why we need a socially just response to climate change - julia unwin, joseph rowntree foundation
TRANSCRIPT
Why we need a socially just response to climate change
Julia Unwin, CBE, Chief Executive, Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Why we need a socially just response to climate change
1. Joseph Rowntree Foundation
2. Why does this matter for the voluntary sector?
3. The issues?
4. JRF research?
5. JRHT practice?
6. Conclusions
Role and focus of Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Search: causes of
social problems
Demonstrate: solutions
Influence: policy and practice
POVERTY:To identify the root causes of poverty and injustice
PLACE:To support resilient communities where people thrive
AGEING SOCIETY:To respond positively to the opportunities and challenges of an ageing society
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Mission: lasting change for people and places in
poverty, communities where everyone can thrive and a more equal society.
Dimensions of social justice
Distributional justice: climate impacts and responses will have varied impacts which could increase inequality
Procedural justice: whose voice is heard in decisions, who decides what action is taken?
Inter and intra-generational justice: implications of responses today for future generations
JRF focus on vulnerable and people facing poverty and disadvantage
What work is JRF doing?
Climate change and social justice programme 2009-12, c.£1m
• Research on impacts
• Examining policy responses on mitigation and adaptation to ensure protection
• Supporting innovation
Learning from JRF research - who is vulnerable to climate change?• Dynamic social and spatial issue (changes over people’s lives)• Personal, social and environmental factors• Climate disadvantage = the likelihood & degree of exposure to a
hazard e.g. flooding/heatwave combined with vulnerability • Resilience opposite to vulnerability?
Adaptive capacity
Exposure
Vulnerability
SensitivityAbility to respond
Ability to recover
Adaptive capacity
Exposure(Enhanced)
Vulnerability
Sensitivity
Ability to prepare
Adaptive capacity
Exposure(Enhanced)
Vulnerability
Sensitivity
Important factors affecting vulnerabilityAdaptive Capacity Sensitivity Enhanced Exposure
Low income Age (very young & elderly)
Neighbourhood characteristics (green/blue space)
Tenure: ability to modify living environment
Health status: illness Housing characteristics: (e.g basement/ high rise/ single storey buildings)
Mobility and access to services
Special care Buildings (ventilation/cool spaces)
Social isolation Homeless, tourists, transient groups
High housing density
Information and local knowledgeAccess to insurance
Flood disadvantage in England
• Some areas have both high socio spatial vulnerability and high potential exposure to flooding
• Urban and coastal areas particularly vulnerable
• Most flood disadvantaged region is Yorkshire & Humber (ie social vulnerability coincides with high likelihood of flooding)
Vibrant communitiesHigh adaptive capacity
Stressed community
Non-vibrant communities – Low adaptive capacity
• People shop outside neighbourhood• Decreased employment• Changes in economic status• Loss of skills• Changes in social network• Increase in capacity
building• Increase in networks and
partnerships• Strategic long term view• Respect cultural values
and diversity• Create opportunities• Celebrate achievements
• Support services leave• Demographics change• Skills reduce• Changes in equity• Participation to find shared
vision• Link with external resources and
services – creating networks• Awareness, sense of belonging,
ownership• Leadership capacity building• Increase skills and knowledge
Good Life projectAfter Paul Ryan(interfacenrm.com)
What makes a resilient community?
How is JRHT responding to the challenge?
….and new communities (Derwenthorpe, York)?
In established areas… (New Earswick, York)
Good Life Initiative, New Earswick, York
• Supporting community resilience with JRHT residents in York– awareness– networks– connections between community and landlord on sustainability– skills
• Activities: – initial series of activities and events– nature, tree planting, fruit picking– work with school, Jo-Rio summit– work with JRHT on housing emissions
• Currently assessing progress/legacy
Messages from JRF research…
• Compounded injustice in relation to climate change in UK– Low income households who contribute least to problem
(lowest emissions) may also be…– Among worst effected by climate change impacts – Pay more and benefit less from responses to it (through
energy bills & measures)– Have least voice in decisions
• Poverty is an important factor increasing vulnerability • To support resilience, need to build adaptive capacity –
to prepare, respond and recover from climate impacts
Conclusions: Just responses to climate change from the voluntary sector …
Protection
Voice
Resilience
@jrf_uk @juliaunwin
JosephRowntreeFoundation
www.jrf.org.uk