Everyone is talking about it. Whether it's being called a just transition, building back better, renew, reset, not going back to normal… we're all imagining and planning ways that we can create a better world and future that puts justice front and centre. A world where we repair climate damage and inequalities and leave behind the destructive ways of the past (present at the moment too!). It sounds great, but the path to get there is a bit more complicated. To help wrap our heads around it, fine tune our own visions and armour ourselves with knowledge to include in emails to elected representatives or dinner time debates, we've created a reading (watching and listening) list full of brilliant ideas on how we can build a better future.
Here's our list:
- Read about the people's bailout (US) : "A people's bailout should be rooted in justice. We demand the bailout provide a just recovery by prioritizing and funding those who have been hit first and worst by COVID-19 and the current recession including, but not limited to, Black, Latinx and Indigenous communities. We will not permit Congress to leave anyone behind - not our working families, health workers, caregivers, farmworkers, other essential workers, Black and Latinx communities, undocumented immigrants, Indigenous peoples, or people who are homeless or housing insecure."
- Explore the Climate Justice Alliance's (US) website and read about a regenerative economy, energy democracy, food sovereignty and more.
- Read the Climate Council's clean jobs plan (Aus). If you're looking for solid research and statistics then this is a goldmine. It sets out 'How 76,000 new jobs for Australians can help rebuild our economy now and tackle climate change.'
- Read 350.org's principles for a Just Recovery.
- Read this blueprint for climate justice (Aus). This has been put together by Friends of the Earth Australia and "based on our principles of justice, solidarity, resilience and care and action, we have set out our initial view of what a short-term economic rescue package should include to act on climate change while protecting people whose livelihoods are being disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic."
- Read the Future We Choose (book) by Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac. This book was released before the coronavirus pandemic but it's visions are still as relevant as ever. The book takes a look at two different futures - one where we take climate action, and one where we don't. And it arms us with a roadmap to achieve a bright future. If books aren't your thing, tune into their podcast Outrage and Optimism , "Each week's discussion aims to inform, inspire and help listeners realise that this is both the most challenging, but also the most exciting time in history to be alive."
- Read about this article plan for a Feminist Economic recovery in Hawaii. You can read the full plan here.
- Check out this resource list on building a new economy
- Watch this video on how Australia can clean up its act on energy
And here are some great articles that either discuss climate solutions or tackle issues that we should really be thinking about as we construct our visions of a better, more just future:
- Want to Be an Environmentalist? Start With Antiracism By Wanjiku Gatheru in Glamour
- Climate Change Poses 'Systemic Threat' to the Economy, Big Investors Warn By Christopher Flavelle in The New York Times
- Ocean Justice: Where Social Equity and the Climate Fight Intersect (interview with Dr Ayana Elizabeth Johnson) in Yale Environment 360
- Scientists unveil a plan to prevent the next pandemic (and save nature at the same time) By Shannon Osaka in Grist
- The Covid-19 recovery is an opportunity for systemic change. Our future hangs in the balance by Rachel Hay and Hannah Ford in The Guardian
- This Is Inequity at the Boiling Point by Somini Sengupta in The New York Times
- Explore the Intersectional Environmentalist website
Read this next: The Importance Of Sending Emails And Signing Petitions: How To Wield The Power Of Your Online Voice
Header photo by note thanun on Unsplash
