The project began with a series of three well-attended public-facing webinars that brought together academics and civil society activists and practitioners to critically discuss the inherent challenges in the ‘race to zero’ through the lens of the three COP26 themes: 1) Resilience and Adaption; 2) Nature-based Solutions, and 3) Finance.
While delivered by our project team from CAWR and UCT, the webinars often took place in conversation with others from academia and civil society networks, bringing together perspectives and experiences from the so-called Global North and South. Over 300 attendees were from 27 countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Eurasia, S Asia, SE Asia and Latin America; and represented academia, INGOs, GOs, UN institutions, foundations, think tanks, industry, planning, journalism, civil society organisations and networks, and agroecology and food sovereignty activists.
Week 1: Resilience & Adaptation – Agroecological Systems, Climate Disruption & Urbanisation
(Wed 19th May 2021) Bastien Deppois (CAWR) & Gareth Haysom (UCT) shared strategies for climate change adaptations and urbanisation:
Week 2: Nature-based Solutions: Old Wine, New Bottles?
(Wed 26th May 2021) Panel discussion with Rachel Wynberg (UCT), Michel Pimbert (CAWR), Jasber Singh (CAWR), Mvu Ngcoya (UKZN) and Million Belay (AFSA):
Week 3: Agroecology Resourcing Towards Economies of Care & Justice
A discussion between Vanessa Farr (UCT) and Nina Moeller (CAWR) on how the concept of ‘slow violence’ can be applied and adapted to inform our understanding of the present industrial food system, moving us to consider how alternative economic systems represent important transitions towards economies of care, and social and environmental justice: