February 4, 2021
Ash is studying a masters programme in Environmental Communication & Management with SLU. Alongside studying, he works as a course coordinator at CEMUS, Uppsala University, where he runs courses on issues surrounding climate change, politics and leadership. While in this role, he has founded a student magazine and works with students to create their own projects that aim to address the sustainable development goals. During the spring, Ash will work to expand the CLIPOP network and be involved with a variety of tasks at Zeromission. Ash is British and originally comes from Manchester.
1. What’s your main driving force to work with issues regarding climate change?
Taking action on climate change has been put off for decades, but now it has become too big of a problem to ignore. From the wildfires in Australia to the plagues of locusts across Sub-Saharan Africa, to seeing the house I grew up in flood year after year, climate change is no longer a problem of the future. To make matters worse, those who will suffer the worst effects of climate change contributed the least to its creation. I think these issues of equity and urgency are what inspire me the most to want to work within this sector.
2. What do you look forward to the most with your internship at ZeroMission?
I am really looking forward to getting some work experience and seeing how companies are changing their behaviour to meet the goals of the Paris agreement. I have always been on the environmental team of previous jobs I have had, but I have never had any real capacity to make change, so it’s going to be great for my work to actually have some impact. I am excited to see the whole process of how businesses reduce their emissions and how offsetting projects can benefit businesses and local people alike.
3. What do you do when you are not at work?
I used to revel in going to music festivals, gigs and live comedy shows, but my ability to indulge in these pastimes has been limited this past year. I now spend my days reading books and cooking up good food. I enjoy going for forest walks and mountain biking on weekends not spent pottering around Stockholm looking at the nice architecture.