Indigenous Rights

Words that didn’t make the cut: What happened to Indigenous rights at COP27 - Mongabay

Words that didn’t make the cut: What happened to Indigenous rights at COP27 - Mongabay

Kera Sherwood-O’Regan spoke to reporter Dimitri Selibas of international conservation news outlet, Mongabay, following the conclusion of the COP27 United Nations Climate Negotiations in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.

With negotiations ending two days past due, many Indigenous leaders, who often don’t have a lot of funding and resources to take time away from their communities, had to leave before negotiations on Article 6 and loss and damage concluded, said Sherwood-O’Regan.

“I think we need to acknowledge the leadership of many parties within the Global South, but also within Indigenous and frontline communities who have fought for that and enabled that [loss and damage] fund and even enabled the language of loss and damage to enter into this UNFCCC space,” said Sherwood-O’Regan.

COP27 summit: NZ group lobbies for more disabled people's involvement

COP27 summit: NZ group lobbies for more disabled people's involvement

A group of New Zealanders is fighting for those with disabilities to have more of a voice and proper support at UN climate conferences.

Greens co-leader James Shaw also addressed the disability issues event held on the side of the COP27 summit in Egypt, which was hosted by the SustainedAbility Disability & Climate Network.

Activate Co-Directors, Kera Sherwood-O’Regan and Jason Boberg spoke to Radio New Zealand reporter, Hamish Cardwell, about disability inclusion while attending the United Nations Climate Conference, COP27, in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. Both are involved in the SustainedAbility Disability and Climate Network (SDCN), a network of Disabled Peoples’ Organisations, NGOs, and disabled activists advocating for disability-inclusive climate action. The network has been incubated by Activate Agency, as part of our commitment to social impact, and this year it hosted an official side event as part of the conference programme.

New Zealand Minister for Climate Change, James Shaw, provided a video address, supporting the SDCN’s calls for a Disability Constituency and a Disability Action Plan within the UNFCCC.

Climate change hits disabled and Indigenous communities hard. Kera Sherwood-O'Regan wants their voices heard - UC Boulder

Our Impact Director, Kera Sherwood-O’Regan was interviewed by UC Boulder journalist, Lisa Marshall on climate change and its impacts on Indigenous and disabled communities.

“Everyone has the right to be rescued, but in many areas around the world, civil defense planning doesn’t account for disabled people”