Erasmus+ Virtual Exchange

Cultural Encounters - Resources

On this page, you will find the weekly resources* as part of  ‘Cultural Encounters: The Big Climate Movement’. Every week, this page will be updated with new videos and materials for the following week’s sessions.

For the weekly topics, assignments and deadlines, review the COURSE MANUAL here >

*Please note that the views presented in the video lectures are those of the individual speakers and do not represent those of Sharing Perspectives Foundation.

Week 9: Brave new worlds

The final week is left to you!

Did you miss any of  ‘The Big Climate Movement’ resources? Or after the exchanges you’ve had in this course, are there materials you want to review once more? This last week we want to give you time to catch up on materials you might have missed, or that you want to dig deeper on.

 

Think about….

  • How do you feel about all the topics, case studies and speakers that were presented to you in this course?
  • Do any of them stand out to you, inspire you or inform your vision of the future?

 

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Week 8: Politics of un/sustainability

Selina Leem (Skoll.org, 2016)

‘Why we’re at risk of becoming climate refugees’

“Scientists have predicted that soon, my home will be uninhabitable,” Selina Leem, a citizen of the Marshall Islands, said April 13, 2016 at the Skoll World Forum Opening Plenary in Oxford, England. “What we want is global justice.”

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Peter Schwartzstein (The Atlantic, 2019)

The Middle East’s Authoritarians Have Come for Conservationists

For some, the stakes of climate activism are higher than for others. 

Read the original publication here > 

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BBC REEL

How the Dutch are reshaping their post-pandemic economy

An emerging economic model aims to shift our focus from constant growth to balance and wellbeing. Could ‘Doughnut economics’ create a safe, sustainable and just future?

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Week 7: A Climate of Unrest

Migration Matters (2020)

How can we take action on climate change and migration?

Dr. Yvonne Su together with youth climate activists from around the world explain why young people’s engagement in the climate movement is so important. They also give some specific examples for how other people can take action. To round off the series, our three experts share their hopes for the future of climate change and migration research.

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NowThis News (2019)

How Young Climate Crisis Activists Changed the World

In US news and current events today, NowThis News is looking back on the biggest moments of the year in climate activism and the fight against climate change. This is how young climate crisis activists changed the world. One of the biggest moments of the year was when teen climate activist and Fridays for Future founder Greta Thunberg spoke at the United Nations. 

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YOUTHPOLICY.ORG

The Arab Youth Climate Movement – 2 Years On

The seeds of the Arab Youth Climate Movement (AYCM) were planted in Cairo in the lead up to the UNFCCC COP18 Doha in 2012. Since then a total of 16 AYCM national chapters have been established, including Syria, Sudan, Mauritania, Libya, Jordan, Palestine, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and Oman. YOUTPOLICY.ORG caught up with some of the AYCM team to find out what they’ve been up to, what’s changed, and what’s next in the region. Read:

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Additional Resources and Alternative Perspectives

Interested to learn more about this week’s topic? We have selected some materials for you. These resources consist of introductory information, in-depth texts, case studies and challenging counter perspectives.

Introductions and Definitions

Relevant Research

Additional Contexts

 

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Week 6: ‘Climate refugees’: whose responsibility?

Migration Matters (2020)

‘Climate migrants’ or ‘climate refugees’?

What are the terms used to label people whose reasons for migrating are related to climatic conditions/changes? In this video, Dr. François Gemenne and Dr. Caroline Zickgraf explain why ‘climate refugee’ is a taboo term and Dr. Yvonne Su gives a counter argument about why ‘climate refugee’ is a useful and important term for protecting people’s rights.

 

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Migration Matters (2020)

What is our responsibility to climate migrants?

How should we frame responsibility for protecting those displaced because of environmental disasters and climate change? While protection in international law is not adequate, Dr. François Gemenne analyzes some of the legal protections that are available and notes some organizations and initiatives working to promote these rights. Youth activists also give their take.

 

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Additional Resources and Alternative Perspectives

Interested to learn more about this week’s topic? We have selected some materials for you. These resources consist of introductory information, in-depth texts, case studies and challenging counter perspectives.

Introductions and Definitions

Relevant Research

Additional Contexts

Other Perspectives

Watch Video

Week 5: A cycle of vulnerability

Migration Matters (2020)

What would you do if your home got flooded?

If your house were destroyed in a flood, you’d move to a new place – right? “Mobility” is a useful umbrella term that encapsulates forced displacement and voluntary migration. Dr. Caroline Zickgraf and Dr. François Gemenne also emphasize the need to understand why people do not (or cannot) move, even after an environmental disaster. 

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Migration Matters (2020)

What can cities do to protect climate migrants?

Cities face a number of serious threats from climate change and those who have already migrated to cities face extra hazards. Dr. Caroline Zickgraf and Dr. François Gemenne look at some of the ways cities are especially vulnerable to climatic and environmental changes, the specific challenges for migrants living in cities, and how governments can adapt to protect residents and promote integration.

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Migration Matters (2020)

What does Typhoon Haiyan show us about disaster displacement?

In this case study, Dr. Yvonne Su describes the situation in and around Tacloban City, Philippines, after the devastating disaster known as Typhoon Haiyan in 2013. She dissects the government and international community’s response to the crisis and the nature of the displacement faced by Tacloban residents. 

 

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Additional Resources and Alternative Perspectives

Interested to learn more about this week’s topic? We have selected some materials for you. These resources consist of introductory information, in-depth texts, case studies and challenging counter perspectives.

Introductions and Definitions

Relevant Research

Additional Contexts

Other Perspectives

Watch Video

Week 4: Migration as the tip of the iceberg

Migration matters (2020)

How can migration be used to respond to climate change? 

Migration is often seen as a problem related to climate change, but Dr. François Gemenne and Dr. Caroline Zickgraf argue that migration is also a part of the solution. Together they give examples of ways in which people and governments have approached migration as a strategy that can be used to effectively adapt to the changes brought about by climate change.

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Migration Matters (2020)

What can Senegal teach us about climate migration?

Does migration have to mean leaving your community and way of life behind you? Dr. Caroline Zickgraf shares an example from Senegal to show how some migrants have used migration to hold onto their livelihoods and allow them to maintain their ability to return back home. 

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UNFPA (2015)

Sustainable Development Goal 11: Cities

ABSTRACT: How do cities impact the environment, and how are urban areas vulnerable to climate change? Technical Specialist Daniel Schensul from the United Nations Population Fund answers these questions and discusses how cities can become more resilient and sustainable.

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Additional Resources

Interested to learn more about this week’s topic? We have selected some materials for you. These resources consist of introductory information, in-depth texts, case studies and challenging counter perspectives.

Introductions and definitions:

Relevant Research:

Additional Contexts:

Other Perspectives:

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Week 3: The eleventh hour - tipping points and technology

Carbon Brief (2020)

What is a climate ‘tipping point?’

In this interview, Dr. Tim Lenton defines what a ‘tipping point’ means in conversations about the climate. He describes which tipping points scientists have identified that humans are in danger of reaching, and what the results would be if we did so.  

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The YEARS Project (2019)

Can Tech Save The Planet?

Dr. Jonathan Foley takes us into the field of experimental technological solutions for climate change, giving several examples of how biotechnology, recycling, and transportation innovations could help diminish carbon in the atmosphere. He also emphasizes that as exciting as these new technologies are, the work of combating climate change must not wait for the future. 

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Vice News | HBO (2017)

This Farm in Mexico is Growing a Solution to Climate Change

In what ways could agriculture help reduce the carbon in the atmosphere? Ricardo Romero shows us his farm cooperative in Mexico, which uses a technique called ‘carbon farming.’ He describes how choosing certain plant species that absorb more carbon than others can be used to help the climate and create a self-sustaining system. 

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TRT World (2018)

Bangladesh Floating School

How are places that are severely impacted by climate change adapting to their rapidly changing conditions? This news story takes us to Bangladesh, where increased flooding is being met with “floating schools” that allow local children continued access to education. 

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Additional Resources and Alternative Perspectives

Interested to learn more about this week’s topic? We have selected some materials for you. These resources consist of introductory information, in-depth texts, case studies and challenging counter perspectives.

Introductions and Definitions

Relevant Research

 

Additional Contexts

Other Perspectives

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Week 2: Our climate story

Migration Matters (2020)

How many people will migrate because of climate change?

People often want to know the numbers when it comes to climate-related migration, but how much should numbers be relied on? In this video, experts highlight the difficulty of obtaining accurate numbers of current and future environmental migrants. They also share their thoughts on how accurate and useful numbers are in this discussion, and what kinds of statistics we might be able to trust. 

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Green Peace International

True accounts from environmental activists and human rights advocates

This video compiles the testimonials of nine environmental and human rights advocates who attended the People’s Summit on Climate, Rights and Human Survival. They tell their personal climate stories, the effect climate change has had on their communities, and their beliefs. They also share their messages of support and inspiration to others. 

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Climate and Migration Coalition

Infographic: exploring evidence for the climate change and conflict connection

There are several arguments that climate change results in armed conflict. How valid are these arguments, and is this always the case? This infographic shows the current evidence we have about the consequences of climate change, and whether it supports the conclusion that these consequences lead to conflict.      

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Additional Resources and Alternative Perspectives

Interested to learn more about this week’s topic? We have selected some materials for you. These resources consist of introductory information, in-depth texts, case studies and challenging counter perspectives.

Introductions and Definitions

Relevant Research

Additional Contexts

Other Perspectives

Watch Video

Week 1: Setting the scene

Sky news

What Happens If The World Warms Up By 2°C?

In this video, Sky News outlines the severe consequences that the planet would face if the average temperature rises by 2°C. It shares the catastrophic effects this temperature change would have on the natural world and the human population and shares the changes that we will need to make in order to avoid this future. 

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Dr. François Gemenne, Dr. Caroline Zickgraf, Dr. Yvonne Su

Does climate change cause migration?

Why do people migrate? Does climate change have anything to do with it? In this video, experts Dr. Yvonne Su (York University), Dr. Caroline Zickgraf (Hugo Observatory, University of Liege) and Dr. François Gemenne (Hugo Observatory, University of Liege) share different drivers of migration and discuss how they connect to climate change. They explain why it can also sometimes be difficult to see the link between migration and climate change, even when climate is a significant factor for migration.

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Greta Thunberg (United Nations, 2019)

Greta Thunberg (Young Climate Activist) at the Climate Action Summit 2019 

What are the youth perspectives on the threat posed by climate change and the actions that have been taken to address it? In this speech to the United Nations Climate Action Summit 2019, Greta Thunberg expresses outrage at adults in power who have placed the responsibility of solving climate change on young people and endangered their futures. She points to the inadequacy of the policies that have been put in place to address the problem and calls on world leaders to take appropriate action before it is too late. 

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Additional Resources and Alternative Perspectives

Interested to learn more about this week’s topic? We have selected some materials for you. These resources consist of introductory information, in-depth texts, case studies and challenging counter perspectives.

Introductions and Definitions

Watch Video