Climate Justice Fellowship Enters its Third Year

In the Mau Forest in Kenya, armed forest rangers use axes and hammers to tear apart the homes of the indigenous Ogiek people, part of a government scheme to use the forest for carbon credits. When faced with evidence of these forced evictions–more than 700 last year–the Kenyan government has argued that these abuses are happening outside the country’s borders.

During one of last year’s Climate Justice Fellowship practice/problem sessions, designed for the group to discern effective approaches to pressing problems, one Kenyan fellow thought to ask villagers to place Kenyan flags on their homes, thwarting the government’s disinformation efforts. The tactic was successful in halting–or at least pausing–additional evictions.

The Climate Justice Fellowship

The Climate Justice Fellowship is a partnership between Right Livelihood and the Albert Einstein Institution that supports grassroots climate efforts across the globe by building knowledge and enhancing collaboration among climate justice activists. 

Begun in 2022, the Climate Justice Fellowship is now in its third year. Each cohort spends 15 months together, learning the principles and tactics of strategic nonviolent action.

Last year’s fellowship focused on African climate efforts, with recruitment supported by the Africa Climate Justice Collective and GRAIN. The kick-off meeting in Abuja, Nigeria was generously hosted by Nnimmo Bassey of Health of Mother Earth Foundation.

Impact

The impact of the fellowship is powerful and ongoing. 

One of the movements represented successfully halted the development of the San Pedro Coal Fired Power Plant in Cote d’Ivoire. 

Another is seeking reparations for communities impacted by the construction of the Singrobo Hydroelectric Power Station and the Atinkou Thermal Power station, in Côte D’Ivoire and Mozambique. 

Meanwhile, fellows from the 2022 European cohort continue to report benefits from the concepts they learned during the fellowship. These fellows have credited AEI’s work with helping them address internal conflict within their movements, recover from burnout, and improve their strategies.

This year’s fellowship is focusing on Asia. With the realization that fellows who participated together with members of their own group showed greater growth, the fellowship is focusing on the following movements this year: Mother Nature Cambodia, Sahabat Alam Malaysia, Greater Kaziranga Land, Seikatsu Club Consumers' Co-operative Union, and Human Rights Defence Committee.