TCD. Best of: Climate Champ– Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, Climate Challenge New Zealand, Groundwork, USA, Listeners’ Call to Action

CLIMATE CHAMPION, HINDOU OUMAROU IBRAHIM

Under the combined effect of several factors including climate change, Lake Chad, which is the Sahel’s water reservoir for more than 40 million inhabitants, is gradually disappearing. In 40 years, it has lost 90% of its surface area, reinforcing tensions in one of the most vulnerable regions of the world.

Meet Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, an environmental activist from Chad. She founded the Association of Indigenous Peoples and Women of Chad (AFPAT) in 2007, when she was 16 years old. Through her organization, she encourages climate action in her community.

AFPAT works on the ground, in Chad, with indigenous communities, for the protection of the environment and the promotion of human rights. It focuses on six major projects including Women’s adaptation to climate change and participatory mapping in three dimensions.

 AFPAT has developed, in conjunction with IPACC and CTA’s financial support, a 3-dimensional participatory mapping project to involve indigenous peoples, local communities and women in the management of natural resources. Managing natural resources by involving rural populations helps to better protect the environment, mitigate conflicts over access to resources and fight poverty and climate change.

Why does Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim and AFPAT matter to the rest of the world? In Chad, the consequences of climate change are difficult for women. They are facing the loss of their main sources of income, and are deeply affected by the droughts and floods that have affected Chad for several years. This is a common crisis in developing countries. Women often feel the effects of climate change more acutely than their male counterparts

In 2017, AFPAT launched a project to strengthen women’s adaptation to the consequences of climate change. AFPAT developed income-generating activities that allow women in communities to develop economic activities and thus have additional income that they can devote to the education, health and nutrition of their families.

DEEPER DIVE: Twitter, AFPAT

THE CLIMATE CHALLENGE, NEW ZEALAND

The Climate Challenge is a New Zealand (Aotearoa [au·tee uh-row·uh]) organization run by a group of young leaders aged 15-20 from across the country who are passionate about empowering our peers to take action on climate change. The organization was founded by a group of high school students in 2015 with the support of Generation Zero and have since grown into a national organization. 

The Climate Challenge is nonpartisan, recognizing that climate progress needs the support of all political parties not just a few. They work hard to help young people connect with political leaders from across parliament to both make their own informed political opinions and be heard by New Zealand’s leaders.

Their Goals include: educating young people about climate issues and what they can do about them: ​empowering ​young people with the skills and resources they need to be leaders in their communities; connecting young people with their passionate peers, people who can support them and the leaders of New Zealand; and activating young people in their communities. Supporting their sustained actions and change-making.

Since 2016, Rangatahi (Maori for ‘youth’) who are passionate about the future of [au·tee uh-row·uh])Aotearoa and want to make a difference on climate change come from all over New Zealand convene at The Climate Challenge Conference. It’s a celebration of [au·tee uh-row·uh])Aotearoa’s diverse young leaders, innovators and change-makers who are stepping up to face the greatest challenge of our generation – climate change. Unfortunately, due to the COVID pandemic, the 2022 conference was canceled.

Why does The Climate Challenge –Kiwi—matter to us?  It’s a great template….designed for high school aged youth, providing spaces for young people to share ideas, develop skills, build connections and co-create solutions on climate justice to take back to their communities. 

DEEPER DIVE: THE CLIMATE CHALLENGE

GROUNDWORK, USA

Back in 2000, on the belief that Everyone deserves a green, healthy, and resilient neighborhood environment, Groundwork USA was founded. It set out to be a national enterprise with local roots, working at the intersection of the environment, equity, and civic engagement. Since 2000, it’s grown into a network, the mission of which is to bring about the sustained regeneration, improvement, and management of the physical environment by developing community-based partnerships that empower people, businesses, and organizations to promote environmental, economic, and social well-being.

It does the work through six major program categories: Equity & Inclusion, Youth Development, Healthy Communities, Transforming Brownfields, Urban Waters and finally, Climate Resilience. Why does Groundwork USA matter to us? It claims to be the only network of local organizations devoted to transforming the natural and built environment of low-resource communities. Groundwork has created 21Trusts, each tailored to the unique needs of small- to medium-sized cities, neighborhoods, and rural communities across the US, working hand-in-hand with local residents, government officials, and business owners.

An example of this governmental collaboration was the recent awarding of five Groundwork Trusts to transform Brownfields into community assets through the Groundwork Land Use Innovation Initiative. The initiative advances environmental justice through community-driven land revitalization efforts that transform brownfield sites into neighborhood and community assets like parks, trails, and community gardens. It’s made possible through a joint partnership of the NPS-Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program and the EPA’s Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization.

The five Groundwork Trusts were selected to receive a combined $200,000. These projects use innovative community engagement methods – from creating community task forces to emerging virtual collaboration platforms – to ensure community voice is reflected in the planning process and that the new spaces meet the surrounding community’s needs.

DEEPER DIVE: GROUNDWORK USA, Reed Magazine

THE CLIMATE DAILY LISTENER CALL OUT CHALLENGE

Recently, one of our listeners shared her story of how listening to the climate daily helped her deal so well with her climate change overwhelm, that she got out and started working with the local community based group. Then she challenged us to ask you all to share any stories you might have of how listening to the climate daily might have inspired you into action, so we can share them with the world.

Remember, we’re all about sharing stories of people taking positive action to combat climate change. And that’s you listeners. You can hit us up on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter at #wetheclimate or Jeffrey at The Climate dot org or Maude at The Climate dot org, also.