Climate & Environmental Justice
Our work on climate and environmental justice is built on the understanding that, “The impacts of climate change will not be borne equally or fairly, between rich and poor, women and men, and older and younger generations.” Climate change is not only an issue of environmental conservation, but also an issue of justice and human rights. While those most responsible for climate change are relatively insulated from its impacts, it is those who have contributed least that are likely to feel the effects most significantly. Various reports on who’s causing climate change, including one 2020 report co-published by Oxfam and the Stockholm Environment Institute, show that there is a gap between those who are most responsible for the climate crisis and those who are most burdened by it. According to the Oxfam/SEI study, between 1990 and 2015, the richest 1% of the global population caused twice as many carbon emissions as the poorest 50%. Critically, many people in that 50% group are part of MAPA (Most affected people and areas), the most affected people and areas when it comes to global warming <br>
Climate vulnerability depends not only on the impacts of climate change on a country or community but on their ability to deal with these impacts. Communities experiencing extreme poverty have the fewest resources and little capacity to adapt and therefore are the most vulnerable. Yet at the same time, communities who bear the brunt of the climate crisis are the ones most left out – their voices are not heard and they are absent from decision making processes on how to address this crisis.
Our climate and environmental justice work therefore will:
- Lobby for progressive climate financing and paying for ‘Loss and Damage’ (climate reparations)
- Promote climate education through the climate justice academy, advancement of indigenous knowledge on climate issues and use of localized climate education materials. We will empower community-based organisations with photojournalism skills and support them with resources to capture and document the loss and damages experienced in their communities. (Challenge the systemic exclusion of Global South thought leadership and indigenous practices in addressing the climate crisis by promoting and amplifying African thought leadership and indigenous knowledge)
- Contribute to regional climate change research through sponsoring undergraduate Research Projects, dissemination and contributions towards climate policy.(Confront the gendered impact of the climate crisis, ensuring that gender equality is considered and mainstreamed in all climate interventions ). Our research platform will be centered on africa action, sustainability, inclusion and community-led solutions)
- Advocate and increase awareness through influencing policy, strengthen community voices and action as well as building youth led movements on climate issues. Advocacy including amplifying community voices to demand climate financing on Loss and Damage. (Amplify and centre community voices in the climate discourse and decision making spaces and processes)
- Lobby for a more independent climate insurance to communities most vulnerable to climatic shocks.
