Why we need a socially just response to climate change

Julia Unwin, CBE, Chief Executive, Joseph Rowntree Foundation

Why we need a socially just response to climate change

1. Joseph Rowntree Foundation

2. Why does this matter for the voluntary sector?

3. The issues?

4. JRF research?

5. JRHT practice?

6. Conclusions

Role and focus of Joseph Rowntree Foundation

Search: causes of

social problems

Demonstrate: solutions

Influence: policy and practice

POVERTY:To identify the root causes of poverty and injustice

PLACE:To support resilient communities where people thrive

AGEING SOCIETY:To respond positively to the opportunities and challenges of an ageing society

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Mission: lasting change for people and places in

poverty, communities where everyone can thrive and a more equal society.

Why does climate change & social justice matter for VCS?

Motive

Method

Message

What are the issues?

Key issues of concern

• Protection

• Risk

• Opportunity

• A just transition?

Dimensions of social justice

Distributional justice: climate impacts and responses will have varied impacts which could increase inequality

Procedural justice: whose voice is heard in decisions, who decides what action is taken?

Inter and intra-generational justice: implications of responses today for future generations

JRF focus on vulnerable and people facing poverty and disadvantage

What work is JRF doing?

Climate change and social justice programme 2009-12, c.£1m

• Research on impacts

• Examining policy responses on mitigation and adaptation to ensure protection

• Supporting innovation

Learning from JRF research - who is vulnerable to climate change?• Dynamic social and spatial issue (changes over people’s lives)• Personal, social and environmental factors• Climate disadvantage = the likelihood & degree of exposure to a

hazard e.g. flooding/heatwave combined with vulnerability • Resilience opposite to vulnerability?

Adaptive capacity

Exposure

Vulnerability

SensitivityAbility to respond

Ability to recover

Adaptive capacity

Exposure(Enhanced)

Vulnerability

Sensitivity

Ability to prepare

Adaptive capacity

Exposure(Enhanced)

Vulnerability

Sensitivity

Important factors affecting vulnerabilityAdaptive Capacity Sensitivity Enhanced Exposure

Low income Age (very young & elderly)

Neighbourhood characteristics (green/blue space)

Tenure: ability to modify living environment

Health status: illness Housing characteristics: (e.g basement/ high rise/ single storey buildings)

Mobility and access to services

Special care Buildings (ventilation/cool spaces)

Social isolation Homeless, tourists, transient groups

High housing density

Information and local knowledgeAccess to insurance

Flood disadvantage in England

• Some areas have both high socio spatial vulnerability and high potential exposure to flooding

• Urban and coastal areas particularly vulnerable

• Most flood disadvantaged region is Yorkshire & Humber (ie social vulnerability coincides with high likelihood of flooding)

Vibrant communitiesHigh adaptive capacity

Stressed community

Non-vibrant communities – Low adaptive capacity

• People shop outside neighbourhood• Decreased employment• Changes in economic status• Loss of skills• Changes in social network• Increase in capacity

building• Increase in networks and

partnerships• Strategic long term view• Respect cultural values

and diversity• Create opportunities• Celebrate achievements

• Support services leave• Demographics change• Skills reduce• Changes in equity• Participation to find shared

vision• Link with external resources and

services – creating networks• Awareness, sense of belonging,

ownership• Leadership capacity building• Increase skills and knowledge

Good Life projectAfter Paul Ryan(interfacenrm.com)

What makes a resilient community?

How is JRHT responding to the challenge?

….and new communities (Derwenthorpe, York)?

In established areas… (New Earswick, York)

Good Life Initiative, New Earswick, York

• Supporting community resilience with JRHT residents in York– awareness– networks– connections between community and landlord on sustainability– skills

• Activities: – initial series of activities and events– nature, tree planting, fruit picking– work with school, Jo-Rio summit– work with JRHT on housing emissions

• Currently assessing progress/legacy

Messages from JRF research…

• Compounded injustice in relation to climate change in UK– Low income households who contribute least to problem

(lowest emissions) may also be…– Among worst effected by climate change impacts – Pay more and benefit less from responses to it (through

energy bills & measures)– Have least voice in decisions

• Poverty is an important factor increasing vulnerability • To support resilience, need to build adaptive capacity –

to prepare, respond and recover from climate impacts

Conclusions: Just responses to climate change from the voluntary sector …

Protection

Voice

Resilience

@jrf_uk @juliaunwin

JosephRowntreeFoundation

www.jrf.org.uk