Creating alignment in community-based climate solutions

🌱 Regenerative Sustainability, Community-Led Change & Accountability: A Stakeholder-Centered Approach for Project & Change Managers 🌱 How do we move beyond "sustainability" as a buzzword and toward regenerative, community-driven change? How do we ensure that communities most affected by systemic challenges are the ones leading the solutions? Our new training workshop explores three powerful frameworks that empower project and change managers to align stakeholder interests, build accountability, and drive lasting impact: Taiwo Abraham, PhD Candidate, PMP, CFA-ESG, GRI-CSP let’s flesh this out! ✅ Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD): Instead of focusing on what a community lacks, ABCD builds from existing strengths—local skills, cultural knowledge, networks, and resilience—to create sustainable, self-driven progress. ✅ Community-Based Participatory Action Research (CBPAR): Research shouldn’t just be about communities—it should be with and for them. CBPAR ensures that those most affected by a challenge co-create solutions, driving equitable, data-informed decision-making. ✅ Regenerative Sustainability: Beyond reducing harm, regenerative sustainability restores ecosystems, economies, and social structures. It helps communities escape ecological determinism & fatalism, reclaim agency, and thrive in a changing world. This training is designed to equip project and change managers with the tools to build sustainable, community-driven initiatives that truly work. Here’s what we cover: 📌 Stakeholder Accountability & Strategic Planning – Aligning ABCD & CBPAR with Gerald Gabris' strategic planning model for local governments. 📌 Applying Accountability Frameworks – Using Romzek & Dubnick's accountability matrix to balance legal, professional, bureaucratic, and political responsibilities in regenerative projects. 📌 Case Studies & Global Best Practices – Real-world applications, including: 🌍 Housing First: Using ABCD to empower formerly unhoused individuals to co-design housing solutions. 🌱 Camp Liberty: A CBPAR-driven initiative where veterans restore degraded landscapes while healing PTSD. 📌 Alignment with SDGs & GRI Standards – Making sustainability frameworks actionable, measurable, and relevant to real-world projects. 📌 Meta-Analysis of Emerging Research (2020-2024) – A deep dive into recent findings on regenerative change, stakeholder engagement, and community resilience. Why Does This Matter? Project and change managers are at the forefront of shaping how organizations engage with communities. Whether you're leading a nonprofit initiative, a corporate sustainability effort, or a government program, this training helps you cultivate accountability to stakeholder interests—not just to check a box, but to drive real, regenerative impact. If you're a leader committed to making sustainability truly sustainable, let’s connect. 💡 #RegenerativeSustainability #StakeholderEngagement #ChangeManagement #ProjectManagement #CommunityDevelopment

Community is a climate solution. In December, I helped ClimateVoice organize a webinar called "Green Team Success Stories: How Employees Advance Climate Action at Work" and now, we're following up with a blog post that goes a level deeper! This article provides an exclusive glimpse into how employees from Google, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Pinterest, and Salesforce have self-organized into employee sustainability communities (often called Green Teams) for years, showcasing their successes, challenges, similarities, and differences. Their efforts have shifted the dynamics of who can engage in sustainability work at these companies, created industry leading green innovations, and in each case, unlocked more resources and support for sustainability work. I authored this month's Connect the Dots newsletter to recap the session (find a link to the recording in the comments below) and explain just how powerful and transformative these communities can be. ✋ Green Teams work in organizations of all shapes and sizes and mostly run on volunteer labor, enabling individuals to align their passion and purpose with their work, while providing valuable career development opportunities and improving employee attraction and retention 🕸️ Their decentralized structure breaks down organizational silos, fostering connection and collaboration across the entire workforce, while increasing overall climate literacy 🪴 They uniquely embed sustainability throughout every part of an organization, driving innovation while reducing environmental impact simultaneously. 💡Most importantly, they transform sustainability from an operational task driven by a single team to a core part of organizational culture, making sustainability part of everybody’s job in the process. We learned that the challenges employees face doing this work are more similar than different: lack of place (no sustainability community), lack of time (burnout, layoffs, and competing priorities), lack of influence (employees are not considered a critical stakeholder), lack of knowledge (little to no climate literacy in the workforce), and crucially, lack of support (no top down sponsorship from a Chief Sustainability Officer or executive). The good news is that all of these obstacles can be overcome, and the employees in Green Team Success Stories: How Employees Advance Climate Action at Work told us how each had uniquely done it in their organizations. Read on to learn more and share your experience with green teams in the comments below. Help us tell your story! Kevin Houldsworth Mia Ketterling Alyssa Chen Prashansa Sonawane Nidhi Kaul Céline Zollinger Antoine Cabot 🌱Lindsey Peterson Rohan Nijhawan Sam Gooch Zoe Samuel Holly Alpine (née Beale) Van Riker Aiyana Bodi Chris Bradley Patrick Flynn Manav Goel Nina Panda Kimberly Forte Abraham Chen, MBA Ryan Eismin, PhD Peggy Brannigan Dana Jennings Elizabeth Shelly Maddie Stone Cecilia Emden Hands 🌱Kati Kallins Lucy Piper Katelyn Prendiville Nivi Achanta

Must-read! This time from Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development Oregon's Walkable Design Standards, developed as part of the Climate-Friendly and Equitable Communities (CFEC) program, presents a comprehensive framework for implementing pedestrian-friendly development standards. This initiative, which strives for sustainable and equitable communities through walkable design, offers valuable insights for urban planners and policymakers worldwide. The framework is particularly relevant as cities globally seek solutions for climate change, social equity, and public health challenges. While specifically designed for Oregon municipalities, the framework offers valuable insights and practical tools that can be adapted by cities and communities worldwide. The guidelines emphasize three key pillars: development orientation, connectivity and accessibility, and compact development. This integrated approach, aligned with CFEC's objectives, creates communities that are not just walkable, but also sustainable and equitable. By identifying four distinct district types - Suburban Commercial, Neighborhood Residential, Main Street Corridor, and Downtown Center - the framework acknowledges that walkability solutions must be context-sensitive. Building orientation, ground floor design, and street connectivity emerge as crucial elements. The guidelines emphasize regulating urban form rather than units, aligning development standards with market realities while promoting efficient land use. This approach naturally shortens travel distances, expands transportation options, and enhances social equity. Importantly, the framework maintains flexibility, allowing local authorities to adapt standards to their specific contexts. It emphasizes the value of community engagement and equity in outreach, ensuring that walkability improvements benefit all residents. The guidelines also recognize that successful implementation requires collaboration across various city departments. This framework is particularly timely given global urbanization trends and the increasing focus on 15-minute cities. Walkable communities not only support public health and environmental goals but also create more vibrant, economically resilient neighborhoods. As cities worldwide grapple with climate change and social equity challenges, these CFEC-inspired guidelines offer a practical roadmap for creating more sustainable, accessible, and livable urban environments. #WalkableCities #UrbanPlanning #Sustainability #ClimateAction #EquitableDevelopment #SmartGrowth #UrbanDesign #CFEC

𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗮 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗜 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲. I’ve held back because I don’t want to add to the noise around sustainability — especially when so much of it is surface-level. However a recent post about a “𝙨𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙪𝙥𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙩𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙟𝙚𝙘𝙩” really caught my eye. On the surface, it looked promising — backed by a leading developer and marketed as a model of climate-aligned development with the noble intent of uplifting underserved communities. But the more I read, the more it felt like a mist over the actual intention. The project faced serious objections from both the local community and sustainability activists on the ground. Their concerns? Displacement, lack of community inclusion, and a development model that seemed to prioritize image over impact. As a sustainability professional, this hit a nerve. 𝗜'𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻𝘄𝗮𝘀𝗵 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. That let me thinking that we talk a lot about “community upliftment” in sustainable real estate. But who is that community, really? And are we lifting them up — or pricing them out? 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗯𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗯𝗼𝗻, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆’𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲. 𝗜𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘆, 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗹𝗲𝗳𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗲’𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗲𝘄. 🔁 What we need is a Just Transition in the built environment. One that marries climate goals with social equity. One that understands that decarbonizing buildings is only half the story — decolonizing planning and investment is the other. Let's move beyond checklists and certifications. Let’s talk about community co-design, land justice, anti-displacement safeguards, and equity-driven metrics. 𝘽𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙨𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙𝙣’𝙩 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙 — 𝙞𝙩 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩. 𝙄’𝙢 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙛𝙡𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 — 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙚, 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩. Curious to hear from others in the built environment space — how are you navigating this tension? #JustTransition #Gentrification #BuiltEnvironment #SustainableCities #EquityInDesign #ClimateJustice #CommunityFirst #Greenwashing #UrbanDevelopment #RealEstateEthics

How Climate Solutions Can Be More Inclusive Climate solutions aren’t truly effective unless they center the people they serve, especially the marginalized. A recent Mastercard study on mangrove restoration in Kenya found that local ownership, repurposing existing tech, sustainability incentives, and deep partnerships were essential for long-term success. In the Central African Republic, the World Bank emphasizes that climate solutions must be rooted in community needs, not imposed from above (blogs.worldbank.org). Place-based design matters. Inclusive climate solutions share a few key traits: Engaging communities at every stage; from planning to feedback Leveraging traditional knowledge alongside new tech Ensuring fair access to resources and decision-making power Climate solutions work best when they're by the people, for the people, and with the people.

Excited to share that our latest article co-authored by Mudassar Aziz is published in the journal, Climate Policy. The paper, “Psychological insights and structural solutions: using community frame (c-frame) in climate action and policy response” introduces the community frame (c-frame). C-frame is a novel framework which integrates community psychology, collective efficacy, and systems thinking. It aims to bridge the gap between individual climate actions and structural transformation. Our approach builds on community articulation, local knowledge, and participatory governance to create equity-driven climate policy pathways. We argue for shifting away from solely individualised responsibility toward shared, scalable, and just solutions. We hope this work contributes to ongoing discussions at the intersection of climate justice, psychology, and policy design. It is especially relevant for vulnerable communities and Global South contexts. Grateful to the editors at Climate Policy and all those advancing integrative, inclusive climate frameworks. Please read and connect if you are working on similar themes! Please read the full paper here: https://lnkd.in/gepnFWNg #ClimateJustice #CommunityPsychology #ClimatePolicy #CommunityFrame #CollectiveAction #DecolonisingClimateAction

I had the privilege of welcoming Jorge Figueroa from City and County of Denver's Office of Climate Action, Sustainability & Resiliency to my Essentials of Stakeholder Class I teach at the University of Colorado Boulder. For organizations aiming to navigate the complexities of sustainability and climate action, integrating community engagement and equitable practices is essential. Drawing from Jorge Figueroa's insights, here are 5key takeaways that organizations can adopt to enhance their sustainability efforts: 1. Make Equity a Cornerstone: Start by embedding equity at the core of all sustainability initiatives. Focus efforts on supporting communities disproportionately affected by environmental issues, understanding that true progress comes from lifting everyone. 2. Engage Deeply with Communities: Shift from top-down approaches to genuine co-creation with communities. This means valuing local insights and experiences, and working together to develop solutions that are not only effective but also deeply resonant with those they aim to serve. 3. Understand Before Acting: Dedicate time to fully grasp the complexities of the challenges at hand. A thorough understanding of the problem not only informs better solutions but also ensures efforts are directed where they're most needed. 4. Adopt a Flexible Solution Framework: Avoid the trap of single-solution fixation. Embrace a broad spectrum of potential solutions, remaining open to adaptation based on evolving insights and community feedback. This agility is crucial in navigating the unpredictable terrain of sustainability. 5. Cultivate Transformative Dialogues: Engage in conversations that empower. By fostering environments where every voice can contribute to shaping the future, organizations can unlock innovative solutions and inspire collective action towards sustainability goals. #Sustainability #OrganizationalImpact #CommunityEngagement #EquitableSolutions #ActionableInsights Parallel Labs

“This issue brief is part of Food Solutions New England’s Campaign for Climate Resilience. The purpose of this campaign is to advocate for community-led solutions to create a climate-resilient food system that is equitable and in which ownership of food production and distribution are decentralized and democratic.” “This issue brief will focus on a Just Transition in agriculture and how its pursuit can build soil health and how building soil health can support a Just Transition.” “From community work to state and federal level advocacy a Just Transition “focuses on the values, agency, relations and processes that underlie both structures and systems” and “create the capacities that empower individuals and communities to take action on their own behalf.”¹ A Just Transition puts #governance, #power, and #democracy at the center and acknowledges that sustainability transitions, especially in agriculture, will only be addressed by shifts in political-economic power.” “Domains of a Just Transition include access to natural ecosystems, knowledge, networks, systems of exchange, gender and #equity. When analyzing work toward a Just Transition, the question must be asked: Whose knowledge is considered valid, and is therefore enabled and valued, through contemporary modes of knowledge production and mobilization? The social dynamics of marginalization and inequality pose a major barrier to the development of sustainable food systems in this regard. When all types of knowledge are valued, including community, indigenous, and practitioner, then community voices are lifted up to create solutions for their own needs and overturn inequities across the food system.” https://lnkd.in/eT_J-Acq