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World Social Forum highlights mountain and climate justice

23.02.2024

Mountains and climate justice were highlighted in a series of events at the World Social Forum 2024 Nepal. In collaboration with Mountain Partnership member the Karnali Integrated Rural Development and Research Centre (KIRDARC), the Mountain Partnership Secretariat (MPS) participated in the Global Climate Justice Assembly, titled "Mountains in peril together for the people and planet", to discuss how to enhance the resilience of mountain livelihoods in the face of climate change.

"The Mountain Partnership works to promote communities' resilience to climate and other shocks, to address poverty, marginalization and inequitable gender dynamics," said Rosalaura Romeo, Coordinator of the MPS. Examples that help strengthen mountain communities' economies and increase producers' entrepreneurial capacities include the Mountain Partnership Products Initiative and the Business Incubator and Accelerator (BIA) for Mountains and Islands. By incubating over 100 producer organizations representing more than 37 000 small-scale producers in 10 countries, the BIA focuses on vulnerable groups, such as Indigenous Peoples, women and youth.

During the session on Youth Climate Justice Assembly, Sara Manuelli, Advocacy Officer for the MPS, stated, "There can be no climate action without climate justice." She emphasized the need to build on decent employment, education and access to finance for youth in mountains. Presenting the recently established Mountain Youth Hub, a dynamic platform dedicated to empowering and mobilizing youth across mountainous regions worldwide, she welcomed the Hub members' commitment to issues such as climate action, gender equality, social justice, innovation, and intergenerational justice and action.

At the global level, Rosalaura Romeo underlined how the Mountain Partnership is actively supporting and implementing the United Nations' Five Years of Action for the Development of Mountain Regions 2023–2027. "These five years represent an opportunity to raise awareness of the challenges faced by mountain ecosystems and peoples. They are also an important opportunity for all other relevant stakeholders to participate in shifting the global narrative on mountains from one of inaction to one of action."

The World Social Forum 2024 Nepal provided an open forum for the free and horizontal exchange of ideas, experiences and strategies oriented toward enacting and generating alternatives to neoliberalism. The opening ceremony took place on 15 February 2024 at Khulamanch, Kathmandu. The thematic assemblies and parallel sessions were held on 16–18 February 2024.

The loose global assemblage of political movements, activists, social movements, civil society organizations, and individuals aimed to explore and experience a unique, diverse, and ideal backdrop for critical discussion on various issues ranging from inequality, democracy and civic space, to climate justice and food sovereignty, amid the multiple crises the world is facing.

Photo: ©KIRDARC