ADVISORY: Inaugural Global Grassroots Leaders Climate Summit To Begin June 2

RSVP FOR THE GRASSROOTS LEADERS CLIMATE SUMMIT HERE

WASHINGTON, D.C.-- Following President Biden’s Earth Day Climate Summit, the Sierra Club and Friends of the Earth US will be hosting a Global Grassroots Leaders Climate Summit from June 2-4 to virtually bring together activists from around the world. The grassroots leaders, representing more than 30 organizations from 17 countries, will convene to discuss the climate issues in their communities and elevate their demands for the US Government and its institutions. 

The US government provides billions of dollars annually to fossil fuel projects overseas. In 2020, the US Export-Import Bank provided over $5 billion and the US International Development Finance Cooperation provided close to $2 billion for fossil fuel projects in Argentina, Mexico, and Mozambique, among other places. These institutions continue to consider supporting fossil fuel projects that will have few benefits for local communities and create few US jobs -- projects such as gas development in Bahrain and LNG terminals in Vietnam. In response to President Biden’s executive order requiring these agencies to end their support for “carbon-intensive” energy, nearly 450 groups from around the world sent a letter to the administration providing recommendations on the scope and timing of these agencies ending these investments.

Too often, grassroots leaders are left out of the climate conversation and do not have a seat at the table; the goal of this summit is to bring attention to the voices and asks of the global grassroots leaders who were not present during the April 22 Climate Summit.

Event Title: Global Grassroots Leaders Climate Summit

When: June 2-4, 2021

Where: Learn more and register here.

Schedule: 

June 2: Public sessions will be livestreamed on the Sierra Club’s Facebook and Instagram pages

June 3: Participants will meet with US agencies and representatives, including the Development Finance Corporation, the Treasury Department, and the office of Special Envoy for Climate, John Kerry. These meetings are not open to the public.

June 4: Participants will meet with representatives from the US Export-Import Bank. Post-summit press conference, TBA

Participants and Partners:

• Green Innovation and Development Centre (Green ID) - Vietnam

• Coastal Livelihood and Environmental Action Network (CLEAN) - Bangladesh

• Greater Whange Residents Trust - Zimbabwe

• Global Catholic Climate Movement - Africa wide

• NGO 350 CÔTE D’IVOIRE - CÔTE D’IVOIRE

• Centre for Citizens Conserving (CECIC) - Uganda

• Strategic Youth Network for Development - Ghana

• Foundation for Environmental Management and CampaignAgainst Poverty - Tanzania

• Climate Action Network (CAN) Zimbabwe - Zimbabwe

• Climate Action Network (CAN) Tanzania - Tanzania

• Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) - Pakistan

• Eco Warriors Movement - Ghana

• Northern Advocacy Center for Peace and Climate Change - Ghana

• World Vision Ghana - Ghana

• Youth in Natural Resources and Environmental Governance - Ghana

• Alliance for Empowering Rural Communities - Ghana

• Green Carbon Ghana - Ghana

• Ngo forum on ADB - Pakistan

• Lekeh Development Foundation (LEDEF) - Nigeria

• Botswana Climate Change Network - Botswana

• Environics Trust - India

• Justiça Ambiental/ Friends of the Earth Mozambique - Mozambique 

• A Fair Deal for Guyana - A Fair Deal for the Planet - Guyana

• Zero Hour / Zero Hour Asia - Philippines

• Trend Asia - Indonesia

• DeCOALonize - Kenya

• Bangladesh Working Group on External Debts (BWGED) - Bangladesh

• Human and Environmental Development Agenda - Nigeria