For immediate release – The Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN) has released a Call to Action urging governments and financial institutions to respond to the climate emergency and immediately take the steps necessary to meet the targets of the Paris Climate Agreement. Nearly half a million people have died in the last two decades due to climate-fueled disasters. It is more clear than ever that we are running out of time for significant action on the climate crisis.

“We know we can do better, and that we must act swiftly in the short window of time we have. The door is closing, and millions of lives are at risk as governments continue to delay on real climate solutions. Governments and financial institutions have no more excuses and must end their delusions with false solutions and incremental fossil fuel phase out plans. Science is telling us, we must act now.”

– Responding to the Climate Emergency: A Call to Action for People and Planet

The Call to Action is grounded in the leadership, analysis and frameworks of frontline communities and climate justice movements from across the world, and provides concrete steps for both governments and financial institutions to advance equitable and just climate policies and programming that phase out fossil fuels, end reliance on false solutions, and promote community-led and rights-based solutions for a healthy and thriving planet.

The Call to Action is being released during the UN General Assembly and Climate Week as part of the Climate Justice Forum, “Facing the Climate Emergency on the Road to COP27: Solutions and Perspectives from Global Women and Gender Diverse Leaders”, organized by WECAN and taking place September 20-22.

During the three-day Forum, women and gender diverse leaders will present challenges and solutions to shape a healthy and equitable world for us all. This is a free and public forum, with virtual and in-person events in New York City. Full details for each event can be found here.

Forum attendees will hear from the following leaders—a full list of speakers can be found here:

• Thilmeeza Hussain, Permanent Representative to the United Nations and Ambassador to the United States from the Maldives

• Patricia Gualinga (Kichwa), Indigenous Leader and Spokeswoman, Mujeres Amazónicas Defensoras de la Selva,, Ecuador

• Rita Uwaka, Forest and Biodiversity Program Coordinator, Friends of the Earth Africa (FoEA), Nigeria

• Farhana Yamin, Associate Fellow, Energy, Environment and Resources Programme Chatham House, UK

• Xiye Bastida (Otomi-Toltec), Co-founder and Board, Re-earth Initiative, USA

• Lucy Mulenkei (Maasai), Executive Director, Indigenous Information Network, Kenya

• Ozawa Bineshi Albert, Climate Justice Alliance Co-Executive Director, USA

• Jacqui Patterson, Founder and Executive Director, The Chisholm Legacy Project, USA

• Roishetta Ozane, Community Organizer for Southwest Louisiana and Southeast Texas, Healthy Gulf, USA

• Osprey Orielle Lake, Executive Director, Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN), USA

MORE INFORMATION FOR THE MEDIA

For media inquiries about the Call to Action and the Climate Justice Forum, contact Markeya Thomas at markeya@wecaninternational.org and Katherine Quaid at katherine@wecaninternational.org.

For more information and to register, visit https://www.wecaninternational.org/climate-justice-forum.