Governments from around the world have been meeting annually for over twenty years to determine solutions for addressing global climate change. At the Paris COP 21 Climate Summit in 2015, 195 countries agreed that carbon emissions must be lowered and each country reported their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) for lowering carbon emissions. It is now up to civil society to hold governments not only accountable to their commitment, but to also urge bolder action since their intended contributions are not adequate to lower emissions to a level suitable for a livable future. In order for governments to act on climate change, public insistence must grow with climate education leading to action. A global justice movement focused on climate action can play a critical role to move more people to act and thus in turn pressure governments to take action.
This project focuses on how to increase climate activism through a compilation of strategies and insights in the form of a climate justice field manual to help inform individuals, grassroots organizers, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), government agencies and educators on ways to increase climate activism.
The main objectives addressed in this manual are:
- Identify what the climate justice movement can apply from other social movements
- Address the challenges of climate communication in order to build collective efficacy
- Provide strategies or best practices to help engage people in climate activism
The field manual is composed of the following sections:
This manual helps bridge the gap between climate education and climate action along with providing some insights on the various components that can help build a movement in order for organizations to move people to climate action more effectively and quickly. Make this manual yours, take notes, find ideas that will work in your communities and most importantly, act swiftly and boldly.