Increasingly we are hearing from marginalized communities in Canada and the global South, who are facing the immediate and deadly impacts of climate change, of the urgent need to act for climate justice. Alarming and urgent reports continue to be produced and are reported in the media about the climate crisis. They come from climate scientists, the United Nations, World Bank, and others. They show the effects of the climate crisis on vulnerable communities, including women and Indigenous peoples. KAIROS began Climate Action Month in September 2019 as a response to the urgent call to action communicated by partners and in these reports. The goal was to galvanize awareness and action among Canadians. Throughout the month, we explored issues related to climate change, gathered to learn and reflect, took collective action, and built momentum for climate action.
KAIROS will continue to advance this program with Climate Action Weeks. Starting with 2023, every year KAIROS will host 3-4 weeks of engagement that align with key moments for climate action throughout the year.
KAIROS aims to center the voices and experiences of those who are most impacted by climate change, least responsible for it and most likely to have effective and sustainable solutions because they are living and adapting to it. KAIROS’ climate justice work is rooted in recognition of Indigenous rights, decolonization, and the persistence of environmental racism.
In 2022, Climate Action Month centered around the theme Decolonizing Climate Action, which explored the ongoing effects of colonialism on international and Canadian climate policy, and discussed how we can act to change and reverse these effects. Decolonization is not just about wider inclusion. Decolonizing climate policy is to change the deeper, systemic factors that cause ecological injustices. Climate Action Weeks will retain the same thematic focus to improve understanding on the intersection of climate justice and decolonization and strengthen our actions to address them.
Each Climate Action Week will include events, resource publications, theological reflection, collaboration with global partners, advocacy actions, and more. We will highlight the work of KAIROS member churches, amplify the work of partners, and showcase communities that are taking concrete steps to address the climate emergency.
To receive updates about Climate Action Weeks, subscribe to our e-newsletter and select Ecological Justice as an area of interest. Follow #KAIROSClimateAction on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter too.