T-100 days: inclusivity, diversity and what lies ahead.

Author: Pamela EA

Welcome to On the Road to COP, where we look at the road to COP27 against a backdrop of rising urgency and optimism. In conversation with those on the frontline of the climate justice movement, we will be exploring the roadblocks to advancing climate justice, what is at stake, who is stepping up, and how everyone can join our journey towards a better future.

Here in our first instalment, we speak with Elijah McKenzie-Jackson and Jerome Foster II about inclusivity and diversity within climate discussion, and what they see on the road ahead as we look towards COP27.

From left to right: Elijah McKenzie-Jackson and Jerome Foster II leading NYC’s climate strike.
*Photo by Pamela EA*

Elijah is an 18-year-old British Artist and Activist whose work focuses on climate justice. Elijah’s journey includes travelling alongside The Guardian to the Amazon Rainforest to engage with indigenous environmental leaders, speaking in the EU parliament, the United Nations Climate Conference as well as in front of the House of Lords with Chief Raoni. Most recently, Elijah co-founded Waic Up, a soon-to-be-launched, news-to-impact platform focusing on the unbashful truths of climate impact through the lens of people.

Jerome Foster II is an environmental justice activist and emerging technology developer. He sits on President Biden’s White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council. He served as an intern for the late Honourable John Lewis and served as Board Member for the DC State Board of Education. Jerome is also a co-founder of Waic Up.

What are the roadblocks to advancing climate justice? How do you think this can be fixed?

Elijah: Inclusivity and diversity within climate discussion have always been a roadblock to climate justice. The climate emergency is not just ecosystem destruction. Although a large impact of this crisis is, there is a whole other realm of direct climate impact that lies within human rights. Marginalised communities are and will increasingly become the most affected people by climate change as building blocks of the system we live in are usually designed to suppress and neglect these groups.

For example, LGBTQ+ people make up an astonishingly large percentage of homelessness in America and England because of the idea that homosexuality is sinful, unnatural and a sickness, pushed forward by backwards tradition. Leading to parents abandoning their gay, lesbian, non-binary, trans… children to harsh environments without shelter.

But… How does this relate to climate change?

Well, as emissions continue to skyrocket, floods, extreme heat and harsh colds will become more frequent, more magnified and less forgiving. These LGBTQ+ children, teenagers and adults will face the brunt of these climate impacts as they lack fundamental needs of survival: food, water and shelter, all because of their sexuality or gender.

“We can’t use the same approach as the fossil fuel industry and expect better results.”

Jerome Foster II

Jerome: The current status quo in climate policy and solution spaces is that problems are framed in a global-scale, minor economic reforms lens; using the same techniques of mineral exploitation and stock-market manipulation that initially fuelled this crisis. We can’t use the same approach as the fossil fuel industry and expect better results. Roadblocks in a mindset like this are all too common.

As a movement fighting for a just transition to renewable energy, we are fighting for the dialogue to shift towards legally-binding reparations to communities who have been impacted by the climate crisis deserve the ability to recover and solutions that construct preventative climate-resilient infrastructure that employs and trains local people. Their shift in mindset can fix this. In the case of COP27, the United Nations pitches themselves as a pioneer in climate action, yet they are excluding LGBTQ+ people and protests from the discussion by hosting the climate conference in a country that is hostile to queer and trans people.

What are potential obstructions to the advancement of climate action in COP27? What do you think should be done to ensure negotiations are successful?

Jerome: At COP27, roadblocks that will occur are countries fighting against the environmental policy proposal ‘Loss and Damage’ which if accepted, would unlock funding for communities across the planet who have or are currently facing the climate crisis to access money that will help to rebuild their communities due to high-emitting countries refusal to lower emissions with the scale, scope, and speed needed.

To ensure negotiations are successful we need all stakeholders present in the policy making process to provide their wisdom in presenting innovative solutions that can accelerate a just transition to renewable energy. However, if COP27 is hosted in Egypt, the conference has already failed because critical voices have been pushed out.

Our so-called leaders must be open to discussion, criticism and learning from traditional communities, POC, LGBTQ+ folk, women and youth.

Elijah McKenzie-Jackson

Last year, we saw COP26 take place in Glasgow within the UK. Looking back, what are your key takeaways from the conference? What should and shouldn’t be repeated in COP27?

Elijah: COP27 must focus on providing immediate Loss & Damage Finance to the communities most affected by the climate emergency. Our so-called leaders must be open to discussion, criticism and learning from traditional communities, POC, LGBTQ+ folk, women and youth. This would enable transformative conversations and radical shaping of policy, to not only stay in line with The Paris Agreement of staying below 1.5 degrees Celsius of global temperature warming but to understand and uproot the toxic systems that continue to pollute our world, through devoting to a fall scale commitment to climate justice, not just action.

Finally, What brings you optimism on the road to COP27?

Jerome: I look forward to having open dialogue from the UNFCCC in relocating COP27 to another African country that is safer for LGBTQ+ people, women, and protest. The fact that we still have time to stop the worst of the climate crisis gives me hope. Everyone who is a part of this movement who is working on the ground to advance our aims of restoring our relationship with mother earth gives me hope.

Featured