S4S Spotlight Series: Climate Literacy
Driving Climate Literacy in the Somali Diaspora: A Gift That Will Keep Giving
Hi everyone, alongside our monthly newsletter we are pleased to introduce ‘S4S Spotlight Series’, a new monthly series by Somalis for Sustainability (S4S) that highlights the voices and expertise of our members. Each spotlight will feature an S4S member exploring a topic within sustainability that inspires their work.
Through this series, we aim to offer deeper insight into the people behind S4S and the diverse perspectives shaping our collective approach to sustainable development. With that, please enjoy our first piece discussing the importance of climate literacy authored by Hashem Abdi, General Secretary. To learn more about the author’s background head over to our Instagram page.
Globally, climate literacy is lacking. One of the most widely accepted definitions of climate literacy is the Essential Principles of Climate Science produced by the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP), which defines the term as “an understanding of your influence on climate and climate’s influence on you and society.” Whether it be elected officials, corporate leaders, religious figures, or everyday citizens of the world, climate literacy is falling behind the necessary point to move us towards a positive climate future. How many people do you know that truly understand the implications of their actions in the growing climate crisis and choose to do something about it? Probably few and far between. However, there is a lasting solution to this grave problem, and it lies in widespread and comprehensive multi-disciplinary climate education programs that lead to climate-centered investments and actions.
Improved climate literacy can help lay the foundation for informed financial decisions. Remittance can be a powerful tool to help tackle the impacts of the climate crisis in Somalia. According to the climate vulnerability index by the University of Notre Dame, Somalia is considered one of the top 10 most climate vulnerable countries in the world. Droughts and floods plague the region cyclically, and the nation requires significant financial support to respond to constant disasters. The global diaspora sends back money as remittances that outpaces direct foreign aid, totalling over $1.3 billion annually and contributing at least one-third of the national GDP according to the World Bank reports. What if a portion of this remittance was based on climate values that could shape a positive climate future? Improving climate literacy in the Somali diaspora is imperative to support the Somali region. Making informed climate-centered financial decisions will lead to long-term positive climate scenarios rather than focusing on short term gains that forsake a clean and healthy environment. Remittance can be used to invest in efforts to protect people and the environment, such as local clean energy solutions or community-centered flood mitigation efforts. Increased climate literacy can provide a foundation to how the diaspora can financially support Somalia’s future.
Having an understanding of climate science and climate-related events within the diaspora’s local-context is also crucial. Knowing how the changing climate and human actions affect local communities and the environment allows the diaspora to be agents of change in their countries of residence. A significant number of the diaspora live in countries like the United States, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates and Canada, which all play a significant role, both historically and in our current time, in accelerating climate change through emissions and resource exploitation. By having a strong base-level of climate literacy, the diaspora can champion climate action at the root of it.
As part of the global Somali diaspora, Somalis for Sustainability (S4S) leads the quest to improve climate literacy by facilitating several educational events in countries with high-populations of the Somali diaspora. The organization has developed targeted programs to best reach the growing number of over two million members in the Somali diaspora community. By giving people a climate lens that aligns with their identity and community, there is an increased chance of sustainable and positive climate actions.
This community is uniquely positioned to have a multi-faceted impact in both the country of residence and country of origin. Based in the United Kingdom, S4S has regular programming in London and has held events in Canada, Sweden, and Germany. By holding climate education workshops, careers panels, climate debates, and interactive seminars, the organization aims to provide diverse avenues for people to engage with the climate conversation and find their agency within the climate movement. The Somali diaspora community is growing and thriving with potential. The maximizing of that potential towards effective climate action will be an act that has positive ripples across the world.
