DeSmog will collaborate with the Pocket Project to host the Climate Consciousness Summit 2024 from November 15 to 21, coinciding with COP29 in Azerbaijan. The summit will connect climate justice advocates and trauma specialists to address psychological barriers to climate action, featuring over 30 speakers including Christiana Figueres and Lindsey Gulden, among others. The event will include live discussions, community engagement activities, and insights from affected communities, aiming to empower participants in their climate actions.
DeSmog has announced a partnership with the Pocket Project to hold the Climate Consciousness Summit 2024, scheduled to take place online from November 15 to 21. This summit aims to unite prominent climate justice advocates and specialists in trauma to examine the psychological obstacles hindering effective climate action. The event is timely, coinciding with COP29 climate talks set to commence in Azerbaijan next month. The summit will feature over 30 distinguished speakers, including notable figures such as Christiana Figueres, the former U.N. climate chief; Tzeporah Berman, chair of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty; and Melinda Janki, a legal advocate against ExxonMobil’s oil drilling in Guyana. Other significant contributors include Goldman Environmental Prize recipient Makoma Lekalakala; psychotherapist Francs Weller; and collective trauma facilitator Thomas Hübl. Kosha Joubert, CEO of the Pocket Project and co-host of the summit, remarked on the event’s significance: “This unique event is a sign of growing awareness in the climate movement of the importance of addressing the root causes of the crisis, including the role of unresolved trauma.” Participants can expect a format rich in various activities, including daily live discussions, testimonies from affected communities, a report from a DeSmog journalist attending the COP29 talks, as well as opportunities for arts engagement and community reflecting practices such as Global Social Witnessing. Sonita Mbah, another co-host, stated, “The summit will serve as a resource for anyone struggling with the overwhelming nature of climate change, and help each of us identify how we can contribute towards a more coherent global response.” A highlight of the event will be a video interview with Lindsey Gulden, a former climate scientist at ExxonMobil, who will share insights regarding the oil industry’s tactics to resist urgent emissions reductions. Gulden asserted, “Knowing what I do about the inside of the oil industry, knowing what I do about climate change and the existential threat that it poses to us, to our children, to our grandchildren, I have much more responsibility than the average person to stand up and speak out.” Matthew Green, DeSmog’s global investigations editor and summit co-host, expressed that the summit aims to delve into the emerging understanding of how collective and intergenerational trauma impacts societal and political responses to climate crises. As he stated, “The climate crisis can be seen as the manifestation of generations of unresolved trauma accumulating in humanity’s collective psyche.” The collaboration between DeSmog and the Pocket Project follows previous successful events, highlighting a commitment to integrating discussions on trauma-informed approaches within the climate activism framework.
The Climate Consciousness Summit 2024 reflects an increased awareness within the climate movement regarding the psychological dimensions of climate action. Recognizing that unresolved trauma may hinder effective responses to climate change is becoming a vital aspect of climate justice discourse. This summit, bringing together climate justice advocates and trauma specialists, will provide a forum to explore and address these psychological barriers, ultimately aiming to empower individuals and communities affected by the climate crisis. The partnership between DeSmog and the Pocket Project underscores a strategic alignment between investigative journalism in climate discourse and the facilitation of trauma awareness, further enhancing the movement’s depth and efficacy.
The Climate Consciousness Summit 2024 represents a significant step towards addressing the intersection of climate justice and psychological well-being, highlighting the importance of collective trauma healing in fostering a more effective response to the climate crisis. By engaging diverse speakers and providing a platform for affected communities, the event aspires to educate and mobilize individuals to contribute to meaningful global actions against climate change while recognizing the emotional toll of this urgent issue.
Original Source: www.desmog.com
