Listening to Youth Voices on International Youth Day 2017

By Hilary Heath

International Youth Day, held 12 August every year, presents an ideal time to reflect on the importance of building the adaptation and resilience of youth to climate change. Today’s youth, as well as future generations, will inherit climate change problems that they did not cause. If the world continues on its current emissions trajectory, a 16-year-old in 2017 will witness between 3.3 and 3.9 ℃ of global warming and as much as 1.2 meters of sea level rise by the age of 70. Given this stark context, youth have a huge stake in building climate resilience. 

The CJRF strives to raise the voices of youth and support youth-led solutions to climate change. In support of this aim, the CJRF co-hosted a panel at the 20th Session of the Youth Assembly at the United Nations entitled “Dialogue for Change: Bringing the Youth Perspective into Global Decision Making.” CJRF collaborated with IIED and Climate-KIC to create a space where youth attendees could share their opinions on how organizations and politicians can effectively engage youth at a local, national, and global level.  The session was attended by about 130 young people, ages 16 to 28.

Heather McGray (CJRF), Liz Carlile (IIED), and Janet Murray (Climate-KIC) posed two questions to the youth attendees:

  1. What is the best way to engage young people in politics and public decision-making?
  2. In terms of innovation and business, what are the most powerful ways to unleash youth creativity and potential?

Panel attendees broke into small groups to brainstorm answers to these questions. When engaging youth in politics and public decision-making, attendees highlighted the importance of strengthening youth voice; bridging the knowledge gap between generations; creating platforms for youth to connect with one another and collaborate; and creating a space for young people to learn, about both the engagement process and specific issues. When it comes to youth creativity and innovation, attendees discussed the importance of building youth skills; providing education, training, and mentorship opportunities; and creating official channels for youth to engage locally, nationally, and globally with senior leaders.

The session at the Youth Assembly highlighted that today’s youth have the creativity and energy to engage effectively in international platforms. CJRF believes in harnessing this creativity and energy to bring youth into climate change decision-making. Young people’s perspectives, ideas, and actions are critical for building an equitable, resilient world where everyone can thrive.

Climate Justice Resilience Fund at CBA11

CJRF Director Heather McGray attended the 11th International Conference on Community-Based Adaptation (CBA11) in Kampala, Uganda. This year's conference highlighted the benefits and challenges of using natural resources and ecosystems as part of adaptation work. CBA11 featured plenary and parallel interactive sessions, hands-on learning opportunities, group discussions, high-level speaker panels, video competitions, poster presentations and more. CJRF is pleased to have acted as a sponsor of CBA11

In keeping with CJRF’s focus on youth, our grant helped CBA11’s organizing partners facilitate links between CBA11 and the CBA11 Youth Conference at Makerere University. CJRF Director Heather McGray led a session entitled: “Youth, Climate, and Livelihoods: Bringing Innovation to CBA Youth Engagement, and Youth-driven Innovation to CBA Practice.” The session included presentations by Prof. Clara Decent Atuhaire, Mbarara University of Science and Technology; Dr. Tehut Tesfaye, CEO, Ethiopia Climate Innovation Center; Ms. Daphne Stella Nansambu, International Water Management Institute; and Mr. Edwin Muhumuza, Youth Go Green Uganda.

The CJRF session examined how to involve youth as active agents of change in community-based adaptation, through the following questions:

  1. How can CBA programs engage youth in ways that help to realize their aspirations?
  2. How can youth help to bring innovation and entrepreneurial spirit into the climate-sensitive sectors central to CBA and EBA?
  3. What market opportunities are on the horizon for youth interested in adaptation? 
  4. How can capacity building practices evolve to support youth to integrate climate resilience into their livelihoods?

The session sought to answer these questions by making use of an innovative, walk-and-talk format, through which audience members were encouraged to move around, meet new people, and reflect on the contributions of each of the panelists.

A programme (PDF) can be downloaded showing details of each session and the speakers. You can find complete coverage of CBA11 here.

 

New Climate Justice grants to support Alaska native communities facing sea level rise

Two new grants to support Alaska Native communities in developing strategies to adapt to climate change were announced today by the Alaska Institute for Justice (AIJ), the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC), and the Climate Justice Resilience Fund (CJRF). AIJ received a $752,000 grant from CJRF and a $55,000 grant from UUSC to work with 15 communities along the Alaska coast. The funds will support AIJ’s efforts to develop community-based adaptive strategies that protect the health and well-being of Alaska Native communities experiencing the impacts of climate-induced environmental change. This funding announcement coincides in timing with the last meeting of the Arctic Council during the US Chairmanship, scheduled to occur in Fairbanks, Alaska on May 11.  During the two-year U.S. chairmanship of the Arctic Council, the council prioritized climate change, its impacts on the environment and projects to help Arctic residents respond and adapt.   The funding awarded by CJRF and UUSC will continue this important work.

As the Arctic disproportionately bears the consequences of a rapidly changing climate, Alaska Native communities are facing an urgent need to relocate due to erosion and sea level rise.  CJRF Director, Heather McGray, sees the social justice opportunity to “help indigenous people build a movement, amplify their voices, and build resilience for their communities.” Launched in September 2016 by the Oak Foundation, the CJRF supports people on the “front lines” of climate change to assert their rights and develop community-led climate solutions.  The grant to AIJ represents the CJRF’s first-ever grant in the Arctic region, and its first multi-year grant.  The CJRF is a project of the New Venture Fund, a 501(c)(3) public charity. The New Venture Fund (NVF) hosts and incubates a wide range of conservation, education, global health, and other charitable projects. 

UUSC recognizes the grave danger that climate change poses for the world’s most vulnerable populations. Their funding promotes environmental justice and protects human rights, with a specific focus on protecting the rights of people that are forcibly displaced by climate change in the South Pacific and in Alaska. Salote Soqo, UUSC’s Senior Program Leader for Environmental Justice & Climate Action emphasizes the urgency of this crisis, “These are indigenous communities and what they are experiencing is directly impinging on their basic human rights and their values as indigenous people. Governments must urgently respond to this crisis to protect the rights and dignities of their communities.” UUSC provides grants to grassroots partner organizations to strategically organize and build the capacities of affected communities to advocate for rights-based solutions and protection. In addition to providing flexible financial support, UUSC contributes various forms of innovative collaboration and technical assistance to our partner organizations.

Robin Bronen, senior research scientist at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks and co-founder and executive director of AIJ, stated, “This funding will have a monumental impact on our efforts to help Alaska Native communities as we face one of the biggest humanitarian challenges of the 21stst century.”  With Arctic communities at the forefront of global environmental change, AIJ’s efforts will be critical to the development of long term adaptation strategies for affected communities. “Our groundbreaking research to work with Alaska Native communities and design and implement a community-led relocation process that protects their livelihoods and health may provide a template for other communities faced with this extraordinarily difficult decision.” 

For more information, please contact:  Robin Bronen – 907-441-5917 or Salote Soqo – 617-301-4364

Oak Foundation Launches $20 Million Climate Change Fund

oak-foundation-launches-20-million-climate-change-fund_full_image.jpg

The Geneva-based Oak Foundation has announced a six-year, $20 million grant to the New Venture Fund to establish a fund that will invest in communities on the frontlines of climate change.

The Climate Justice Resilience Fund will award grants to organizations working to help communities in East Africa, the Bay of Bengal region, and the Arctic identify and implement approaches to climate change adaptation and resilience, acquire advocacy skills, and access information they can use to influence policy at the local, national, and international levels. Read more from Philanthropy News Digest.

A Global Green Funder Tries its Hand at Community-Level Climate Justice

The growing Oak Foundation has been on the move this year, making big shifts within its environment program. The latest development sets aside $20 million for the underfunded cause of climate justice. Read more from Tate Williams at Inside Philanthropy.

Introducing the new Climate Justice Resilience Fund: investing in communities on the frontlines of climate change

© Anne Henshaw/Oak Foundation

Climate change has become one of the most contested terms in the English language today. The term inspires debate and fear. Why? Because a changing climate affects everyone in some manner – increased risks of storms, droughts, floods and other natural disasters, rising sea levels and changing temperature patterns are just some of the possible consequences. Without action, climate change could radically affect the world we know today, and could completely devastate some communities.  But together we can ensure people are protected from the greatest impacts of climate change. Read more.