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Making climate justice a reality: A people-centered response to the climate emergency (Part I)

Responding to and tackling the climate emergency requires a robust engagement of all sectors and segments of society. While governments should ensure their own collaboration and alignment of policy implementation through multilevel governance, broader civil society needs to be empowered and incorporated in order to ensure that the climate emergency response is widespread, all-encompassing, and most importantly, equitable. Prioritizing and addressing the needs of those who are most vulnerable and often disenfranchised or underrepresented in policy development and decision making processes is indeed fundamental and needs to be at the core of the leaders’ agendas.

Additionally, climate emergency finance needs to consider the needs of both current and future generations, as well as all segments of society. Investment and expenditure of financial resources should be done equitably, prioritizing the most vulnerable groups of our populations. These groups should be actively included in all stages of planning and decision making processes, rather than having decisions made for them without their informed and meaningful input and engagement.

Discussants share experiences and examples of inclusive and equitable climate emergency action planning, successful approaches being taken, and challenges that still need to be addressed and overcome. The ever-growing importance for all levels of government to engage all stakeholders, especially youth, in a rapid transition toward climate-neutral economies, and the role that the UNFCCC’s Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) plays in supporting this mission are key discussion points in this session.

Speakers

  • Cristina Garzillo(Speaker)ICLEI European Secretariat, Senior Coordinator, Governance and Social Innovation
  • Hana Morel(Speaker)Sustainability and Advocacy Lead, Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA), Scientific Coordinator of International Co-Sponsored Scientific Meeting on Culture, Heritage and Climate Change (ISCM CHC), International Council on Monument and Science (ICOMOS)
  • Juliet Oluoch Aluoch(Speaker)on behalf of YOUNGO Constituency to the UNFCCC, Deputy National Coordinator of the African Youths Initiative on Climate Change – Kenyan chapter
  • Ahmad Zabri Mohamed Sarajudin(Speaker)Seberang Perai City Council, Director
  • Hayu Prabowo(Speaker)Interfaith Rainforest Initiative, Indonesia, National Facilitator
  • Nuatali Nelmes(Speaker)ICLEI Oceania Regional Executive Committee Member, Mayor, City of Newcastle, Australia
  • Anya Das(Speaker)Baripada Municipality, India, Indian Administrative Service (IAS) Executive Officer