According to the UN’s World Meteorological Organization, greenhouse gases are at an all time high for the ninth year in a row. From effects on food security, human health, and local economies; climate change is causing wide spread implications for many sectors of community development. One of the most severe needs is to strengthen grassroots adaptation capacity. As community development practitioners, it essential that we learn the techniques and strategies to mitigate the effects of climate change on communities. A community’s adaptive capacity is their means of coping with these changes and uncertainties. The poorest communities tend to be the most vulnerable to these changes. Communities need to have the knowledge about and understand carbon offsetting and global mitigation schemes such as REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) in order to decide whether these are useful mechanisms for their community. To learn about climate change and community development, check out Village Earth’s newest course Local Communities and Climate Change Mitigation Strategies. Register online by November 10 by clicking the link.
Spring II Session
GSLL 1517 – Community-Based Organizing
Taking a practical “hands-on” perspective, this course will explore the theories, tools, styles and challenges of community-based organizing. It will discuss practical strategies for developing community leadership and working with marginalized communities, exploring the ideas and examples from Evo Morales, Paulo Freire, Saul Alinsky, Sub-Comandante Marcos, the Bridge Immigrant Rights experiment and Martin Heidegger.
