How to connect communities to climate resources

Now that I have had time for introspection since #NYCClimateWeek, here is my greatest takeaway: the formidable challenges confronting us necessitate making bigger bets, taking higher risks, and working at scale now. Here are three methods we are actioning with LGT Venture Philanthropy: 1. Establishing robust and efficient organizations must take precedence, and we must mainstream Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (#IPLCs) knowledge into solutions. Empowering communities at the grassroots level is not a choice but a necessity. Take for example, the Maasai Mara region, home to a quarter of Kenya's wildlife, where a shared value for nature has been passed down through generations among its inhabitants. No AI tool can automate or expedite that depth of understanding. It's why our portfolio organization Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association acts as a national representative body for the people living and working within conservancies while portfolio organizations like Basecamp Explorer Kenya restores ecosystems and Ahueni develops carbon finance models. This way, Indigenous communities are applying their deep-seated knowledge to the environment with tools, resources, and the backing of a governance system. 2. Embracing collaboration: The monumental task of climate conservation necessitates approaches bigger than any one individual funder. Pooling resources, sharing expertise, and fostering partnerships like LGT Venture Philanthropy, Co-Impact, Skoll Foundation, and others are doing ensures that there are multiple avenues for funding and that a broader spectrum of solutions and perspectives can be included in solving this critical global issue. 3. Core funding—funding that is not earmarked for a specific purpose but rather for organizational operating expenses—is absolutely vital for the sustainability of environmental impact. When funding for the daily needs of those doing the grassroots work is an oversight rather than a core function, we waste our most valuable asset. People working for grassroots organizations, especially those from marginalized communities, face an unusually high occurrence of burnout. The climate crisis, caused by multiple generations, requires multiple generations to heal. Funders must acknowledge and prioritize core funding as the floor, not the ceiling when it comes to necessary conservation efforts. Now to you: What were your key takeaways? #InvestInOurPlanet #ClimateCrisis

I recently had the pleasure of chatting with Julie Kjestrup on the Climate Group's 50 Shades of Green podcast to discuss my vision for Mercy Corps as we partner alongside communities to adapt to climate change. It’s always a joy to share more about the depth and breadth of my colleagues’ work to deliver locally led climate programming that’s specific to their unique contexts. And we know there are many effective climate adaptation solutions we can scale, where we’ve seen incredible success in places like the Caribbean, Ethiopia, and Kenya.  For instance, the Islands in the Caribbean are among the most at risk to the effects of climate change, with storms and hurricanes becoming more intense and devastating. Through Mercy Corps’ Caribbean Resilience Initiative, we partner with local organizations to deliver necessities like food, cash, and water after climate emergencies, and help communities build long-term climate resilience. From training on water distribution and solar energy systems, locally operated Resilience Hubs connect people with internet, off-grid solar energy, community gardens and more so communities can better weather these inevitable storms.   In the Horn of Africa, severe drought and flooding are putting immense pressure on pastoralist and farmer livelihoods. Mercy Corps supports communities to make data-driven decisions to combat climate change. For instance, our technology provides early warnings about El Niño rainfall predictions, allowing farmers to prepare for heavy rains and move to higher ground if necessary. We combine grassroots support with municipal government advocacy to create meaningful change.    If you are curious about Mercy Corps’ evolution into a climate-focused organization or want to hear some of the challenges and lessons learned from other exciting initiatives – like our venture powering Sheder refugee camp in Ethiopia with affordable solar energy – tune in to this episode.   cc Allison, Nelson, MOHAMED, Josephine, Emmanuel, Cecilia I'm looking forward to continuing these discussions around scaling climate adaptation solutions and connecting at #ClimateWeekNYC. More on that soon!

Breaking barriers is never easy... With #ClimateAction specifically, distributing the know-how of participating in the climate movement and building inclusive climate policies becomes all the more important. With Rainmatter Foundation, Civis worked towards creating an actionable, simple guide to understanding and participating in climate policies. This endeavour was very ably led by my colleague Shonottra, who worked to make sure that the content was relevant, simple to understand and widely accessible. From pre-interviews with organisations, journalists and individuals - to proofing the handbook in 5 languages, the team went through many iterations to ensure relevance. As we think back on the experience, there were 3 key learnings that stood out to the team: 🍃 Where There Are Citizens, There is Radio! Disseminating a handbook to relevant communities across the country is no easy feat - but without that, the handbook may not have reached those who needed it. Community radio stations like #KadalOsai and @Gramvaani came to our rescue, helping us reach communities in the hinterland and coasts of the country. Each jingle played on radio had a call to action to download the handbook, on a WhatsApp chatbot - powered by Glific! 🍃 Actionable Content Is Tough To Produce! One of my favourite parts of climate voices is where Aditya talks about what good quality feedback looks like. Content that is actionable raises many questions before it gives answers - but through the process, you’re likely to discover answers for fundamental questions that may challenge some of the assumptions you hold. 🍃 Leverage Community Knowledge! We’re lucky to work at a time where there is a large body of work and some incredible stories that organisations have gathered over time - highlighting this, and approaching past work with curiosity, allows us to create a resource that delivers knowledge from us all. As you may have guessed, ‘Climate Voices’ is a labour of 💚 made with the help of Marisha Thakur, Tanmayi Gidh, and the team at Justice Adda. If you haven’t read ‘Climate Voices’ yet - get a copy at: https://bit.ly/3WN8s7O

Community engagement is essential for carbon projects, particularly nature-based solutions (NBS) projects, for several key reasons: 1. **Social License to Operate**: Engaging with local communities ensures that the project has broad social acceptance and support. This is crucial because these communities are often directly impacted by project activities and outcomes, such as land use changes or forest conservation measures. Without their buy-in, the project may face resistance or delays. 2. **Long-Term Project Success**: Effective engagement ensures that local communities understand the project's goals, benefits, and risks. When communities are part of the decision-making process, they are more likely to actively participate and maintain the project over time, leading to greater success in terms of carbon sequestration and environmental preservation. 3. **Enhanced Project Credibility**: Projects that demonstrate strong community involvement are viewed as more credible by investors, carbon credit buyers, and regulators. It shows that the project is not just focused on environmental goals but also on social equity and sustainability. 4. **Cultural Sensitivity and Local Knowledge**: Local communities possess valuable knowledge about their environment, which can significantly enhance project design and implementation. Incorporating traditional practices and respecting cultural heritage increases the relevance and effectiveness of carbon projects. 5. **Benefit Sharing and Fairness**: Engaging communities ensures that the benefits of carbon projects, such as financial incentives, jobs, or access to resources, are fairly distributed. This helps in mitigating potential conflicts and ensures that the project contributes to local development. 6. **Alignment with International Standards**: Global carbon standards, like the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) or Gold Standard, often require community engagement as part of their certification processes. This includes mechanisms like Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) to ensure that communities are fully aware and voluntarily agree to the project. Incorporating meaningful community engagement is not only a best practice but also a critical factor in achieving lasting climate, environmental, and socio-economic outcomes for carbon projects.