For the Earth and All Generations 
Women's Earth & Climate Action Network Newsletter 
October 10, 2019 
Dear Friends And Allies,
Around the world the impacts of the climate crisis are revealed with more alarming force every day. The stakes could not be higher - our community safety and well being, thriving natural world, and the future of today's youth and upcoming generations hang in the balance. 

This September, WECAN International advocated for our communities and Mother Earth during the Global Climate Strikes and other actions.  While the WECAN network was striking on opposite ends of the United States, we were marching side by side, along with over 4 million others, led by fierce young activists, with a collective message, calling for an end to business as usual and demanding elected officials take action on our current climate crisis.

The youth-led strikes set the tone for a week of demanding corporate and government accountability and action during the United Nations Climate Summit, New York Climate Week, and beyond.

During the U.N. Climate Summit, w hile countries currently bearing the brunt of climate disruption displayed a sense of leadership and commitment to climate action,  the countries who have contributed most to climate chaos are failing to make strong and concrete commitments -  in fact many are planning to invest even more in coal and fossil fuel production, leading to further climate disaster.

We know that if the biggest polluters continue with business as usual, we will exceed our carbon budget and fast track our planet to well over 1.5 degree warming. At WECAN, we will continue to fight and advocate in many spaces including the United Nations climate forums, because we are committed to ensuring that girls and women, and especially frontline, grassroots, Indigenous women, and women of color from around the world, have the opportunity to speak for themselves, and share their demands, on the ground sustainability solutions, and resistance movements. These are the solutions that we need!

We are not waiting for government officials to take leadership - instead we will continue to lead our projects and campaigns in coalition with organizations across the globe to advocate and act for climate justice, the protection of our forests and farms, divestment from fossil fuels and investment in regenerative energy, the leadership of frontline women, and the rights of future generations to a healthy and just future.  In this newsletter, we cover our actions during climate week and the many campaigns, programs and advocacy efforts we are pursuing into the fall!
During Climate Week from September 20 - 28, WECAN International was in action organizing events, calling for fossil fuel divestment at bank meetings, amplifying  the climate solutions of women worldwide; participating in and advocating at events and actions to defend the Amazon with Indigenous partners; strategizing with frontline land defenders and allies about upcoming actions and campaigns; and organizing with a broad coalition of climate justice and women's rights advocates for the launch of the Feminist Agenda for a Green New Deal.

Youth organizers call for climate action during the New York City Global Climate Strike on September 20, 2019 - Photo via WECAN International/Katherine Quaid


The women for climate justice contingent standing in solidarity with youth activists during the San Francisco Climate Strike on September 19 - Photo via WECAN International

WECAN International stands in solidarity with Indigenous Frontline Land Defenders who called on BlackRock, the worlds largest investor in rainforest destruction, to stop financing extractive industries in the Amazon - Photo via WECAN International/Katherine Quaid
Tuesday September 24, WECAN International hosted "Women on the Frontlines of Climate Solutions" a dynamic event where WECAN staff facilitated an in-depth conversation on our political analysis, strategies, and current programs, projects, and campaigns (including 'Women for Forests' from the Tongass to the Amazon to the Democratic Republic of Congo; Indigenous Women's Divestment; Women Speak; and more); shared our goals for the upcoming UN Climate Talks; and announced, with support from our network leaders in Bolivia and North Africa, our upcoming Regional Hubs, focused on women's leadership to act locally and connect globally.

The WECAN Regional Hubs originated from requests by network members seeking to connect with others in their countries and regions around climate justice advocacy and solutions. It is vital that women around the world have an opportunity to organize with each other at the local, regional, and global level, and we look forward to engaging with you all in the development and implementation of decentralized, regional network hubs over this next year.

Fadoua Brour, Middle East/North Africa regional hub coordinator, helps announce the regional hubs during the "Women on the Frontlines of Climate Solutions" event in New York City. Photo Credit: WECAN International


We will officially launch the regional hubs in December at the U.N. climate talks in Chile, and are looking forward to supporting women worldwide in taking action regionally and connecting with movements globally. If you are interested in staying connected as the Regional Hubs develop,  please sign up here!

WECAN International outside of the United Nations during Climate Week in New York City - Photo via Clement Guerra

WECAN Demands Accountability and Urgency at  the Public Launch of The 
Principles for Responsible BankingPRBS
As part of our Divest/Invest for a Just Transition campaign and program, WECAN International took action during the United Nations Environmental Programme Finance Initiative launch of the Principles for Responsible Bankings (PRBs) on Monday, September 23rd. 

The PRBs are a set of principles providing banks with a framework for a sustainable banking system that is in alignment with the international goals set forth by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Climate Agreement. Thus far, 130 banks having signed on, representing over $47 trillion, in 49 countries.

The PRBs are a welcome effort of the UNEP FI to engage financial stakeholders in ramping up efforts to divest from fossil fuels and invest in renewable energy, but we hold significant concerns about the goals and implementation of the PRBs. We question how the PRBs will uphold Indigenous and human rights and address the impact of climate catastrophe on women worldwide - and how banks plan to meet the urgent timeline of the crisis we face. You can find our full analysis at the button below.


At the launch event, WECAN International, along with our colleagues at Rainforest Action Network (RAN), Amazon Watch, BankTrack, and other allies, took action outside BNP Paribas' offices where the PRB launch event was held to demand NO greenwashing.


WECAN International alongside colleagues, demanding no greenwashing during the public launch of the Principles for Responsible Banking at the BNP Paribas offices in New York City - Photo via WECAN International/Katherine Quaid


WECAN International also signed on to a Civil Society Statement on the new  Principles for Respon sible Banking -  read the full letter here .  

WECAN International Executive Director, Osprey Orielle Lake, advocates for concrete commitments and accountability during the Principles for Responsible Banking public launch in New York City - Photo via WECAN International/Katherine Quaid
We joined several of our co-signatories at the all-day launch,
held during the United Nations Climate Summit, to hear from Signatory Banks about their goals and how they plan to implement The Principles, and what these developments will mean for frontline communities and civil society. 

Additionally, Executive Director of WECAN International, Osprey Orielle Lake, along with colleagues at BankTrack, First Peoples Worldwide, RAN, and Amazon Watch met directly with Eric Usher, the head of the UNEP FI.

WECAN will continue to engage with the UNEP FI and financial institutions to call for rapid divestment that meets the goals outlined in the Paris Climate Agreement and accountability to Indigenous and frontline communities.
Launch of a Feminist Agenda for the Green New Dealfemgnd
In response to the UN Climate Summit, climate justice and women's rights activists introduced a set of collective feminist demands to help advance the Green New Deal - Please find the list of our collective principles here.

A broad coalition of activists, representing a range of organizations working on climate, environmental, immigrant, racial, economic, and gender justice, launched the Feminist Green New Deal coalition in our first press event. The coalition's campaign aims to ensure that gender and global justice, climate justice, and human and Indigenous rights are at the core of climate programs and policies. 

WECAN Communications Coordinator, Katherine Quaid, speaking about the role of Indigenous Rights within the climate movement during the launch of the Feminist Agenda for a Green New Deal in New York City during Climate Week.


The 10 key principles call for advancing reproductive justice, the creation of regenerative economies centered on feminist analysis and understanding of the care economy, a shift from exploitative and unsustainable production patterns and a rejection of false solutions to the climate crisis, and more. 

On September 27, the Feminist Agenda for a #GreenNewDeal made its way to Capitol Hill in Washington D.C., with a congressional briefing where activists, alongside Representative Barbara Lee, shared the importance of centering gender and global justice, and human rights in Green New Deal programs and policies.

Representative Barbara Lee speaking about environmental racism and women's rights during the congressional briefing on the key principles of the Feminist Agenda for a Green New Deal - Photo via WECAN International/Katherine Quaid


In addition to the Congressional briefing, coalition members also met with policymakers to share the principles of the #FemGND, and discuss ways to influence policy and programs moving forward - press release here: https://bit.ly/2mjmFfT 

Some of the coalition members for the Feminist Agenda for a Green New Deal outside of the Capitol Building in Washington D.C. on September 27th - Photo via WECAN International/Katherine Quaid
California Advances Forest Carbon Offset Scheme tfs
On Thursday, September 19, the Women's Earth and Climate Action (WECAN) International, joined a global Indigenous delegation and allies (including IEN, Amazon Watch, FoE, APEN, and others) in California where the California Air Resource Board (CARB) voted on an effort to advance a forest c arbon offsets plan, called the Tropical Forest Standard (TFS). Despite hours of testimony from delegates and allies, CARB voted to pass the Tropical Forest Standard. Their decision is an affront to the rights of Indigenous and frontline communities and locks all of us into decades more climate destruction and devastation.

The Tropical Forest Standard will allow polluters to offset their carbon emissions by buying and selling credits to "protect" forests in places like the Amazon Rainforest. Many Indigenous Peoples continue to speak out and confirm that they have not and do not give their consent to these offset programs. Any solution to our climate crisis must ensure Free, Prior, and Informed Consent and respect how Indigenous communities maintain their forests, which they have been doing successfully for millennium. 

Miriam Cisneros, President of Sarayaku in Ecuador, and Osprey Orielle Lake, WECAN International Executive Director, prepare to give testimony in 
opposition to the Tropical Forest Standard in California on September 19, 2019 - Photo via WECAN International


Eighty percent of all biodiversity left on Earth is found in the territories of Indigenous Peoples, precisely because Indigenous Peoples carry vast traditional knowledge for stewarding and living in right relationship with the land, all of which has been passed down generation after generation. When offset programs are forced into forest ecosystems and Indigenous peoples lands, this critical stewardship and protection of forests is dangerously disrupted. Forest offset programs have resulted in land grabbing, and put Indigenous communities at risk of displacement and/or loss of control of their forests, their way of life, cultures, food security, and sovereignty.

Furthermore, offset programs do not result in a reduction of emissions, but rather allow polluters like oil refineries to release more greenhouse gasses and to do so legally. The IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C, which was released on October 8, 2018, makes it stunningly clear that we must immediately change our trajectory and keep fossil fuels in the ground, we do not have time for false solutions. The carbon budget we have left means that we must stop putting more carbon emissions into the atmosphere.

California is the 6th largest economy in the world and the decisions and laws passed in the state have an international impact. By passing the TFS, CARB and government officials are setting a dangerous precedent that encourages other governments to follow suit. Instead we need to stop pollution at the source. The time for bold and courageous policies is now and the Tropical Forest Standard is not one of them.
In This Newsletter
boliviaJoin WECAN in supporting frontline land defenders in Bolivia!
Fires are still burning throughout the Southern hemisphere and WECAN International continues our efforts to support Indigenous peoples and allies in Brazil and Bolivia. Carmen Capriles of Reacción Climática and WECAN Hub Coordinator in Bolivia, spoke with WECAN International Executive Director, Osprey Orielle Lake to discuss the impact of devastating  fires in Bolivia. 


While we have been seeing media coverage about the fires in Brazil, equally devastating fires have been burning in Bolivia.  At least 1.2 million hectares (3 million acres) of unique forest ecosystems have been destroyed by fires, many of which were human-made. During the conversation, Carmen and Osprey discussed  in detail the impact fires are having within Indigenous communities in Bolivia, the current political context, and how the international community can support grassroots groups working on the ground to stop the fires and protect the forests.

Please join WECAN in supporting grassroots firefighters, organizers, and communities on the ground in Bolivia by donating:  wecaninternational.org/donate

Donations will go toward firefighting equipment for volunteers, support for local communities who are living under the smoke and fumes from the fires, and veterinarian support for the animals who have been burned by the fires. When donating, please put "for Bolivia" in the notes.

We will host another conversation with Carmen in the coming weeks to learn of updates about the fires and current political situation in Bolivia. 
Stay tuned on our Facebook page!
Strikers during the New York City Climate Strike on September 20th - Photo via WECAN International/Katherine Quaid
Climate activists prepare for the Climate Strike in New York City on September 20th - Photo via WECAN International
Youth from across New York rally during the Climate Strike in New York City on September 20th - Photo via WECAN International/Katherine Quaid
October 18 |  Tell the World Bank: Stop Financing 
Fossil Fuels!worldbank


Join WECAN International and our colleagues outside the World Bank on October 18 in Washington D.C. for a rally and letter delivery where we will tell the World Bank to immediately stop financing fossil fuels, and instead invest in sustainable, regenerative renewable energy, and respect frontline communities and human and Indigenous rights.

The World Bank says it is committed to tackling climate change, but still invests billions of dollars in fossil fuels.  We will gather at Edward R Murrow Park for a rally at noon then march to the World Bank annual meeting, where we will submit a written letter on behalf of signatory organizations to call for the end of fossil fuel financing and related human rights violations. 

Solidarity with Women Defenders of the Ecuadorian Amazon Rainforest!mujeres


Ecuador is in a state of emergency! Please read and share Mujeres Amazónicas Defensoras de la Selva's (Women of the Amazon in Defense of Forests) statement urging Lenin Moreno to Respect Human Rights During the Strike and to Listen to the People.

Thousands of Indigenous people across Ecuador are risking their lives right now to protest new policies that threaten inequality, corruption, environmental degradation, and natural resource extraction. We stand with and are supporting our Indigenous sisters!


Thank you to Amazon Watch for the English translation.
Judge Halts Timber Sale in The Tongass!tongass
While we march steadily ahead in the fight to protect the Roadless Rule in Alaska, there has been some important success in regards to a recent timber sale in the Tongass National Forest. 

On September 23, the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska issued a preliminary injunction halting implementation of the Prince of Wales Landscape Level Analysis Project, protecting thousands of acres of old-growth habitat from destruction.

The proposed timber sale on Prince of Wales island is the largest in three decades and WECAN International will continue to advocate for the protection of the old growth forests in this region.  Please find more information about this recent ruling here!
Ruth Breech of RAN hands out fliers during an action calling for no greenwashing outside outside the public launch for the Principles for Responsible Banking on September 23rd in New York City - Photo via WECAN International
Indigenous land defenders take action and project "Save the Amazon" on the side of a New York City building during Climate Week - Photo via WECAN International
WECAN Joins Local Groups in Alaska to Demand Sovereign Wealth Funds Divest Nowifswf
WECAN International is collaborating with local groups on the ground in Juneau, Alaska calling for the International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds (IFSWF) United States member, the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation, to divest from fossil fuels, following in the footsteps of Forum member countries like New Zealand and Ireland.

The International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds (IFSWF), a consortium of 30 global sovereign wealth funds, held their annual meeting in Juneau, Alaska this September. WECAN International co-organized a rally with 350Juneau to be held in parallel to the annual meeting - calling for all IFSWF members to divest from fossil fuels and invest in a healthy future -  watch the livestream!

Additionally, we sent a letter to the IFSWF detailing the necessity and urgency of divestment -  Read the full letter here . We called for the IFSWF to review their guiding document, the Santiago Principles, to better assess both social and ecological risks of investments,   particularly in the case of investments related to extractive industries.

WECAN International will continue to pursue a meeting with the IFSWF.
Jacqueline Patterson, Director of the NAACP Environmental and Climate Justice Program, advocates for climate justice during the Congressional Briefing on a Feminist Agenda for the Green New Deal in Washington D.C. - Photo via WECAN International/Katherine Quaid
WECAN Executive Director, Osprey Orielle Lake, and coalition members speaking with Representative Deb Haaland and office staff about the need for a Feminist Agenda for the Green New Deal - Photo via WECAN International/Katherine Quaid

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Thank you for your continued support of our work for climate justice and care for the Earth and all generations,

The Women's Earth and Climate Action Network
(WECAN) International Team