species loss

Racism, Land, and Food

Warm greetings from Geneva!

On behalf of our colleague, Dr. Manoj Kurian, Coordinator of the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance (EAA) of the World Council of Churches, we are happy to share with you an invitation to attend an upcoming webinar on Racism, Land, and Food.

New York, Bogota 09:00-11:00; London 14:00- 16:00; Geneva 15:00-17:00, Johannesburg 16:00-18:00, Nairobi 17:00-19:00, New Delhi 19:30-21:30, Bangkok 21:00-23:00

Objectives for the Webinar:

• Explore the intersections of food, land and racial injustice.

• Discern key lessons from initiatives and good practices that work to overcome the impact of racial injustice and inequity on food sovereignty.

• Reflect on how the Holy Scripture can assist and guide in bringing justice, dignity and rights to marginalised communities with regard to food and land

Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEvduGspj4iHtceXhhER9aLh9wJeRPv1hB1

Background documents: https://seafile.ecucenter.org/d/d35a42625eaf40b29c9b/

Languages: English and Spanish

Brief description:

Worldwide, communities are increasingly experiencing poverty due to severe climate changes and lack of access to fertile farmlands and the deploying of fertile farmlands for cash crop farming at the expense of food production. In fact, in many countries, especially, former colonies, the most productive farmlands are shared by the very rich, normally descendants of the colonisers/ other privileged classes and castes and some indigenous elites, while the masses continue to try to eke out a living from their inherited but tired lands that have been farmed without rest over decades if not centuries. In some instances, the rich have used their access to financial and material resources to coerce poor farmers to plant and grow cash crops for the export market at the expense of growing staple crops, however, the rewards from cash crops are great for the merchants and exporters while starving the poor farmers who are left without any significant returns from their cash crops and without food.

This webinar seeks to explore the intersection of these two injustices across the globe. It helps to consolidate the analytical, advocacy and practical resources, to explore, understand and expose the effects of the combined force of food, climate and racial injustice.

Resource persons

· Rev. Chebon Kernell, Indigenous Perspectives  Executive Director, Native American Comprehensive Plan, United Methodist Church, USA 

· Dr. Fransina Yoteni, Gereja Kristen Injili Di Tanah Papua (GKITP)- Evangelical Christian Church in Tanah Papua, Member of the Central Committee of the WCC, West Papua, Indonesia

· Dr. Betty Ruth Lozano Lerma, Director of Research, Fundación Universitaria Bautista (Unibautista), Colombia

· Dr. Mervyn Abrahams, Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice & Dignity Group, Republic of South Africa

· Mr. Angelious Michael, Coordinator, Partnership and Youth Desk at Jeypore Evangelical Lutheran Church, Orissa, India

· Rev. Elton Williams, Pentecostal Minister championing Food sovereignty, Antigua and Barbuda

· Dr. Angelique Walker-Smith, Senior Associate for Pan African and Orthodox Church Engagement, Bread for the World. Member of the Central Committee of the WCC, USA

Moderators:  Ms. Katlego Mohuba (South Africa) & Mr. Tsiry Nantenaina (Madagascar)

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the Committee of Religious NGOs at the United Nations, please visit rngos.wordpress.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, please visit facebook.com/NGOCoRIP. For more information on the NGO Committee on Social Development, please visit ngosocdev.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Disarmament, Peace, and Security, please visit ngocdps.wordpress.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on Human Rights, please email the co-chairs at bobbinassar@gmail.com or bknotts@uua.org. 

[workshop] Friends of Governance for Sustainable Development

The next workshop for the Friends of Governance for Sustainable Development will be on the 15th of December 9am to 1pm (EDT). This workshop will have three sessions.Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_cKvlWSRiSTi0c5SNXgBWYg Session 1: Marine Litter and Plastic Pollution at UNEA-5.2, with the aim of achieving a new Global AgreementSession 2:: Strengthen Environment Governance and Law (formerly The Global Pact on the Environment)Session 3: Glasgow Climate Summit COP 26 outcomes – where are we?Presenters and Respondents will include:

  • Liz Thompson, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary with responsibility for Climate Change, Small Island Developing States and Law of the Sea
  • Mr. Sérgio Carvalho Counsellor Permanent Mission of Portugal
  • Yunus Arikan, Director of Global Advocacy ICLEI World Secretariat
  • Craig Jones, Executive Director, Government & Corporate Affairs, General Electric (GE)
  • Layalee Ramahi North America Network Coordinator United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI)
  • Alberto Quesada Policy Advocacy Advisor Technical expert on single-use plastics and marine litter, Fundacion MarViva
  • Dr. Michael Dorsey, Club of Rome and Limited Partner at Ibersun
  • Prof. Felix Dodds, Water Institute UNC

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, please visit facebook.com/NGOCoRIP. For more information on the NGO Committee on Financing for Development, please visit ngosonffd.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-NY, please visit ngocsd-ny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-Vienna, please visit congocsd.wordpress.com. 

NGO CSW/NY monthly meeting

Join the NGO Committee on the Status of Women-NY for our December Monthly Meeting! This month, we’ll be exploring the intersection of human rights and climate change.At the beginning of the meeting, we will provide updates on NGO CSW/NY and the NGO CSW66 Forum.Date: Thursday, 16 December 2021Time: 1 – 3 pm EST Find your timezone here.

Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMpdeitpjwrGt2kwX-PL-O5LEnMa8n3XUH9?mc_cid=b7da83fba2&mc_eid=918abc9424

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CoNGO Notes: The NGO Committee on the Status of Women-NY is a Substantive Committee of the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations. Likewise, for more information on the NGO Committee on the Status of Women-Vienna, please visit ngocswvienna.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Status of Women-Geneva, please visit ngocsw-geneva.ch.

Investing in sustainable recovery, advancing gender equality and strengthening partnerships – Towards a renewed social contract anchored in human rights

Dear Colleagues,

The Human Rights Council’s fourth intersessional meeting for dialogue and cooperation on Human Rights and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development “Investing in sustainable recovery, advancing gender equality and strengthening partnerships – Towards a renewed social contract anchored in human rights” will be held virtually on Tuesday, 18 January 2022, at 10:00-12:00 CET. More information, including the Save the Date, is available here. We look forward to your participation.

Watch live: http://webtv.un.org

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Human Rights, please email the co-chairs at bobbinassar@gmail.com or bknotts@uua.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Status of Women-NY, please visit ngocsw.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Status of Women-Vienna, please visit ngocswvienna.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Status of Women-Geneva, please visit ngocsw-geneva.ch. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-NY, please visit ngocsd-ny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-Vienna, please visit congocsd.wordpress.com.

Faith Communities After Glasgow: An Interfaith Examen of COP26

Where did we find God in the COP26 Conversation? What is God doing with respect to our climate emergency today?

The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP26, will end on 12 November. This historic meeting has been called the world’s “last best chance” to reduce carbon emissions and commit to a socially just plan for adaptation. Such a decisive summit merits close attention, and the focus of the world’s faith communities cannot be limited to advocacy alone. We must also prepare ourselves to discern a communal response to this important moment in history, a response that will at once be faithful to the ongoing work of God in the world and capable of seeing new things in the midst of the old. In this spirit, we will gather faith leaders for a global examen on Thursday, 9th December, 2021 to begin a communal discernment. This discernment will be guided by the central question, “Where did we find God in the COP26 Conversation? What is God doing with respect to our climate emergency today?”

Register here: us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwkc-iqqz8iG9dLJkwnL9rTzlfFXXcDyvMn

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the Committee of Religious NGOs at the United Nations, please visit rngos.wordpress.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-NY, please visit ngocsd-ny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-Vienna, please visit congocsd.wordpress.com. 

Tenth Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons

Dear colleagues,

I hope that this message finds you well and safe.

With apologies for the lengthy delay, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) is pleased to inform you that your organization’s request for accreditation to the Tenth Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) has been provisionally approved, subject to a final decision by the Review Conference.

As you may know, the NPT Review Conference will be held from 4 to 28 January 2022, per notification from the President-designate to all States Parties dated 25 October 2021.

Next steps:

Between 1 and 14 December, each participant from your organization must complete the registration form at https://indico.un.org/event/1000162/registrations/. Online registrations must include the accreditation request letter, including the name of the participant. Additional representatives may be included in a revised accreditation request letter, which should be submitted to diane.barnes@un.org by no later than 14 December 2021.

Kindly note that as a result of public health restrictions implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, participation in the Tenth Review Conference by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) is expected to be fully virtual.

It is tentatively expected that open discussions will be viewable on UN Web TV. Accredited organizations wishing to deliver a pre-recorded video presentation to the Review Conference may coordinate with the NGO point of contact, Ms. Allison Pytlak of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF).

For additional details, kindly refer to the attached draft information note.

Please contact diane.barnes@un.org with any questions concerning registration.

Kind regards,

United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Disarmament, Peace, and Security, please visit ngocdps.wordpress.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on Human Rights, please email the co-chairs at bobbinassar@gmail.com or bknotts@uua.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, please visit facebook.com/NGOCoRIP. 

Transforming Climate Finance to Radically Transform Societies: The Case of Green Climate Fund Funding

Join CIDSE on Nov. 4 for an expert panel discussion on “Transforming Climate Finance to Radically Transform Societies: the Case of Green Climate Fund Funding.”

In the context of COVID-19, climate ambition entails not only lowering greenhouse gas emissions, but also recovering effectively by addressing climate impacts, food security, poverty and inequality holistically. Climate change has a direct impact on communities, (small scale) food producers, and civil society organisations (CSOs) operating at the local level in many developing countries.

Because they are based on local realities, including the needs and knowledge of local actors, locally-driven, innovative climate-response measures are highly effective in promoting climate adaptation and resilience, ecosystem recovery, low-carbon emissions, and sustainable development.  The scaling up of climate finance will be a pressing issue at COP26, with the review of the second commitment period being particularly important.

The GCF has committed to becoming a paradigm-shifting and transformative fund for low-emission and climate-resilient development, dedicated solely to climate financing in developing countries, with a focus on both mitigation and adaptation. However, our studies have shown that barriers for CSOs to access GCF funds exist and are systemic, massive. Our studies also show that agroecology receives minimal support from the fund while it is now recognized to be key to food system transformation we dramatically need and to cope with the multiple crises we face. Addressing, reducing and overcoming these barriers as well as increasing the quality of funding for agriculture will be essential for the Fund to fulfill its mission of transformative change-making.

Learn more & register here.

For further relevant reading, see this CIDSE study: “Improving civil society’s limited access to the Green Climate Fund.”

With questions about the event, please contact Lydia Machaka, CIDSE Climate Justice Officer, at machaka(at)cidse.org.

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Financing for Development, please visit ngosonffd.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-NY, please visit ngocsd-ny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-Vienna, please visit congocsd.wordpress.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, please visit facebook.com/NGOCoRIP. 

Climate and nature: The Role of Faith-Based Organizations in Securing an Equitable, Net Zero Emissions and Nature Positive World for All

Dear friends and colleagues,

On behalf of the Faith and Biodiversity UN Coordination Group, we are delighted to invite you to this hybrid events we are hosting and livestreaming at COP26 in Glasgow. This discussion will explore the role that faith-based organizations can play in advocating for strong action on climate and biodiversity. It will explore the theological and philosophical basis of the current environmental crisis, and offer insights into how humanity can re-orientate itself to being in harmony and balance with nature. The event will also explore the connections between COP26 and the CBD COP15, and how faith groups can help advocate for a strong Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework to secure an equitable, net-zero emissions and nature-positive world for all.
Speakers:
  • Sister Jayanti, Brahma Kumaris
  • Karenna Gore, Center for Earth Ethics
  • Debra Boudreaux, Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation
  • Gopal D. Patel, Bhumi Global
  • Moderated by: Gavin Edwards, Global Coordinator, WWF New Deal for Nature and People
Live streaming will be available at: youtube.com/user/WWFClimate 

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the Committee of Religious NGOs at the United Nations, please visit rngos.wordpress.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on Financing for Development, please visit ngosonffd.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-NY, please visit ngocsd-ny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-Vienna, please visit congocsd.wordpress.com.

The Global Biodiversity Framework: A Key Building Block for Local Implementation of the 2030 Agenda

You are invited to attend the launch of a new initiative: a global research and action network to explore the promise of a new eco-social contract as a way of responding to pressing social and ecological challenges.

Built in partnership with the Green Economy Coalition (GEC), the network will be a space for dialogue, debate, co-construction and action around the meaning of a new eco-social contract; good practices for its design; and mechanisms for its application. It will bring together research, practice, advocacy and policy decision-making communities working for social, climate and environmental justice in a progressive knowledge and action alliance. Information about the network is available here.

Find out more by joining us for the network launch, taking place both in-person at the Bonn Symposium
as well as virtually, on 10 November 2021 at 16:00 – 17:30 CET.

Register here: sef-bonn.org/en/events/bonn-symposium/2021/registration-bosy-2021

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Financing for Development, please visit ngosonffd.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Education, Learning, and Literacy, please visit facebook.com/NGOCELLatUN. For more information on the NGO Major Group, please visit ngomg.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, please visit facebook.com/NGOCoRIP. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-NY, please visit ngocsd-ny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-Vienna, please visit congocsd.wordpress.com. 

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