Glocal Voices 3: Conflict and Climate

Join us for a discussion moderated by a leading expert in climate-conflict-gender, Amiera Sawas, Action Aid. Together with community leaders from across the world we will discuss how climate change is exacerbating conflict, learn what people and communities are already doing about it, and what more needs to be done.

Get to know the panellists

Ilham from Mozambique representing Justica Ambiental!

Ilham Rawoot is a deeply experienced campaigner, activist and journalist focusing on human and land rights abuses. She currently works for Justica Ambiental!/Friends of the Earth Mozambique as the coordinator of the “Say no to gas!” The campaign, which is defending people and land against exploitation from the Gas industry. She was previously the coordinator for the Southern Africa Campaign to Dismantle Corporate Power, and also works as a freelance journalist, having written for Al Jazeera, the Mail and Guardian and City Press. She is based in Cape Town.

Andres from Colombia representing Censat Agua Viva 

Andres is an Environmentalist, organic farmer and writer. Interestingly, Andres comes with a background from the oil industry, as a qualified Petroleum engineer with significant experience including for Ecopetrol, Halliburton and Weatherford (Mexico). Andres has used his deep understanding of extractive engineering and oil industry to reorient his career towards research on extractivism, energy and environmental transition at Censat Agua Viva. This is an environmental organization focussed on communication, education, research and mobilisation. He is vice president of the community aqueduct of the Cascajo village (Marinilla, Antioquia) and an opinion columnist for “Las 2 Orillas”. He has participated in discussions, processes and publications on the exploitation of unconventional reservoirs, fracking, and post-oil transitions. He is also part of the "Alianza Colombia Libre de Fracking"(Colombia Fracking-free Alliance).

Prashant from India, representing Srushtidnyan

Prashant Shinde is Executive Director at Srushtidnyan, an environmental NGO based in Mumbai, which aims to address environmental degradation and promote a safe and healthy environment for all. Its mission is to generate awareness across all of society about how critical conservation is for the survival, sustenance and wellbeing of all living beings. They put a specific focus on conservation education and awareness and engage with many stakeholders to achieve that, including teachers, youth, women, villagers, educationalists, government agencies and local, national and international organizations. They have so many interesting projects, including a climate youth ambassadors network across Mumbai and Stockholm. Prashant has written several books which reflect his decades of experience in ecology and conservation.

Narith Por from Cambodia, representing My Village 

Narith has been working in community development and natural resource managements for 15 years. He is Executive Director of My Village (MVi), a local NGO who works for indigenous communities in northeast of Cambodia in Stung Treng, Kratie and Mondulkiri provinces. They work on fishery resources management, forestry resources management, land resources management, climate adaptation, local governance and social accountability. As a result of their efforts, together with authorities, staff and communities, they (My Village) have supported indigenous communities to protect over 80,000 hectares of forest and land and 71 hectares of fishery resources through

• Community forestry
• 18 community protected areas
• Indigenous land titling
• Deep pool conservation excluding community fishery areas.

Moderator: Amiera Sawas, Senior Climate and Gender Justice Advisor, Action Aid UK

Dr Amiera Sawas was a Researcher in the Climate Change and Risk Programme. She has been conducting research in the private, non-governmental and academic sectors over the past 10 years. Amiera has a PhD in water governance and is interested in the intersecting issues of climate change, access to infrastructure, gender and security. She is experienced in developing and promoting multi-disciplinary research.

Amiera previously worked at Imperial College London where she led a new, policy-relevant work stream on climate change and security, conducting research on the linkages between climate change adaptation and security in Pakistan. Before that, Amiera was part of the Safe and Inclusive Cities research programme funded by the International Development Research Center (Canada). Over 2.5 years she conducted research on gender and violence in urban Pakistan. As her work progressed, the linkages between gender, changing access to environmental resources and violence became increasingly evident. Therefore she became concerned with how climate change and, importantly, responses to climate change would impact security. Amiera has been a consultant to key development, multi-lateral organizations and private sector including the United Nations.