On:
In: Call to Action, Climate Change Adaptation, Environmental Justice

by Stephanie Smith

I arrived at COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland from my home in the Great Lakes region, and was heartened by the global community working to tackle climate change from many different angles. And yet, while there are many positive outcomes from COP26, they do not hit the mark for the accelerated pace of change we need. As I was reminded again and again, the people and countries that have done the least to create climate change issues are the most deeply impacted, with the fewest resources to create adaptive solutions. In my time at the conference, the voices of youth, island dwellers and indigenous people were loud, clear and absolutely urgent – their survival is threatened. But the outcomes of COP26 do not reflect the extent of change needed for the Great Lakes region and the planet as a whole.

While climate change impacts are inequitable, they are felt pretty much everywhere to varying degrees. The Great Lakes and their communities are being impacted by climate change through more severe storms, more extreme higher and lower lake levels, and changing temperatures, which affect the lake ecosystems and also the surrounding communities. Urban centers with aging infrastructure, areas with fewer resources and BIPOC communities are disproportionately impacted.

While some look to the Great Lakes as a climate refuge for those who can no longer live in their own communities due to fire, floods and droughts, this region also needs a more coordinated and accelerated approach to adapt to the changes we are amidst. Climate change is a threat multiplier and exacerbates existing issues, so we must have strategic, intersectional solutions that create, multiply and scale positive change. We’re not there yet, by a longshot, so what do we need to do?

Start with an inclusive vision for where we want to be. The people of the Great Lakes region in their diversity are not represented at our decision-making tables. As we hasten to develop the strategies we actually need for systemic change, the voices of youth and BIPOC leaders must be central to deciding upon, and guiding the journey. Yes, this is about regional preparation and action for the well-being of current Great Lakes residents. More critically, it’s about our future inhabitants – youth growing into adults here, and the incoming people that climate migration will lead here, seeking out the Great Lakes region as home.

Get better connected for bigger impact. With the Great Lakes at the heart of our region, we are already connected through these vital waters. Our current restoration and action agendas give us a strong base to stand on. But we need to embrace new voices – the same thinking and thinkers that have led us to this present moment will not get us to the change needed, in the relatively rapid timeframe needed. It’s imperative that we build stronger relationships and opportunities to share knowledge and solutions with the global water and climate change community

Integrate opportunities for engagement into all levels of our communities and schools. Because our vision should be about everyone, we need everyone engaged at varying levels. For a start, let’s mandate statewide, regional and national climate and water education that centers healthy people and a vibrant planet, with equity and justice for all. Youth leaders were at COP26 calling out for change, with a fantastic contingent from the Great Lakes region among them. But our young adults struggle with eco-anxiety and climate grief – and most of their peers are not adequately taught about climate change issues. This leaves them feeling isolated and frankly, tired. We must do better to support these leaders, who at age 25 have been doing this work for more than a quarter of their lives.

The calls to action at COP26 were crystal clear in their urgency. And while these aspects influenced the decisions made to reflect many global needs, they do not tap into the electric undercurrent of accelerated change truly needed. Let’s work within the Great Lakes region and connect with national and global partners to lead the change that’s needed now.

stephanie-smith-board-chair-freshwater-future-environmental-organization

Stephanie Smith is a Freshwater Future board member and runs Zephyr Mangata, a consultancy accelerating positive change for people and the planet.

 

Original Article

Blog – Freshwater Future

Blog – Freshwater Future

https://freshwaterfuture.org/call-to-action/cop26-and-the-great-lakes-region/

Freshwater Future

On:
In: Climate Change Adaptation, Drinking Water, Environmental Justice, Grassroots Groups at Work, Public Health

What Doesn’t Happen at Scientific Meetings (But Should)

Stephanie Smith, Freshwater Future’s Board Chair, talks about her recent collaborative work with scientists and groups in the African Great Lakes region. (Photo: Stephanie pictured with her family at Murchison Falls in Uganda.)

I looked out at the expanse of 90+ scientists from 17 different countries, most located around the seven African Great Lakes. They were seated around tables as relative strangers. I knew that once I asked my question, I couldn’t predict the range of responses, but I asked it anyway. “If we’re successful with this transboundary collaboration across the African Great Lakes region, what will the news headlines say in 5 years?”

I think a lot about big questions related to water. There’s an expression that says: “Water is life.” This is true, and water is also my life. After 17 years working on the North American Great Lakes, I now work as a global consultant facilitating collaboration for the health of people and the planet. My work emphasizes equity and justice that results in clean, accessible, affordable water and mitigates climate change impacts. I maintain my Great Lakes roots by serving on Freshwater Future’s board of directors.

For this event, I was in Entebbe, Uganda, working with the African Center for Aquatic Research and Education. We were laying groundwork for the first transboundary lake advisory groups for the African Great Lakes – a big step towards healthier lakes that many communities rely on for drinking water and fish.

Our event was a 10 minute walk to Lake Victoria, the second largest lake in the world by surface area – second only to Lake Superior. There are six other African Great Lakes (Albert, Edward, Kivu, Malawi/Niassa/Nyasa, Tanganyika, and Turkana), bordered by 10 countries. Every lake has at least 2 bordering countries, which brings an added geopolitical dimension. They comprise 25% of the world’s surface freshwater, even more than the North American Great Lakes. Fifty million lives depend on these lakes for their welfare and their livelihoods every day. The future of a lot of freshwater – and the people who depend on it – was at stake in this workshop.

Returning to my question about news headlines in 5 years, here’s what was unpredictable. I was asking meeting attendees to focus on the big picture of a future, multi-national vision. Many researchers and lake managers habitually focus solely on one part of their lake, within their country. And, they often focused on very specific aspects of that lake – that’s their job. The political relationships between some bordering countries are not always easy to navigate. My job was to help attendees develop what I hoped would become a shared future vision for all of the African Great Lakes. A successful collaboration depended on this perspective.

Researchers later told me that my “activity” wasn’t “what usually happens” at scientific meetings. But many saw the point. Because here’s what happened: despite their differences in perspective, geography, and focus, what they composed had consistently clear, cross-border unity with a collective vision.

Here are some of the headlines we saw emerge:

  • African Great Lakes Water Now Fishable, Swimmable and Drinkable
  • Eureka! Fish stocks in African Great Lakes Increasing
  • Researchers Team up to Influence Policy for Healthy African Great Lakes
  • Harmonized African Great Lakes Collaboration Optimizes Economic Benefits and Ecosystem Health

The next day, attendees began working together in groups that did not know each other, although these groups shared a common lake. What we all were beginning to realize was that they collectively held very common hopes and a shared vision for healthy lakes and communities.

Fast forward a year later – these groups now meet regularly. We are learning from each other. We are moving the needle on much needed progress for the African Great Lakes and those who rely on them. We continue asking big questions and try to address them, together:

  • Whose voices and ideas are missing from our discussion table?
  • As we break down silos, what bridges do we need to build?
  • How can we magnify strength by lifting each other up?

Water connects us all. I serve on Freshwater Future’s Board of Directors because I believe deeply in the power of communities to protect and enhance global waterways so that all can access clean, affordable drinking water and be resilient as they face climate change impacts. This is work Freshwater Future does with head and heart fully engaged, resulting in vital systemic successes on the path to water equity.

Original Article

Blog – Freshwater Future

Blog – Freshwater Future

https://freshwaterfuture.org/drinking-water/board-spotlight-stephanie-smith-board-chair/

Leslie Burk

On:
In: Climate Change Adaptation, COVID-19, Drinking Water, Public Health

Thank you to the Students of the Collaborative Digital Arts Development class taught by Professor Bonnie Mitchell at Bowling Green State University for producing animated public service announcements for Freshwater Future to highlight important water and public health issues! View their creative works below.

What’s in Your Water

COVID-19 Mask Usage & Best Practices

Original Article

Blog – Freshwater Future

Blog – Freshwater Future

https://freshwaterfuture.org/drinking-water/colloaboration-with-bowling-green-state-university-students-created-important-water-and-public-health-psas/

Leslie Burk

On:
In: Climate Change Adaptation, COVID-19, Drinking Water, Public Health

Thank you to the Students of the Collaborative Digital Arts Development class taught by Professor Bonnie Mitchell at Bowling Green State University for producing animated public service announcements for Freshwater Future to highlight important water and public health issues! View their creative works below.

What’s in Your Water

COVID-19 Mask Usage & Best Practices

Original Article

Blog – Freshwater Future

Blog – Freshwater Future

https://freshwaterfuture.org/drinking-water/colloaboration-with-bowling-green-state-university-students-created-important-water-and-public-health-psas/

Leslie Burk

On:
In: blacklivesmatter, Climate change, Climate Change Adaptation, egle, Environmental Justice, Freshwater Weekly, Michigan

June 12, 2020

This week: Speaking Common Threads in Our Communities Through Poetry +No Water Service Restoration Chicago+ Anishinaabe Lead on Adapting to Climate Change + Michigan Senators Introduce a Bill to Protect Waterways and Public Health

Speaking of Common Threads in Our Communities Through Poetry

Freshwater Future staff member Brandon Tyus expressed his reactions to George Floyd’s murder through poetry.  His poem titled Dear White People reflects on the personal belief system that “the game doesn’t change, but the faces do” as there is always a common thread in anything that shares fundamental commonalities such as skin color. The poem’s voice from the viewpoint of black and brown people asks white people to gain perspective, because they cannot understand what life is like with darker skin.

No Water Service Restoration in Chicago During Pandemic

The City of Chicago has yet to restore water service to a single home, leaving an untold number of families without running water during the pandemic. Many cities across the Great Lakes region have been scrambling to reconnect users so they can wash their hands to prevent the spread of Covid-19, at least temporarily.  Rising water costs in many cities in the region have led to disconnections when residents fall behind on water bills.  Even after Freshwater Future negotiated a small pilot to turn on the water for a single home, the City has not been able to find the will for reconnection.

Anishinaabe Tribes Lead on Adapting to Climate Change

Anishinaabe tribes in northern Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan are taking a holistic approach toward dealing with climate change that requires more “listening” to nature than battling it. Tribal adaptation is an approach that notices the changes in climate and experiments with what needs to be adjusted to accommodate the change. Tribes have formed a coalition, putting them in a leadership role for building resilience to climate change impacts.

Michigan Senators Introduce A Bill To Protect Waterways And Public Health

After an industrial property contaminated with uranium and other hazardous chemicals collapsed into the Detroit River as we reported in December 2019. This environmental disaster revealed inadequate enforcement by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE). In response to this and similar instances of dangerous pollutants entering waterways, State legislators introduced a bill to protect major waterways and public health. The legislation would require statewide risk assessments and an accessible database for the public to more easily identify contaminated areas throughout the state.

Original Article

Blog – Freshwater Future

Blog – Freshwater Future

https://freshwaterfuture.org/uncategorized/freshwater-weekly-june-15th-2020/

Alexis Smith