Among other things, posters of Allan Border, Blondie and the Rainbow Warrior adorned the walls of his teenage bedroom.
This episode’s guest did not go on to play Cricket for Australia nor will you find him strutting his stuff singing Call Me, but you will find him at the helm, controlling the rudder, as the CEO of Greenpeace Australia Pacific.
David Ritter talks to us about hope, the need for systemic change and agape – a publicly directed love. He tells his story with the kind of passion that creates action and you will hear how the “spirit of the fires”, companies moving together to zero and a net carbon neutral Albert Park Kindergarten inspire him to campaign for a green and peaceful future.
Have a listen and #getinvolved
David’s interview is a two-part episode – here’s Part A & B
In late 2018 the Rainbow Warrior was back in Australian waters to join the successful campaign to protect the Great Australian Bight from deep water oil drilling. We held an open day on the ship at Circular Quay and of course my two daughters came down to join the day. 
There are some amazing creatures that are endemic to the Great Australian Bight ocean and coast line – and that were threatened by plans to drill for oil. Here, I am about to go climbing with some conservation colleagues and scientists to visit the coastal hideaway of a rare bat. 
In the heart of drought stricken regional NSW. Terrible drought conditions are worse and more common because of climate change. 
Celebrating the festive season by dropping off a mass petition calling for reform of fisheries laws to Number 10. I was head of biodiversity campaigns at Greenpeace UK at the time. The campaign succeeded, resulting in wholesale reform of the Common Fisheries Policy. 
Inspecting what remains of the Darling River near Menindee with a local Greenpeace supporter shortly after the mass fish deaths that shocked the world. 
Greenpeace is a global organisation and I’m here with my great friend Yeb Sano, the Executive Director of our nearest neighbour, Greenpeace South East Asia. 
We make systems change by shifting institutions! Here I am celebrating Albert Park Kinder becoming the first carbon neutral kindergarten in Australia. 
2013 the new Rainbow Warrior (the third ship to carry the name) visited Australia for the first time. 
Dressed up in hazmat as we put the heat on the Commonwealth bank to stop funding new coal. Later in the day the bank made the commitment and the campaign was won. 
At one of the launch events for my most recent book, The Coal Truth: The Fight to Stop Adani, Defeat the Big Polluters and Reclaim our Democracy 
Joining the Student Strikers for a peaceful occupation of parliament house in Canberra. The energy and integrity of the student strikers has given fantastic fresh energy to the global climate movement. 
AGL – Australia’s largest domestic climate polluter – is suing Greenpeace for parodying their logo. Here I am with my terrific colleagues Glenn Walker and Katrina Bullock on the steps of the Federal Court in Sydney.
More Resources:
- David’s recent Griffith Review piece – Our Once and Future Home: Journeying with the Climate Pilgrims [act.gp/griffith72]
- David’s book The Coal Truth: The fight to stop Adani, defeat the big polluters and reclaim our democracy, UWA Publishing
- David contributed the final chapter to the book Living with the Anthropocene: Love, Loss and Hope in the Face of Environmental Crisis, Cameron Muir (Editor), Kirsten Wehner (Editor), Jenny Newell (Editor): NewSouth Publishing
- David contributes monthly columns to Pro Bono Australia and Independent Australia
- David has a forthcoming piece in Arena
- David’s profile on the Greenpeace Australia Pacific website, and David can be found on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook
