Redefining Climate Strategy with Community Input

🌿 Immense gratitude to Dr Renuka Thakore Representing Global Communities Creative Women Platform Sustainability Award Renuka for inviting me to open the powerful workshop and delivering my Message : “Climate, Culture, and Care: Re-imagining Sustainability Through Indigenous Eyes” 🙏 Early in my sustainability journey, I mistakenly treated ecosystems and societies as separate. But in the Amazon—and globally—forest and culture are inseparable. 🌳👥 Every language, ritual, and seed exchange holds the key to resilience. Indigenous communities are turning diversity into strength, showing us what true climate adaptation looks like. So how can we, as researchers and citizens of a warming planet, support and learn from this brilliance? 🔹 1. Listen Before We Handle Our datasets must be multicultural and multilingual! 📡 Oral histories, sacred maps, and flood memories should be treated as data with a heartbeat—not just anecdotes. Satellite images gain precision when cross-checked with community knowledge. 🗣️🌍 🔹 2. Co-Create Solutions, Not Just Transfer Technology Indigenous fire rituals, plant medicine, and communal governance are ready-made climate strategies. They should be integrated with AI and tech in equal partnership, not through extraction. 🤝💡 🔹 3. Safeguard the Right to Be Different Land rights and language rights are climate policies. 🛡️ Protecting cultural sovereignty keeps communities rooted and forests standing. Without it, we risk losing both carbon sinks and futures. 🔹 4. Ensure Plural Participation Every project should ask: how many perspectives shaped this plan? How many local leaders hold real decision-making power? Diverse teams innovate up to 35% faster—imagine that power in climate action. 🌎💬 Let us center CARE—for Earth, for each other, and for diverse ways of knowing. May every dialogue deepen our understanding and fuel a future where climate, culture, and care thrive together. 🌱❤️ #IndigenousKnowledge #ClimateJustice #DiversityIsResilience #Amazon #Sustainability #CultureAndCare #PluralParticipation #ClimateAction

In the latest Climate Conversations consultation, 67% of respondents said frustration was their dominant emotion, followed by worry (54%) and powerlessness (51%). Despair was more common than hope, and just one in seven people believed the Government had a clear, coordinated plan for climate action. Despite these negative feelings, there’s a strong appetite for participation. Many people said they want to get involved in local climate efforts. The report recommends creating community climate hubs to channel this energy and ensure people have opportunities to shape solutions in their area. However, the report also highlights confusion about which actions matter most. People often overestimate the impact of recycling and flying less, while underestimating the benefits of heat pumps and reducing meat consumption. Importantly, the findings show that the respondents are primarily individuals who are more engaged with climate issues, mainly urban, well-educated, and higher-income participants. For a truly fair and inclusive climate strategy, broader outreach and engagement are essential to ensure no one is left behind in the transition to a low-carbon society. Those most vulnerable to the effects of climate change and economic shifts must be included in engagement, decision-making and supported through the changes ahead. Read the report: https://lnkd.in/e_mHrxxg #ClimateAction #JustTransition #ClimateJustice

Taking a connected action approach is key to promoting climate equity. When businesses aim to address climate change, incorporating climate equity into their plans can make a big difference. This is all about ensuring that everyone, especially the hardest hit, receives fair help and protection. It starts with understanding that climate change impacts vary. Certain communities are more affected due to factors such as their geographical location or economic status. Businesses can use this understanding to shape their climate action initiatives more effectively. These harder-hit communities should be at the heart of a business's climate strategy. Each community has its unique needs, so a one-size-fits-all approach might not work. Tailoring actions to specific needs can lead to more impactful outcomes. Inclusion of these communities in the decision-making process is vital. Their insights can provide valuable input for the business's climate action plans. This not only builds trust but also ensures that the implemented strategies are accepted and effective. Transparency is a key element. Businesses should openly share their plans and progress. This openness allows everyone to see what's being done and how well it's working, building trust with communities and stakeholders. Data should drive decision-making. Good data provides a clear understanding of the situation and helps track progress. This data-driven approach enables businesses to refine their strategies and improve their impact over time. Finally, all climate action strategies should be based on evidence and should align with community needs. This helps ensure that the implemented plans are not only scientifically sound but also beneficial for the people they aim to help. #sustainability #climatechange #climateaction #climateequity #sdgs #sustainable #impact #equity #peopleandplanet #community

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