Elijah McKenzie-Jackson | |
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Born | London, United Kingdom | 28 December 2003
Nationality | British |
Occupations |
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Organization | Waic Up Institute |
Known for | Participation in the School Strike for Climate |
Partner(s) | Jerome Foster II (2021–present; engaged 2023) [1] |
Website | https://www.elijahmckenziejackson.com https://www.emj.earth |
Signature | |
Elijah McKenzie-Jackson (born 28 December 2003) [2] is a visual artist [3] focused on common themes of climate justice, based in London and New York City, known for noting intersectional themes; for example indigenous rights. [4] [5] McKenzie-Jackson is co-founder at Waic Up, [6] an organizer of Youth Strike for Climate, and is a United Nations Togetherband Ambassador. [7] He is one of the organizers who started Fridays for Future UK, in February 2019.
McKenzie-Jackson, since the age of 15, has used art as a form of protest as well as organized climate protests across Europe and South America and has spoken at the Parliament of the United Kingdom, the House of Lords, EU Parliament, [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] outside the G7 Conference [13] and in the Amazonian Rainforest. [14]
McKenzie-Jackson born in Walthamthow, London, lives with his maternal grandmother, Jean Young. [15] McKenzie-Jackson grew up a vegetarian on the grounds of animal welfare, “At 14, I transitioned to veganism, which helped me understand why it can't just be personal change when fighting the climate crisis”. [16] McKenzie-Jackson was inspired to merge environmental activism and when he first heard about climate change in his school, Woodbridge High School, through doing research and watching documentaries. [15]
"I learned a tiny bit about climate change in school. I started watching documentaries, doing my own research, and I got very frustrated. I didn't understand why no politicians were acting" - Elijah McKenzie-Jackson, The Guardian. [15]
McKenzie-Jackson studied Fine Art and Sociology in New York City since 2022. [16]
McKenzie-Jackson, in 2023, has been known for his Art focusing on Climate Change [17] as well his commentary on societal issues like the divestment away from fossil fuels. [18] He is the Founder and Head Artist of the civci art innovation: EMJ Earth, [19] where all his art is published.
“In my work, I craft large-scale art installations, paint murals, and curate exhibits that vividly depict the impacts of the climate emergency.” [20]
Mckenzie-Jackson, first public launch of art, early 2019, was with a photo series named “How would you feel?” [20] A self portrait series of intimidated wildlife affected by humanity. This series was a starting point for McKenzie-Jackson’s career and landed a double spread in GQ, [21] at age 15.
McKenzie-Jackson released his first NFT collection, [22] depicting three pictures of clowns. The collection "The Mockery of Money Behind Destruction" aimed to increase public awareness of how the oil industry's revenues are used to fuel the global warming issue.
In 2023, Mckenzie-Jackson launched a painting named: “I <3 Paris” [23] This painting addressed issues of climate change and the Paris Agreement.
McKenzie-Jackson is internationally known for playing a leading role in School Strike for Climate movement. [24] [25] [26] McKenzie-Jackson is a United Nations Togetherband Ambassador for Sustainable Develop Goals 13 & 14. [7] He served as coordinator at UK Student Climate Network [27] and an organizer at the Stop Trump Coalition. [28] [29]
McKenzie-Jackson first started climate striking on February 15, 2019, in Parliament Square, London. [30] On 20 September 2019, alongside UK Student Climate Network, he managed to break England's national record for the biggest environmental protest [31] with over 100,000 demonstrators in attendance. [32]
In November 2019, McKenzie-Jackson went on an expedition into the Amazonian rainforest, [33] where he learned about social and environmental injustice and he met with well known activists such as the Pussy Riots and Chief Raoni. [34]
McKenzie-Jackson in February 2020, went on hunger strike [35] over the proposed first deep coal mine in 30 years [36] by UK Government in West Cumbria. [37] McKenzie-Jackson coined the phrase, "won't eat until new coal mine is scrapped". [38] He ended his hunger strike on Day 10 [39] when he was invited into the UK Parliament [40] to speak to politicians about the proposed West Cumbria coal mine. [41] McKenzie-Jackson's 10-day hunger strike triggered actions and protests against the proposed project in Whitehaven. [42] McKenzie-Jackson then, one year later in 2021 [43] started his second 10-day hunger-strike, [44] where he gathered 111,475 petition signatures [45] in collaboration with Coal Action Network [46] in order to appeal Robert Jenrick decision regarding the West Cumbria coal mine.
In July 2022, McKenzie-Jackson and his partner, Jerome Foster II, co-authored a letter to the UNFCCC to call on the United Nations to move COP27 climate summit due to Egypt's "LGBTQ+ torture, woman slaughter, and civil rights suppression" he says [47] after they started looking into logistics of traveling to Sharm El-Sheikh. [48] As McKenzie-Jackson is an openly-public bisexual figure, [49] him and his partner "might be targeted" [47] according to Guardian News.
The letter, which was directed towards UNFCCC Executive-Secretary, Patricia Espinosa, was signed by prominent activists such as Nadya Tolokonnikova, Ahmed Alaa, and Eric Njuguna. The couple are calling the UNFCCC non-action a betrayal of the community and “inherent discrimination.” [50] McKenzie-Jackson emphasized that, “there are better options of countries in Africa that will still include African voices. People shouldn't be cannon fodder for the climate movement. Cop27 will fail if it's in Egypt because critical voices will be left out.”
McKenzie-Jackson has spoken about his clinically diagnosed depression due to climate grief. [51] He stated in 2023, that art plays a crital role in the processing of his emotions and that painting is his escape. [23]
"It is pretty depressing that young people are essentially forced to organise and lobby for a future. However, I would say I am eager to see real change and action from our so-called leaders. I'd like to see real action, following science, while treating climate change like the crisis it really is.” [52]
Mckenzie-Jackson is bisexual ands has been in a public relationship with his partner, Jerome Foster II, since 2021. [53]
Coal is mined in every state of Australia. The largest black coal resources occur in Queensland and New South Wales. About 70% of coal mined in Australia is exported, mostly to eastern Asia, and of the balance most is used in electricity generation. In 2019-20 Australia exported 390 Mt of coal and was the world's largest exporter of metallurgical coal and second largest exporter of thermal coal. While only employing 50,000 mining jobs nationally coal provides a rich revenue stream for governments.
Coal mining in the United Kingdom dates back to Roman times and occurred in many different parts of the country. Britain's coalfields are associated with Northumberland and Durham, North and South Wales, Yorkshire, the Scottish Central Belt, Lancashire, Cumbria, the East and West Midlands and Kent. After 1972, coal mining quickly collapsed and had practically disappeared by the 21st century. The consumption of coal—mostly for electricity—fell from 157 million tonnes in 1970 to 587,000 tonnes in 2023 Employment in coal mines fell from a peak of 1,191,000 in 1920 to 695,000 in 1956, 247,000 in 1976, 44,000 in 1993, 2,000 in 2015, and to 360 in 2022.
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Woodhouse Colliery, also known as Whitehaven coal mine, is a proposed coal mine near to Whitehaven in Cumbria, England. The coal mine has been advertised as bringing jobs to a deprived area, but has also come in for criticism by green campaigners. The mine is proposed by West Cumbria Mining and plans to extract coking coal from beneath the Irish Sea for 25 years. The plan has been criticised by some MPs, scientists and environmentalists due to the coal mine's environmental impact and the UK government's legal commitments to reduce UK carbon emissions.
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