People working together to build a just, peaceful and sustainable world.
Links to websites addressing environmental issues relevant to One World Week themes: resources for schools and campaigning are included.
This list of organisations that are currently campaigning on environmental issues affecting the planet and its people and their future was originally compiled for OWW by Sarah K. Kilou and has been updated by Sarah Hirom (September 2013).
Some of these organisations have local groups. Consider involving them in your OWW events.
To find out more about any of these campaigns, visit the websites listed below.
Please note that this is not an exhaustive list, but a selection from the wealth of information and positive action that is currently taking place – get involved!
OWW is not responsible for any content featured in the websites listed (in alphabetical order).
You will find faith-based organisations on pages 6 -7, following the general list below.
Sites containing further information on climate change:
Climate Outreach and Information Network
http://www.coinet.org.uk/
‘Climate Outreach and Information Network (COIN) is a charity formed in 2004 to directly engage the public about climate change. COIN inspires lasting changes in attitudes and behaviour through the use of innovative action learning methods and by assisting people to communicate their own messages to their peers.’
Schools resources
Cool it Schools
http://www.coolitschools.com/
‘Get Creative and Cool it! Calling young people, join our global project and share your creative ideas and practical solutions to environmental problems with each other families, friends, governments and religious leaders.
With Cool it Schools you can explore climate change, eco systems and environmental issues through art, science, creative writing, film, music, business, drama, technology, gardening...
Enter competitions (wonderful prizes) help with campaigns andcome up with brilliant practical solutions to help protect our environment’
Christian Aid Schools Resources
http://learn.christianaid.org.uk/
‘Introduce the globaldimension to your school day! Download or order easy-to-use assemblies, classroom activities and gamesto help students engage with world issues and reflect on their own role as global citizens.’ Resources available for Key Stage 1 to 4.
Islamic Relief Development Education
Materials: http://www.islamic-relief.org.uk/resources/education/leaflets/
‘Islamic Relief Development Education has developed a range of engaging resources to help teachers add a global dimension to learning and teaching at Key Stages 1 through to 4.’
Speakers: http://www.islamic-relief.org.uk/resources/education/
‘Islamic Relief offers schools, colleges, universities and community groups, the opportunity to book one of their trained speakers to present on a range of international development and global citizenship issues.
Their Aim
To help educational establishments provide opportunities for pupils to learn about the global context of their local lives, to critically examine their own values and attitudes and to gain the skills and confidence to become better citizens.
Our speakers’ service aims to meet the following objectives:
o To raise awareness of the root causes of poverty
o To promote an understanding of the humanitarian message of Islam in the context of international development
o To assist teachers in the delivery of curriculum objectives for Citizenship, RE and PSHE, at Key Stages 1 to 4’
Mongabay
http://kids.mongabay.com/
‘With more than one million unique visitors per month, Mongabay.com is one of the world's most popular environmental science and conservation news sites.’ Mongabay has an information section about rainforests and biodiversity, aimed at children.
Oxfam Education
http://www.oxfam.org.uk/education/
‘Oxfam Education offers a huge range of ideas, resources and support for developing the global dimension in the classroom and the whole school. All of the resources here support Education for Global Citizenship – education that helps pupils understand their world and make a positive difference in it.’
UNICEF
http://www.unicef.org.uk/Latest/Publications/climate-change-report-jon-snow-2013/
Climate change - children's challenge- Report pub.September 2013. Jon Snow describes it as :"Brave and forthright" and says "This report condenses both the evidence and the awareness of children as to climate change's impact on their future lives in one of the best accounts I have ever read. Read this, and you will have most of the key facts at your fingertips.""Down load from UNICEF here
http://www.unicef.org.uk/Latest/News/Climate-Kid/
And to make you smile: Climate Kid (though it might be the sight of him that has the children so worried!)
Campaigning organisations
See also faith – inspired organisations on p6
350.org
http://www.350.org
‘350.org is building a global grassroots movement to solve the climate crisis.Our online campaigns, grassroots organizing, and mass public actions are led from the bottom up by thousands of volunteer organizers in over 188 countries.’
38 Degrees
http://38degrees.org.uk/
‘38 Degrees brings you together with other people to take action on the issues that matter to you and bring about real change.’ It focusses on issues that matter to the UK and organises e-petitions about matters of topical interest when decisions are being made. Sometimes the campaigns are about climate change
Current campaigns include:
o Save the NHS
o Take a stand on Climate change (aimed at the Liberal Democrat party)
Biofuelwatch UK
http://www.biofuelwatch.org.uk/
‘Biofuelwatch works to raise awareness of the negative impacts of industrial biofuels and bioenergy on biodiversity, human rights, food sovereignty and climate change. Based in UK and US, we work with national and international partners to expose and oppose the social and environmental damages resulting from bioenergy-driven increased demand for industrial agriculture and forestry monocultures.’
Black Environment Network (BEN)
http://www.ben-network.org.uk/index.htm
‘BEN is established to promote equality of opportunity with respect to ethnic communities in the preservation, protection and development of the environment’
Campaign Against Climate Change
http://www.campaigncc.org/
‘The Campaign against Climate Change brings people together to push for the urgent and resolute action we need to prevent the catastrophic destabilisation of global climate.’
Christian Aid
Climate Justice Campaign
http://www.christianaid.org.uk/ActNow/climate-justice/
‘The world’s poorest people live on the frontline of climate change.
They are affected first and worst, yet have done least to cause the problem.
That’s why we’re calling for climate justice.’
This site includes updates in 2013
(see also page 5 for projects working with people affected by climate change )
Friends of the Earth
http://www.foe.co.uk
‘Making life better for people by inspiring solutions to environmental problems’
Current campaigns include:
· The Bee Cause
· Clean British Energy
Oxfam
http://www.oxfam.org.uk/get-involved/campaign-with-us/our-campaigns/grow
Current campaigns:
o Food Justice - GROW (a campaign addressing our broken food system)
‘GROW is an Oxfam campaign and a movement of individuals who care and act. Here are opportunities to help fix the System: actions, resources and information.’
o Land Grabs - Finding space to grow food in poor countries has always been an issue, but now the situation is getting out of control. Land used by poor families to grow crops is being sold to wealthy companies or foreign governments looking for cheap agricultural space. These families are often evicted without their consent, with little or no warning and no compensation.
o Health and Education (72 million children - the majority girls - still don't get an education, and every day 1,400 women die needlessly in pregnancy and childbirth. This has to change. There are solutions that can end this injustice. In 2000, governments across the world set out the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a series of commitments to lift around 500 million people out of poverty -. But with less than three years left to achieve these commitments, there is lots more to be done.
We are campaigning to make sure the British and other rich country governments stick to their side of the bargain. We're sending a clear message to leaders that the world needs free public health care and education - now.
o Rights in Crisis (In times of crisis, the poorest struggle to survive. And growing numbers of disasters - floods, hurricanes, cyclones - are hitting poor people hardest. )Conflict also threatens the lives and livelihoods of millions, trapping people in a vicious cycle of violence and poverty.Oxfam works for the safety and dignity of all in crises, supporting people recover and to rebuild their lives and stand up for their rights.
Practical Action
http://practicalaction.org/schools
‘Practical Action works with poor communities to help them choose and use technology to improve their lives for today and generations to come.’
This site has excellent case study material and activites for schools
New Project: Technology challenging poverty: Make the linkwill focus around integrating issues aroundtechnology justiceintoscienceanddesign and technologyeducation.
Students at both primary and secondary school will ‘make the link’ between:
· science and technology and global poverty reduction
· their own behaviour and the impact on the developing world
They will produce a fantastic new range of support material for teachers; offer teacher training and a real opportunity to shape the policy and practice of science and D & T teaching within a large number of schools throughout Europe.
STEM Challenges (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) such as Beat the Flood; Floating Garden Challenge and more offer challenges based on situations faced by real people.
RisingTide
http://risingtide.org.uk/
Rising Tide is a grassroots international network of groups and individuals who take direct action to confront the root causes of climate change and to promote local, community-based solutions to the climate crisis.
Current focus – Nuclear power and fracking
Stop the Climate Chaos Coalition
http://www.stopclimatechaos.org/
‘The UK’s largest group of people dedicated to action on climate change and limiting its impact on the world’s poorest communities. Our combined supporter base ofmore than 11 millionpeople spans over 100 organisations, from environment and development charities to unions, faith, community and women's groups’.
Current campaigns on Fracking, Save the Arctic and improving the energy bill.
News of campaigns and events of member organisations.
World Development Movement
They have been campaigning for climate justice for some years : http://www.wdm.org.uk/climatedebt
‘Whilst rich countries are responsible for most of the emissions pumped into the atmosphere it is the poorest communities in the world that are being hit the hardest by climate change. But rather than providing compensation for causing climate change rich countries are using it to trap the world’s poor into new and dangerous climate debt. WDMis campaigning for climate justice for developing countries.’
“Carbon Capital” http://www.wdm.org.uk/carbon-capital is the latest campaign to tackle specific aspects of fossil fuel energy projects. It looks at how “British Banks, pension funds and other finance companies are funding dirty energy projects that are destroying people’s lives and pushing the planet to the brink of catastrophe. Yet millions of people have no access to electricity. Across the world, people are resisting dirty fossil fuel projects affecting their communities, and looking for better ways to ensure people have access to energy.”
World Wildlife Fund
http://wwf.panda.org/
‘WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of our planet's natural environment, and build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature.’ Current campaign: Kill the trade – to stop illegal wildlife trade.
Faith inspired environmental organisations and
organisations with environmental projects
Christian:
Christian Aid
http://www.christianaid.org.uk/whatwedo/issues/climate_change.aspx
Climate Justice Campaign (see page 3 above)
For stories of people affected by climate change and projects working with them go to:
CAFOD
http://www.cafod.org.uk/Campaign/Get-clued-up/Climate-and-environment
‘CAFOD supporters have been campaigning for climate justice since 2008.’
Also related campaigns about food,
Operation Noah
http://www.operationnoah.org/
‘Operation Noah is a Christian organisation which provides leadership, focus and inspiration in response to the growing threat of catastrophic climate change endangering God’s creation.’
Christian Ecology Link
http://www.greenchristian.org.uk/
‘We are responsible for our impact on God's creation as a whole. CEL helps members to understand and relate these responsibilities to their faith. Members can then encourage others in their local church to think seriously about these issues’.
A Rocha
http://www.arocha.org/gb-en/index.html
‘A Rocha is a Christian environmental and nature conservation movement. Our name isPortuguese for 'the rock' - our first initiative was a field study centre in Portugal.’
‘Ourprojects are frequently cross-cultural in character and share a community emphasis, with a focus on science and research, practical conservation and environmental education.’
Islamic:
Islamic Foundation for Ecology and Environmental Sciences (IFEES)
http://www.ifees.org.uk/
‘From tentative beginnings in the 1980s, IFEES has established itself as perhaps the only internationally recognised body articulating the Islamic position on environmental protection and at the same time taking a practical approach to resolving current issues’.
Islamic Relief Worldwide
http://www.islamic-relief.com/InDepth/2-12-environment.aspx
Read their in depth analysis on an Islamic approach to the environment, and how this is implemented through Islamic Relief.
MADE in Europe
http://madeineurope.org.uk/
‘Inspires and enables a grassroots European Muslim youth movement of faith in action for tackling global poverty and injustice through volunteering, campaigning and education. We also provide capacity building services for Muslim NGOs and support for cross-faith initiatives in international development’.
Current campaign: I drink tap - Plastic bottles destroy our planet - Say NO to bottled water!
Schools – ideas and resources http://www.madeineurope.org.uk/learn/schools
Wisdom In Nature (WIN)
http://www.wisdominnature.org.uk/
‘Wisdom In Natureis a pioneer of local Islamic ecological activism in the UK, and has a presence in both London & Brighton. Open to people of all faiths and beliefs, we aim to provide a safe, yet stimulating and enjoyable forum in which dialogue can take place, assumptions can be reflected on, and ideas developed’
Jewish
The Big Green Jewish Website
http://www.biggreenjewish.org/
‘The Big Green Jewish Website is the home of the climate change campaign of the UK Jewish community. We campaign to raise awareness about environmental issues. Our aim is to educate about climate change and empower people to make changes in their lives that will make a difference to the world.’
Current Campaign: ‘the year of the bicycle: campaigns, action and education focusing on transportand how to make the way we get around more sustainable.’
http://www.biggreenjewish.org/documents/18-rabbis-for-18-days-pdf-downloadable-resource.pdf This is a great resource containing quotes from each Rabbi.