LISA MCLAREN
Academic activist specialising in community science and youth climate action.
My Work
Academia
PhD Candidate at the Joint Centre for Disaster research. Exploring the connections between community science and community resilience, in the context of youth climate change activism in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Activism
National Convener of the Zero Carbon Act campaign for Generation Zero. The campaign created new climate change law for Aotearoa New Zealand which is currently been adopted by the coalition government and is going through Parliament.
About Me
I am originally from a sheep&beef farm in the Wairarapa where I still spends a lot of my time. I initially completed a Bachelor of Science (environmental studies) and a Bachelor of Arts (anthropology), before moving on to my Masters degree (climate change education). I then worked for four years in local government, with roles in resilience policy, community engagement and emergency management. I have just moved into the third year of my PhD at the Joint Centre for Disaster Research, where my research is exploring how community science projects can be used as a tool by youth climate activists to build community resilience. The project is funded through the Resilience Challenge national science challenge, and I am also involved in the Our Land and Water national science challenge as part of their Next Generation Influencers programme.
At the same time as doing my academic and policy work I became increasingly concerned about the lack of action around climate change, both at home and internationally. I became involved in climate change activism in 2011 and have been a youth delegate to the UN climate talks in both Paris and Warsaw. Upon returning from the Paris climate talks in 2015, I helped start a new climate campaign with a few friends from the youth climate change group, Generation Zero. I have volunteered for the last three years as the National Convener of this Zero Carbon Act campaign. The campaign created and championed a new climate law for Aotearoa New Zealand which is currently going through Parliament. I now spends a lot of my time mentoring young climate activists / advocates.
Contact
Get in Touch
Please contact me by any of the ways listed below.
Academic – l.mclaren@massey.ac.nz
Personal – lisamclarennz@gmail.com
Academic – @mclaren_lisa
Activist – @lisamclaren2013
