'Murrawah Maroochy Johnson' by The Goldman Environmental Prize

2024 Goldman Prize winner Murrawah Maroochy JohnsonGoldman Environmental Prize

Murrawah Maroochy Johnson, a film by the Goldman Environmental Prize, is a finalist in the Environmental category at the MY HERO Project’s 20^th Annual International Film Festival. The short film details Murrawah Johnson’s work as a grassroots campaigner and climate activist. Johnson played an instrumental part in halting the development of a huge coal mine in Queensland, Australia which, if allowed to be developed, would have destroyed the entire 20,000 acres of the Bimblebox Nature Refuge; emitted 1.58 billion tons of carbon dioxide, increasing the rate of climate change in Queensland; and threatened the rights of Indigenous populations in the area. 

The Galilee Basin 

Australia is the second largest exporter of coal in the world; in 2023, Australia exported a total value of $83.30 billion worth of coal.[1] In the Galilee Basin in Queensland is one of the world’s largest coal reserves, containing approximately 23 billion tons of coal. The Carmichael coal mine, owned by Adani Mining PTY LTD, was the first mine to begin extraction in the Galilee Basin. Extraction began in 2021, despite a ten-year long campaign against its development.[2] Indigenous Australians were against the development of the Carmichael mine, as its development posed a significant threat to their land. Not only will the mine increase the rate of climate change due to the billions of tons of carbon dioxide it would release whilst in operation,[3] but destroy vast areas of land and its wildlife.

Screenshot taken from 'Murrawah Maroochy Johnson' by The Goldman Environmental PrizeProtesters come together to oppose the development of mines in the Galilee Basin, Queensland, Australia.

Though the Carmichael coal mine was developed and is currently operating, the campaigns did result in a reduction of the rate of extraction from 60 million tons a year to 10 million.[4] However, the Carmichael mine is only one of several mining applications to have been submitted for the Galilee Basin. In 2019, Waratah Coal PTY LTD applied to develop a mine in the basin that would extract 40 million tons a year for 35 years, having catastrophic effects on the land and lives of Indigenous Australian communities.[5]

Murrawah Maroochy Johnson

Murrawah Maroochy Johnson is a 29-year-old Wirdi woman from the Birri Gubba Nation.[6] At 19 years old, she was invited by her elders to join the Wangan and Jagalingou Traditional Owners Family Council as a representative for young members of the community; in particular, she shared their views on the Stop Adani campaign against the Carmichael coal mine. Since then, she co-founded Youth Verdict with a colleague Monique Jeffs. The organization seeks to protect the environment and marginalized communities against exploitative “big businesses and profits,”[7] and promote climate justice.

Upon learning of the submission of the Waratah mine application, Johnson and her colleagues at Youth Verdict quickly partnered with the Environmental Defenders Office (EDO) to try and prevent the application’s approval. Through her team of lawyers at the EDO, Johnson argued that the Waratah coal mine would infringe on the rights of Indigenous Australians in Queensland by destroying their land and contributing to climate change in the country. She based her argument on a recent piece of legislation called the Queensland Human Rights Act. According to the Act, the cultural rights of Indigenous Australians in Queensland are intrinsically linked to traditional ownership of territories.[8]

Johnson also argued that in order to prove that the mine threatened their rights, the courts had to hear testimony from Indigenous peoples directly in Indigenous territory. Surprisingly, the courts agreed. Johnson and the Youth Verdicts team gathered witnesses to testify and demonstrate to the courts how Indigenous culture and the environment cannot be separated; the environment in Queensland cannot be harmed without also harming the Indigenous communities.

In late 2022, the Land Courts urged the government to reject the Waratah mining application. This was largely due to the link between the environment and the rights of Indigenous peoples that Johnson highlighted throughout the legal process. Historically, a decision like this being made on the basis such a connection has never been made. Now, however, a precedent has been set.[9]

For her unwavering commitment to protecting the environment, advocacy for climate justice, and leadership, Murrawah Johnson received The Goldman Environmental Prize. 

You can watch the Goldman Prize’s film about Murrawah Maroochy Johnson here.

About The Goldman Environmental Prize

The Goldman Environmental Prize was founded in 1989 by Richard and Rhoda Goldman, as they wanted to reward activists and inspire others to join the fight for climate justice. The prize, “honors the achievements and leadership of grassroots environmental activists from around the world, inspiring all of us to take action to protect our planet.” By “grassroots,” they mean, “those involved in local efforts, where positive change is created through community or citizen participation.”[10]

The winners are announced at an annual live award ceremony, which coincides with Earth Day. Due to restrictions because of the pandemic in recent years, the award ceremony has been hosted virtually. However, under normal circumstances, the ceremony is held at the San Francisco Opera House in California. There is also a smaller, more intimate ceremony for the winners only, which is held in Washington D.C. At the winner’s ceremony, they are presented with a bronze sculpture of an Ouroboros, a serpent biting its tail; in many cultures, the ouroboros is a symbol of nature’s power of renewal.

To date, The Goldman Environmental Prize have honored 226 environmental activists, from 95 different countries. To see the previous winners of the award, click here. 

To learn more about the other 2024 winners of the Goldman Environmental Prize, click here.

About the MY HERO International Film Festival:

The My Hero Film Festival is an annual event dedicated to showcasing films that celebrate the power of the human spirit. The festival provides a platform for filmmakers to share inspirational stories of everyday heroes. Thanks to generous sponsors, prizes are awarded to elementary, middle school, high school, college and professionals in a variety of categories including documentary, narrative, music video, animation, experimental, and more.

The festival aims to inspire audiences to recognize the heroism in their own lives and encourage positive actions in their communities. Learn more.

Join us in celebrating 20 years of The MY HERO International Film Festival on November 16, 6pm @ the Ann and Jerry Moss Theater at New Roads School in Santa Monica, California. Find out more HERE.

[1] https://www.tradeimex.in/blogs/coal-exports-statistics

[2] Murrawah Maroochy Johnson. [Online] Available https://www.goldmanprize.org/recipient/murrawah-maroochy-johnson/.2024.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Readfearn, Graham. After Adani: whatever happened to Queensland’s Galilee basin coal boom?. [Online] Available https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/jan/09/after-adani-whatever-happened-to-queenslands-galilee-basin-coal-boom.2022.

[5] Murrawah Maroochy Johnson. [Online] Available https://www.goldmanprize.org/recipient/murrawah-maroochy-johnson/.2024.

[6] Murrawah Johnson. [Online] Available https://www.naidoc.org.au/award-finalist/murrawah%C2%A0johnson.2024.

[7] Our Vision. [Online] Available https://www.youthverdict.org.au/who-we-are.2024.

[8] Murrawah Maroochy Johnson. [Online] Available https://www.goldmanprize.org/recipient/murrawah-maroochy-johnson/.2024.

[9] Ibid.

[10] Overview of the Prize. [Online] Available https://www.goldmanprize.org/overview-of-the-prize/.2024.