The Climate Justice Pavilion at COP27

Amplifying our Climate Justice Stories on a World Stage

What is COP?

The United Nations Climate Change Conference 2022 (UNFCCC COP 27)  will take place in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt from November 6-18, 2022. More commonly known as the Conference of Parties (COP), the summits are held annually and bring together around 30,000 participants to negotiate policies, take stock of and celebrate commitments, highlight and catalyze action by non-Party actors, expand the network of coalitions and partnerships and inspire others. 

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First CJ Pavilion

The Bullard Center, WE ACT for Environmental Justice and Deep South Center For Environmental Justice, along with an international team of collaborators, will  host the first-ever Climate Justice Pavilion at The United Nations Conference For Climate Change(COP27). 

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Raising Our Profile

COP 26 hosted a robust Blue Zone of companies, governments, and large advocacy organizations that featured a broad range of programming at their pavilions, but there was no space that centered climate justice, discussed equity within climate policy, or highlighted the stories and concerns of impacted vulnerable communities. 

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Where We'll be.

The Blue Zone is where the majority of diplomats, policymakers, business, and professional advocates convene.  As a result, climate justice voices and perspectives are not heard by most of the influencers who are situated in the Bluer Zone.  Grassroots groups and activists who table and provide programming, host rallies, and convening are usually in the Green Zone, which is geographically isolated from the Blue Zone.

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Because of this segregation, a collaboration was developed to better integrate the Blue Zone by developing a safe space, a Climate Justice Pavilion where folks from the Global South, the U.S. Environmental Justice Movement, and other international movements can dialogue on these issues, as well as; share knowledge, strategies and tactics with each other develop relationships that can provide substantive data and information that builds their capacity, and attract the more mainstream attendees to learn, share their perspectives, and perhaps develop collaborations  and strategic partnerships that are mutually beneficial.

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We are pleased to be presenting the very first Climate Justice Pavilion in the Blue Zone at COP27.  We will be bringing a delegation of over 40  representatives of grassroots communities; Students of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs);  and staff support to  manage  logistics, travel, programming of the pavilion, and relevant research.

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CURRENT DELEGATION:

CURRENT DELEGATION

EJ Leaders:

Dr. Robert Bullard, Director, Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice, Texas Southern University

Peggy Shepard, Executive Director of WE ACT For Environmental Justice

Dr. Beverly Wright, Director, Deep South Center for Environmental Justice

Delegation: Working the pavilion (CBOS, Grad Assistants, Students, Staff, Community Leaders)

Featured Speakers - In Delegation 

Invited Speakers - Not in delegation (Regan, etc.)

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The Climate Justice Pavilion

The first-ever Climate Justice Pavilion will consist of a theatre space for presentations/panels will make up about 60% of the pavilion, leaving ample floor space for networking.  Additionally, we will have a space dedicated to showcasing an immersive storytelling experience and conducting short interviews with select speakers that can be live streamed or recorded/uploaded for virtual conference goers to track important conversations of the day.  

The Climate Justice Pavilion will be a safe space where folks from the Global South, the U.S. Environmental Justice Movement, and other movements internationally can: 

• Dialogue on these issues; 
• Share knowledge, strategies and tactics with each other; 
• Develop relationships that can provide substantive data and information that builds their capacity, 
• Attract the more mainstream attendees to learn, share their perspectives, and 
• Perhaps develop collaborations and strategic partnerships that are mutually beneficial.

Our pavilion programming will include the presence and contribution of 50 representatives of grassroots communities (both US and Global South/International), students of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), staff support, and the development of an expected 50-60 events that we will host throughout the twelve-day convening.

The collaboration for this effort will be led by Dr. Beverly Wright, Executive Director, Deep South Center for Environmental Justice; Fred Krupp, President, Environmental Defense Fund; Abigail Dillen, President, Earth Justice; PACJA, Pan African Climate Justice Alliance, Charles Mwangi; CARE, Ryan Shepherd; Inuit Circumpolar Council, Dr. Dalee Sambo Dorough; Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform, Cathryn Eatock.

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