-8|url-access=subscription }}{{Cite book |last=OBE |first=Juliet Davenport |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1pB5EAAAQBAJ&dq=Mikaela+Loach&pg=PT218 |title=The Green Start-up: 'A beautiful, urgent "how-to" for the leaders of today and tomorrow' - MARY PORTAS |date=2022-10-27 |publisher=Heligo Books |isbn=978-1-78870-751-0 |language=en}}{{Cite book |last1=Bratton |first1=John |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Pv0MEQAAQBAJ&dq=Mikaela+Loach&pg=PT464 |title=Capitalism and Classical Social Theory: Fourth Edition |last2=Denham |first2=David |date=2024-06-03 |publisher=University of Toronto Press |isbn=978-1-4875-5633-4 |language=en}}
She was brought up in Surrey, living in Edinburgh, Scotland.{{cite news|first1=Genevieve|last1=Fox|access-date=17 April 2023|title='It's my calling': Mikaela Loach, rising star of the climate crisis campaign|url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/apr/16/its-my-calling-mikaela-loach-climate-campaigner-its-not-that-radical|newspaper=The Observer|date=16 April 2023|issn=0029-7712}}{{cite web|access-date=17 April 2023|title=Mikaela Loach: "The only thing that will ensure our survival is a…|url=https://www.kerrang.com/mikaela-loach-interview-climate-activist-earth-day-stop-jackdaw-cambo-environment-cover-story/|website=Kerrang!|date=20 April 2022 }} She is a medical student at the University of Edinburgh{{Cite web|title=The top sustainability influencers to follow on Instagram: From veganism to plastic-free living|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/sustainable-living/sustainable-influencer-instagram-vegan-slow-fashion-b1794625.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220514/https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/sustainable-living/sustainable-influencer-instagram-vegan-slow-fashion-b1794625.html |first=Emily |last=Cope|archive-date=14 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|date=3 February 2021|access-date=6 March 2021|website=The Independent|language=en}} who published a book and uses social media for campaigning, named as one of the Prospect top thinkers in 2024.{{Cite web|title=Ep047: #GoodAncestor Mikaela Loach on Climate Justice & Antiracism|url=http://laylafsaad.com/good-ancestor-podcast/ep047-mikaela-loach|access-date=13 April 2021|website=LAYLA F. SAAD|date=24 February 2021 |language=en-US}}{{Cite journal |date=January 2024 |title=25 Thinkers for a World on the Brink |journal=Prospect |pages=24}}
Alongside Jo Becker, Loach is the co-producer, writer and presenter of the Yikes podcast, which explores climate change, human rights and social justice.{{Cite web|last=Townsend|first=Solitaire|title=100 UK Leading Environmentalists (Who Happen To Be Women)|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/solitairetownsend/2020/11/16/100-uk-leading-environmentalists-who-happen-to-be-women/|date=16 November 2020|access-date=6 March 2021|website=Forbes|language=en}} She is the author of the book It's Not That Radical: Climate Action to Transform Our World (2023).{{cite web|url=https://www.dazeddigital.com/life-culture/article/58392/1/just-stop-oil-interview-spring-2023-interview-climate-activism|title=Art attack! The unstoppable uprising of young climate activists|website=Dazed Digital|first=Ellen|last=Peirson-Hagger|date=14 March 2023|access-date=4 April 2023}}
Early life and education
Loach was born in Kingston Jamaica to a British father and Jamaican mother, and moved to Surrey, United Kingdom.{{cite web |date=20 April 2022 |title=Mikaela Loach: "The only thing that will ensure our survival is a… |url=https://www.kerrang.com/mikaela-loach-interview-climate-activist-earth-day-stop-jackdaw-cambo-environment-cover-story/ |access-date=17 April 2023 |website=Kerrang!}} In the UK, Loach attended Farlington School.{{cite web | title=Farlington Student Baking for Argentina | website=UK Boarding Schools | date=February 3, 2014 | url=https://www.ukboardingschools.com/news/farlington-student-baking-argentina/ | access-date=September 12, 2024}}
Campaigning
Loach advocates for environmental justice, racial justice, sustainable fashion, as well as speaking out on issues such as white supremacy and maltreatment of migrants.{{Cite book |last=Thomas |first=Leah |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GfBkEAAAQBAJ |title=The Intersectional Environmentalist: How to Dismantle Systems of Oppression to Protect People + Planet |date=2022-04-07 |publisher=Profile |isbn=978-1-80081-286-4 |language=en}} She also seeks to make the climate movement more inclusive and promoting 'active hope' and collective action,{{Cite web |date=2023-10-20 |title=Mikaela Loach on fighting the climate crisis through social justice and being a 'soft Black girl' |url=https://www.channel4.com/news/mikaela-loach-on-fighting-the-climate-crisis-through-social-justice-and-being-a-soft-black-girl |access-date=2024-07-21 |website=Channel 4 News |language=en-GB}} which extends to all 'emitting' industries and areas of cultural institutions and of event sponsorship.{{Cite web|last=Murray|first=Georgia |title=15 Women Decolonizing Sustainable Fashion|url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2020/09/10053076/sustainable-ethical-fashion-activist-women|date=25 September 2020|access-date=22 March 2021|website=Refinery29|language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Rowbotham |first=Isabel |date=8 September 2021 |title=Environmental influencers: climate justice activism |url=https://www.the-kingfisher.org/sustainable_cities/europe/environmental_influencers.html |access-date=2024-07-21 |website=www.the-kingfisher.org}}{{Cite book |title=The Routledge companion to girls' studies |date=2024 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-0-367-42116-8 |editor-last=Mazzarella |editor-first=Sharon R. |edition=First |series=Routledge companions to gender |location=Abingdon, Oxon; New York, NY}}{{Cite web |last=Hiraide |first=Lydia Ayame |date=2021-11-12 |title=Opinion – Black and Southern Feminisms Matter in the Global Climate Struggle |url=https://www.e-ir.info/2021/11/12/opinion-black-and-southern-feminisms-matter-in-the-global-climate-struggle/ |access-date=2024-07-21 |website=E-International Relations |language=en-US}}{{Cite book |last=Spence |first=Rachel |title=Battle for the Museum |date=3 May 2024 |publisher=C.Hurst (Publishers) Ltd |isbn=9781787387751 |pages=212 |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Dugan |first=Emily |date=2023-08-13 |title=Author walks out of Edinburgh book festival over sponsor's fossil fuel links |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/13/mikaela-loach-author-walks-out-of-edinburgh-book-festival-over-sponsors-fossil-fuel-links |access-date=2024-07-21 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}
During part of 2019 Extinction Rebellion climate crisis protests in London, Loach locked-on for eight hours in an attempt to prevent police clearing a site.{{Cite news|date=8 October 2019|title=Extinction Rebellion protests: 'This is a last resort'|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-49976827|access-date=6 March 2021}} She also campaigns with Climate Camp Scotland.{{Cite web|title=Activist Mikaela Loach on Breaking up With Fast Fashion and Why Climate Justice Is Racial Justice|url=https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/mikaela-loach-climate-race-activism-fast-fashion/|access-date=22 March 2021|website=Global Citizen|date=9 December 2020 |language=en}} She was a speaker at Zurich Insurance Group's Youth Against Carbon Conference.{{Cite news|title='We're fighting for our futures'|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/science-environment-54572398|access-date=22 March 2021}} In 2020, Loach created the Yikes podcast with Jo Becker.{{Cite journal |last=Yıldırım |first=Seda |date=2021-01-01 |title=Do green women influencers spur sustainable consumption patterns? Descriptive evidences from social media influencers |journal=Ecofeminism and Climate Change |volume=2 |issue=4 |pages=198–210 |doi=10.1108/EFCC-02-2021-0003 |issn=2633-4070|doi-access=free }}{{Cite book |last=Jones |first=Lynne |title=Sorry for the Inconvenience But This Is an Emergency - The Nonviolent Struggle for Our Planet's Future |date=7 March 2024 |publisher=C.Hurst (Publishers) Ltd |isbn=9781911723035 |language=en}}
In December 2021, Loach took part in a judicial review alongside other activists, to challenge the UK Government's oil and gas strategy.{{Cite web|date=4 November 2021|title="The Only People Who Can Save Us Are Ourselves": Climate Activist Mikaela Loach on Why She's Taking the UK Government to Court|url=https://www.vogue.com/article/climate-activist-mikaela-loach-cop26-taking-the-uk-government-to-court|access-date=26 November 2021|first=Emily|last=Chan|website=Vogue|language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=McKie |first=Robin |date=4 December 2021 |title=Environmental activists challenge 'unlawful' UK fossil fuel plan in high court |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/dec/04/environmental-activists-challenge-unlawful-uk-fossil-fuel-plan-in-high-court |access-date=18 March 2024 |work=The Observer |language=en-GB |issn=0029-7712}} In January 2022, the High Court found against the activists, stating the case had "no basis in the statute".{{Cite web |title=R (oao Cox & Others) v Oil and Gas Authority & Others ("Paid to Pollute case") |url=https://climatecasechart.com/non-us-case/loach-et-al-v-oga-paid-to-pollute-case/ |access-date=5 June 2024 |website=Climate Change Litigation |language=en-US}} But her 'Stop Oil' campaigning continues and has an impact on young activists.{{Cite book |last=Hertzog-Young |first=Charlie |title=Spinning Out - Climate Change, Mental Health and Fighting for a Better Future |date=26 September 2023 |publisher=Footnote Press |isbn=9781804440605 |language=en}}{{Cite book |last1=Starik |first1=Mark |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6t25EAAAQBAJ&dq=Mikaela+Loach&pg=PA160 |title=Handbook of Multi-Level Climate Actions: Sparking and Sustaining Transformative Approaches |last2=Rands |first2=Gordon P. |last3=Deason |first3=Jonathan P. |last4=Kanashiro |first4=Patricia |date=2023-01-20 |publisher=Edward Elgar Publishing |isbn=978-1-80220-245-8 |pages=160 |language=en}} A related campaign Loach engages in is against fast fashion and supply chains bringing the physical, environmental damage and human rights issues together, and attempts to improve advice and practices in the market,{{Cite book |last1=Mansfield |first1=Nicola |title=Fashion supply chain management |last2=Grose |first2=Virginia |date=2023 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-0-367-70340-0 |edition=1st |series=Mastering fashion management |location=New York, NY}} and has concerns about the hidden emissions from buildings.{{Cite book |last=Woolley |first=Tom |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M_oGEQAAQBAJ&dq=Mikaela+Loach&pg=PT139 |title=Building Materials, Health and Indoor Air Quality: Volume 2 |date=2024-05-23 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=978-1-040-02617-5 |language=en}} She was one of the authors who disrupted the Edinburgh International Book Festival in 2024, in relation to sponsorship concerns.{{Cite web |title=Author Mikaela Loach walks out of her Edinburgh book festival event over fossil fuel links |url=https://news.sky.com/story/author-mikaela-loach-walks-out-of-her-edinburgh-book-festival-event-over-fossil-fuel-links-12939634 |access-date=2024-07-21 |website=Sky News |language=en}} Loach sees the various campaigns as integrated, comparing her "networks of resistance" to a network of fungi, linking trees in a forest.{{Cite book |last=Massie-Blomfield |first=Amber |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hLXZEAAAQBAJ&dq=Mikaela+Loach&pg=PT79 |title=Acts of Resistance: The Power of Art to Create a Better World |date=2024-06-27 |publisher=Footnote Press |isbn=978-1-80444-074-2 |language=en}}
Publications
- It's Not That Radical: Climate Action to Transform Our World. London: DK, 2023. {{ISBN|978-0241597538}}.
References
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Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:Alumni of the University of Edinburgh
Category:Black British activists
Category:British climate activists
Category:British women bloggers
Category:British women podcasters
Category:English people of Jamaican descent
Category:Jamaican people of British descent
Category:Jamaican women activists