Championing Climate Justice, Environmental Justice, and Just Transition with WCI.

Women’s Collective Ireland (WCI) recently received the incredible opportunity to host a transformative training seminar focused on Climate Justice, Environmental Justice & Just Transition. The seminar, which was generously funded by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC), allowed WCI’s Board and Staff to come together in an environment which would allow us to best understand the climate crisis’ disproportionate impact on women - and the steps which we can take to overcome these challenges.

The event, organised by the WCI National team and led by experts in the area of feminist climate justice, provided WCI with a day of thought-provoking discussions and workshops. By exploring climate justice as a gendered issue, we can better prepare to advocate for a just transition that prioritises the voices and needs of grassroots women, so that we may drive meaningful change in our local communities.

During the day, the event was opened by WCI Chairperson Maeve O’Grady, who welcomed Board, staff, and the speakers of the event. Followed by this, WCI enjoyed a conversation with WCI Patron Ailbhe Smyth, on ‘A Feminist View on Climate Change’. Ailbhe very kindly took the opportunity to engage in open dialogue with those who attended the in-person event, before introducing the other speakers of the day. Afterwards, WCI engaged in a presentation and workshop brought to us by:

• Project Worker Vanessa Conroy, of Feminist Communities for Climate Justice, on ‘Community Work as Climate Justice’.

• Award winning Podcaster and host of Book of Leaves, Ceara Carney, who led on a ‘Art is Activism’ workshop.

WCI would like to take the opportunity to express our heartfelt appreciation to our funders, IHREC, and to our wonderful speakers. Each and every individual involved with the organisation of the seminar have helped to craft a unique event which will no doubt help WCI to share the learning in our local communities, and to foster open dialogue on how we as a community can come together to advocate for climate justice.

(Photography credit: Sara Serpilli)