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What inspired
Annie Lennox to become
a social activist?
Legendary singer-songwriter, social activist and GCU Chancellor, Dr Annie Lennox OBE,
revealed that her grandparents and Eurythmics partner Dave Stewart’s stepfather inspired
her to become a social activist fighting for climate action.
Dr Lennox spoke with pride about
how her working-class
grandparents fought for social justice.
“My passion for social activism came
from my father’s side of the family, who
were working-class shipyard workers
and socialists. One half of my family
were very socially conscious and
activists between the first and second
world wars.
“My grandparents were social
activists working outside the factory
gates, handing out pamphlets, fighting
against the fascists that came up to
Scotland trying to persuade workingclass
people to join the fascist
movement. I only found out about
my grandparents’ activism later
on in life.
“Some of that
consciousness has come
from hearing these issues
being discussed around the
dinner table. It wasn’t
beaten into me, but
somehow or another,
there is something in the
Lennox DNA that is very
aware of injustice. It has
always been the case. I
feel it in my bones. It is
in my blood and I cannot
walk away from it.
“When I went
down to London in
1971, something
significant
happened to me.
Dave Stewart, my partner in
Eurythmics’, stepfather was passionate
about the glaciers melting.
“He had every book on the subject.
Every Sunday, he used to go with a
placard down to Camden Lock and tell
people that the ice caps were melting
and we were going to be flooded. It
sounded quite eccentric at the time, but
he knew that huge climate justice
organisations were picking up on this.
“That is why I am so passionate as
Chancellor of Glasgow Caledonian
University to encourage and inspire our
students to actively take part in tackling
this climate emergency.
“This is a real, serious, global,
pending catastrophe - I’m not going to
mince my words because we can’t hide
it under the table anymore. We must
speak candidly about it. Our young
generation must inherit the earth and it
must be a fit place for our children and
grandchildren, otherwise we have no
future.
“As Chancellor, my role involves
young students who work hard to
become graduates, scientists,
visionaries, planners and leaders. I’m
deeply concerned about the challenges
they will have to face in the years that
lie ahead.”
Aberdeen-born Dr Lennox, now living
in America, said she has given up meat
and become vegetarian to help reduce
her impact on the planet but wishes she
could do more.
She added: “I’m living here in
America. Everything is plastic. To be
quite frank, it haunts me because I don’t
personally know how to change a
system that is all around me.
“If there was one thing, my one
change is becoming vegetarian and not
eating red meat. I live with despair; I am
dreadfully anxious about our future.
Every day I feel ‘Oh my god, we’re
stuck’.”
Dr Lennox hopes that after COP26
world leaders will “walk the talk”.
She said: “Being around COP26,
everyone is focused on climate change
but afterwards, when everyone leaves,
one has to walk one’s talk. If large
countries such as India and China do
not get on board and really genuinely try
to reduce their emissions, we are in real
jeopardy.
“The latest UN report says we are
missing the opportunity to build back
better after the pandemic and if we
don’t, we face disastrous temperature
rises of at least 2.7C if countries fail to
meet their climate goals. That is really
sobering. COP26 is not about the talk –
it’s about meeting the pledges, so the
outcome remains to be seen.”
“There is something
in the Lennox DNA
that is very aware
of injustice.