From Fiji to the Frontlines: Dr Suhailah Ali on climate justice, mental health and saving the Pacific

In this episode of Stories From the Pacific, our guest traces her journey from a curious child in Fiji — gazing out across the ocean — to a leading neuroscientist exploring how the human brain works. But for Dr Suhailah Ali, understanding the mind was only part of the story. She came to realise that science alone isn’t enough if we don’t also fight for the world we inhabit. Now a passionate climate justice advocate, Dr Ali has moved beyond the lab to the frontlines, working with organisations like Jubilee Australia to hold powerful corporations accountable. Joining host Wendy Mocke, she shares why climate change is not only reshaping our environment but how it’s also taking a profound toll on our mental health. More importantly, she explains why protecting the Pacific means caring for one another’s wellbeing — our spirits as much as our shores. Listen on ABC Radio Australia.