The very first Feminist Climate Ambassadors Training of the Green European Foundation and Educational Centre Visio wrapped up in the end of January 2021. The Ambassadors joined forces and applied their newly acquired knowledge to compose a vision for fostering gender equality in climate policy and action:
The environmental changes and transformations of the climate crisis are human induced. Women and other marginalised groups are usually the first affected by the climate crisis, but the last ones to be consulted about environmental and climate governance. The work towards a fairer and more sustainable world needs to happen on all levels and needs to include all people. Not only do we have to recognise the power we all have as individuals, but we have to rethink the systems we currently use to organise our world, for example, the economic system.
Climate change is challenging human rights and is exacerbating inequalities, affecting disproportionately a large part of the population. By fostering the participation of communities, especially women, policymakers must adopt gender-sensitive, inclusive and long-term policies aimed at environmental sustainability and the wellbeing of present and future generations. It is our shared responsibility to urgently act.
As Feminist Climate Ambassadors, we share two goals. The first goal is to direct the attention of people to the unequal effects of the climate crisis on women and non-binary people as well as other marginalised groups. We aim to do so by emphasizing the interconnectedness of the climate crisis and social injustice by scientific data and practical examples from the everyday-lives of people. The second goal is to highlight the abilities of women in, for example, leadership and community building to shape a more climate change-resilient and fair society. We emphasize the need for more women, non-binary people as well as other marginalized groups’ in environmental and climate change governance as well as in the deliberation for new climate policies and action.
The unequal effects of climate change and the drive to advance the state of women and non-binary people in climate leadership are shared by people from all over the world. For example, we, the Feminist Climate Ambassadors, come from 18 different countries with 18 unique combinations of social, economic and cultural aspects. Our experiences with the effects of climate change might differ, but we share the frustration of how the crisis has been handled.
We want to spread our message in our local communities with specific and relevant information. However, we recognise the power and importance of a tight-knit global network and will utilise each other’s expertise, knowledge and support.”
We at Visio are very proud of our first set of Feminist Climate Ambassadors who are working hard in building a more socially and environmentally sustainable world.
If you would like to join the network of Feminist Climate Ambassadors, fill in you application here. Call closes on Wednesday 10th March 2021 at noon CET.
This project is organised by the Green European Foundation with the support of Visio and with the financial support of the European Parliament to the Green European Foundation.
