Humans for Abundance’s Post

Dive into our work on School environmental clubs in this article by KIZITO MAKOYE

How can you say you are taking care of the land, when you can't even respect the inhabitants of that land? Wangari Maathai, the renowned environmentalist and activist, once said, "You cannot protect the environment unless you empower people, you inform them, and you help them understand that these resources are their own, that they must protect them." This quote encapsulates her belief that environmental conservation is deeply intertwined with social justice and community empowerment. Maathai emphasized the importance of engaging and educating people, particularly marginalized communities, about their rights to natural resources and their role in protecting the environment. She believed that by empowering individuals and communities, we can create a more sustainable and just world for future generations. As an organization, honoring the land means honoring its people. The land is inseparable from its inhabitants, and any actions taken without their understanding disrespect both the land and its people. To truly benefit the land, one must consider the well-being of its people. Photo Credit: wirestock #sustainability #climatechange #africa

Greengrants grantee partner iTaukei Women in Conservation is uplifting leadership of Indigenous women in Fiji through the creation of a climate-resilient greenhouse nursery. The nursery is helping build the long-term resilience of their Antioki community. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eM3Z8gUM

❓ Did you know? Overall funding for Indigenous Peoples' and local communities’ tenure + forest guardianship has increased by 36% since 2020, with 72% of the increase driven by the IPLC Forest Tenure Pledge from #COP26. Indigenous- and local community-led funding mechanisms can ensure that more of this funding is channeled fairly and equitably to communities’ own local organizations. RRI’s IP- and LC-led funding mechanism, the Community Land Rights and Conservation Finance Initiative (CLARIFI), represents the next generation of an Indigenous-led global movement to secure rights and safeguard nature. By supporting the self-determined priorities of local peoples, CLARIFI ensures that they have the agency to shape their own future. #ThePledgeWeWant #LandRightsNow Learn more at https://lnkd.in/g_CACU9k

What does movement-led grantmaking look like in practice? Enei Begaye and Colette Pichon Battle of Environmental Justice Resourcing Collective at the Kataly Foundation detail how the collective has taken rapid action to help frontline communities facing environmental injustice and share lessons from their approach with funders: “Our experiences as grassroots leaders has taught us that the crises which lie ahead for all of us will often hit our communities first and hardest. Funders can accelerate the pace of change by connecting directly with movements and their leaders who are continually crafting strategy, assessing gaps, and identifying vehicles needed to fill them.”

If you believe that conservation agencies should be more accountable to Indigenous Peoples and other local communities impacted by their interventions, you may be interested in RFUK’s new report on protected area grievance and redress mechanisms (GRMs) in the Congo Basin. Frequent reports of forced displacements and abuses by Western-funded protected area rangers have put militarised ‘fortress conservation’ firmly in the spotlight in recent years, prompting various commitments from governments, funders and large conservation NGOs on human rights. However, this research, developed in collaboration with our local partners APEM, CAD, AJESH and CADD, finds there is a huge gap between such commitments and the reality on the ground with protected area GRMs so dysfunctional or absent that abuses in the region may be continuing on a large scale. This especially matters given the scale of the area under protected status globally and the international community’s commitment to effectively double this to 30 percent by 2030 (‘30x30’). To this end, the report also aims to provide conservation agencies, funders and organisations with practical recommendations for how to establish effective, accessible and culturally appropriate GRMs. Of course, the need for such mechanisms would be greatly reduced if we increase support to Indigenous Peoples and other local communities in their efforts to secure and protect their lands.

There will be no so-called ‘rights-based conservation’ without accountability for past (and ongoing) harms. And for this we need effective, comprehensive and accessible grievance mechanisms around national parks, among other things. This report I wrote for the Rainforest Foundation UK - with support from an amazing team and local partners - delves into the issue and provides practical pointers on how to make it happen in the Congo Basin.

We have so many solutions to act on #climate. And one key way is for all of us to get involved with and through #climatejustice and #environmental nonprofits. It's why #EarthGivesDay exists. With just over a week left, can YOU be the one to help boost giving beyond 2%? Can you shift some of your generosity to one or many of those featured at EarthGives(dot)org? Can you be a justice champion by seeking out many of the #Native let organizations featured here? What about #water #education #pollution #advocacy #renewableenergy ? It's all there. At checkout, you can "green them all" with an additional donation. Or start there and give big so all will benefit - doing work in communities across the U.S. and many globally. #ClimateWeekNYC Arizona Health Professionals for Climate Action Idaho Environmental Education Association Open Space STLNative Forward Scholars Fund Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute Ceres, Inc. Sovereign Energy Twende Solar The Rachel Carson Council Urban Ecology Center TerraGraphics International Foundation Climate Group Western Environmental Law Center Earth Law Center We Are Neutral Wishtoyo Foundation Defend Our Health Project Green Schools Project Drawdown The Alliance for Appalachia

Typically, when philanthropy engages in movement-led grantmaking, funders set the table and send the invitations. But what's possible when we take a different approach? In this piece for Stanford Social Innovation Review, Colette Pichon Battle and Enei Begaye reflect on the outcome when movement leaders build the table together, and offer insights on what funders can learn from the Environmental Justice Resourcing Collective. Read more about how the Collective engaged in rapid response grantmaking, avoided the clashing of egos through consensus-based decision-making, and ultimately developed a strategy that supported field building, multi-generational power building, and movement infrastructure.

CHAMPIONING ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE: OUR ADVOCACY EFFORTS At Sepik Wetlands & Peatland Limited, we are steadfast in our commitment to environmental justice, focusing on the preservation and protection of Papua New Guinea's vital ecosystems. Our advocacy centers on sustainable carbon development, biodiversity conservation, and community empowerment. By partnering with indigenous groups, we ensure that our initiatives honor traditional knowledge and land rights. Our work extends to the global stage, where we advocate for the importance of wetlands and peatlands in combating climate change. Through education, policy advocacy, and the promotion of sustainable practices, we aim to foster a resilient and thriving environment for future generations. Our dedication to environmental justice is reflected in every aspect of our work, driving meaningful change for the betterment of our planet and its people. #EnvironmentalJustice #SustainableDevelopment #ClimateAction