At Rotary, we are committed to treating everyone with dignity and respect, allowing everyone’s voice to be heard, and providing equitable opportunities for fellowship, service and leadership.
Connecting the Dots between DEI and Environmental Sustainability
April is Environmental month.
In 1990, RI President Paulo Costa created the “Protect Planet Earth” committee, recognising the importance of supporting the environment. As the climate crisis accelerated globally, Rotary officially adopted “Supporting the Environment” as an Area of Focus in 2021, enhancing funding opportunities through The Rotary Foundation’s Global Grants.
Research has shown that marginalised communities (indigenous, low-income, people of colour, youth etc.) are disproportionately impacted by climate change. They tend to live in close quarters, near polluting industries (oil refineries, industrial farms), resulting in debilitating health consequences such as cancer, respiratory diseases and illnesses from contaminated food and water. Due to further inequitable distribution of resources, they experience greater vulnerability to natural disasters like flooding, heat waves, and droughts. Despite these studies, marginalised communities are rarely invited to participate in climate action, and face critical barriers to active participation.
Climate change is an interdisciplinary subject with complex biophysical, economic and social underlying causes. DEI principles to engage diverse perspectives and include broad representation are essential to bring more equitable change that can effectively tackle future challenges.
Studies show that people with similar life experiences share similar ideas, leading to fewer innovations. When marginalised voices are included in leadership roles, there are greater opportunities and hope for innovation and impact change.
“WHY DEI MATTERS?” SERIES
International Mother Earth Day (22 April)
Mother Earth is urging a call to action. Nature is suffering, with oceans filled with plastic and turning more acidic. Extreme heat, wildfires and floods, have affected millions of people. Climate change has disrupted biodiversity and accelerated deforestation, which lead to extreme weather, poverty, food shortage, rise of sea level, mass extinction of many species, and so on.
But how is DEI related to climate change? In this article, we provide an overview of how marginalised groups are in fact those on the frontline to suffer.
Integrating DEI into Climate Change
Integrating DEI into climate change, action is essential for creating equitable, effective, and sustainable solutions to the challenges posed by climate change. Here are several ways to interconnect them:
Representation in Decision-Making – Including diverse perspectives in environmental policy and decision-making leads to more comprehensive and effective climate solutions. Diverse teams can identify unique challenges and innovative strategies that might otherwise be overlooked.
Access to Resources – DEI efforts can help ensure equitable access to resources, such as clean energy and sustainable practices. This is crucial for empowering communities to adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change.
Community Engagement – Engaging diverse communities in climate action fosters a sense of ownership and responsibility, leading to grassroots initiatives and local solutions that reflect the needs of those most affected.
Education and Awareness – DEI initiatives can enhance education and awareness around climate issues, ensuring that information reaches all segments of the population, particularly those historically excluded from environmental discourse.
DEI Fellowship Happy Hour
