A feminist bid for the climate summit
Devastation caused by the climate crisis is increasing in frequency and scope. At the same time, social inequality is getting worse. Yet action is still lagging far, far behind. One week before the annual UN climate summit, we discuss what is needed to change the tide. The climate crisis stems from a system based on inequality and extractivism. Women and communities most affected are systematically ignored in decision-making. And once again it is those least responsible paying the highest price. That’s why this urgent global problem requires a feminist approach, and why justice must be at the heart of climate action, and indeed our energy transition. What does that look like? And how could the Netherlands take a leading role in feminist climate action at the global summit this year?
At 19.00 the participants of the Feminist Climate Academy will present a pre-program in which they will exhibit several actions that they’re organising to spread awareness and advocate for climate justice. Climb onto their ‘seat for Mother Earth’ to give nature a voice in parliament, take a ride in their cargo bike to understand the hidden costs of e-bikes, or support the ticket swap for the COP to amplify Indigenous voices at the climate summit.
This event can only be attended physically at our studio. The recordings will be made available later on and can be viewed via dezwijger.nl/terugkijken or via our YouTube channel. Together with Joyeeta Gupta Full professor on Environment and Development in the Global South at University of Amsterdam Kamal Farah Water Technical Advisor at Care International Somaliland Jori Keijsper Head of Delegation UNFCCC for the Netherlands Agnes Schim Van Der Loeff Policy advisor climate justice at ActionAid Nederland Shivant Jhagroe Universitair docent Duurzaamheid, Klimaat en Rechtvaardigheid, Instituut Bestuurskunde, Universiteit LeidenAbout the speakers
Joyeeta Gupta is Professor of Environment and Development in the Global South at the University of Amsterdam and Professor at IHE-Delft Institute for Water Education. She has received numerous awards for her work on justice in the climate change debate – among which the Spinoza prize in 2023.
Kamal Farah is Water Technical Advisor at Care International Somaliland. He has worked with several local and international organisations in humanitarian and development work. Through his role with CARE, his work helps bridging humanitarian goals and national/regional water sector planning.
Jori Keijsper is Head of Delegation UNFCCC for the Netherlands, representing the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy. She brings her expertise on international climate negotiations and the European Green Deal.
Agnes Schim Van Der Loeff is policy advisor climate justice at ActionAid Nederland where she focuses on the intersection between gender justice and climate justice, with a particular focus on climate finance and transition minerals.
Shivant Jhagroe is writer, researcher and university professor at the Institute of Public Administration at Leiden University. He conducts research on the politics of sustainable transitions and climate policy, with a holistic view connecting inequality and justice with ecology.
About the Feminist Climate Academy
The Feminist Climate Academy is a free learning program for young people who want to take action for a better world. It brings together feminism, human rights, and climate justice, recognizing that the impacts of the climate crisis are not equally distributed.
A total of 120 young participants take part in lectures, discussions, and workshops where they learn about climate justice. They engage with inspiring activists and lobbyists from around the world who work to shape climate transitions based on feminist principles.
Over the course of six months, the participants form different action groups and develop their own campaigns – lobbying politicians or raising public awareness about climate justice. For example, one group launched a sticker campaign during the election period, another is building a large wooden chair to give the Earth a voice in politics, and yet another came up with a “ticket swap” to give people from the Global South a voice at the climate summit.
