Visions for Change: is climate change a social justice issue?

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The effects of climate change disproportionately impact the most vulnerable communities, deepening existing social inequalities and injustices. For a successful transition to a zero-carbon economy, the intersections between human rights and environmental degradation must be addressed in tandem. Join us in exploring perspectives that take a critical look at how aspects of identity create complex systems of discrimination and privilege, how these systems interact with climate change, and what we can do about it.

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Speakers:

Sonya Peres (event moderator), Climate Commission Officer for the Climate Commission for UK Higher and Further Education Students and Leaders with EAUC

Sonya is an Indian-Canadian climate crisis researcher and project coordinator. She is currently the Climate Commission Officer for the Climate Commission for UK Higher and Further Education Students and Leaders with EAUC, working on research, engagement and communications in coordinating a strong sector-wide response to the climate emergency. Prior to this role, she worked as the Responsible Institutions Research Intern for EAUC-Scotland, developing resources to reduce air travel while supporting equity and justice in universities and colleges. She also works at NKS, a South Asian women’s centre in Edinburgh. Initially, she collaborated with members to understand the interaction between engagement on sustainability issues in the South Asian community and integration in Scotland for her postgraduate dissertation. She now develops and delivers lessons on the climate crisis for children at the centre. Sonya believes climate, social and racial justice is imperative to real climate action and she considers how she can advance justice in all areas of her personal and professional life. In her spare time, she loves cooking, writing and learning about the power of food to mobilise and heal immigrants and women. She is combining these interests to produce a community-led poetry/cookbook.

Emma Schoenmakers, Vice President of the Sustainable Development Association

Emma is a 4th year Ecological & Environmental Sciences student passionate about climate justice, inclusivity and alternative ways of addressing current issues through systems thinking. She is also the Vice-President of the University’s Sustainable Development Association which aims to democratise knowledge regarding climate change and sustainability. Emma is a proud advocate for the true inclusion of people of colour in the environmental movement and science through her role as a science communicator in high schools around the Lothians with the SCI-FUN initiative. She believes there are many ways to tackle problems related to the climate crisis, substantive change through both empowerment and equity being the most important one.

Nina Pušić, LLM in Environment & Climate Change Law & United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

Nina has just completed her LLM in Environmental & Climate Change Law at the University of Edinburgh, and is currently interning with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. She has an undergraduate degree from UoE in Sustainable Development and Politics which cemented her passion for climate justice and advocating for a Just Transition to a zero-carbon, circular economy. Over the summer, she worked in Geneva for the Center for International Environmental Law. Here, she advocated for the creation jurisprudence on climate change within the United Nations Human Rights Treaty Bodies, in order to hold States accountable for ambitious climate action as part of their international human rights obligations. Nina is looking forward to spending the next few years pushing for ambitious climate action in the international sphere, such as in Glasgow next November at COP26. In her free time loves spending time swimming at the beach or anywhere in the sun with friends, preferably with gelato in hand.

Aisha Janki Akinola, Co-Director at BlackED Movement and Sustainable Architecture Enthusiast

Aisha is a second year architecture student with a passion for climate justice, sustainable design and circular economy in the construction industry. She studied her A levels at an all girls school in Ghana which seeks to empower more young girls from across Africa to enter into STEM fields. Having graduated from the school with a fully funded scholarship to study her dream course; Architecture at Edinburgh University, she continues to engage in conversations around equality, diversity and inclusion. She co founded the BlackED movement; and organisation pushing for a truly anti-racist culture at Edinburgh University alongside six other ambitious women.