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Notice: Crisis Forum, Climate Change and Violence Workshop series Workshop 5: Human Consequences: Human Welfare Friday 18 March 2011 · The workshop aims to provide all participants with an opportunity to discuss a wide range of issues and concerns about the health and well being of populations arising from climate change. All participants’ thoughts and expertise are important to this dialogic process. · On arrival, each participant will be allocated to a home group which will be the forum for discussion; there will be quick ice-breaker exercises to get us all thinking and talking together. · Each of the five presenters will have 20 minutes to talk to their chosen themes (see below), followed by 10 minutes for clarification with participants. · Groups will then discuss the following questions, using ideas and information provided by the presenters: · Towards the end of the day, further plenary discussion will be facilitated, to draw conclusions where possible, and to identify key themes and debates, and how they may best be presented in public social and political discourse. Venue details and housekeeping The workshop will be held at York St John University, which is a ten minutes scenic and historic walk from the rail station and main bus services. The room booked is on the first floor of the De Grey building, on the corner of Lord Mayor's Walk and Clarence St, numbered 8 (in the bottom left) on this map http://w3.yorksj.ac.uk/pdf/Campus%20Map%202010.pdf . Directions to the university are at http://w3.yorksj.ac.uk/about/how-to-find-us.aspx There is a lift to the first floor and ready access to all facilities for those with disabilities. Registration and cost We have a small subsidy to back this workshop but need to cover costs for lunch and sundries. We are thus requesting £20 per person for waged participants. We will cover anybody who is unwaged. Presenter biographies: Jacqui Akhurst is the current interim chair of the British Psychological Society's Community Psychology Section. As a Counselling psychologist, with a PhD in Psychotherapy, she has worked extensively with trainee counsellors and psychologists. She has published in the fields of community and peace psychology, as well as professional development. Ashirbani Dutta is a PhD candidate from University of Essex working on "Protection of the Rights of Climate Change-IDPs displaced as a Consequence of Climate Change". She worked in India on human rights issues and teaching before coming to UK. Jo Gillespie was a pesticide chemist with Defra before moving to crisis management during the 2001 Foot and Mouth Outbreak where she was disposals and field operations manager for the North East of England. Since 2003 she has led the Regional Resilience Team in Yorkshire and the Humber, linking Central Government with local responders during recent emergencies such as the 2007 floods, severe weather over the past 3 winters and the swine flu pandemic in 2009. Tony Waterston is a retired consultant paediatrician and clinical senior lecturer; currently he leads the climate change and health campaigning in Medact (Medical Action for Global Security).
York St John University
10.30am - 5.00pm
Format and process
- What are the core human values under threat?
- How can we best act to protect human health and core values?
Morning and afternoon tea and biscuits will be served at the university. Lunch will be provided at a local community cafe five minutes walk away; all food will be vegetarian, and mainly locally sourced and organically grown.
At this moment the schedule and order of presentations is provisional and may be subject to change.
As on previous occasions, we welcome donations to the cost and development of the Crisis Forum climate change and violence programme.
To register (both waged and unwaged) please contact Marianne at Crisis Forum, at:
Marianne McKiggan [log in to unmask]. Marianne will advise about methods of payment. Please contact her no later than Friday 11 March.
Presentations:
Effective or provocative? Public engagement with climate messages
Jacqui Akhurst
The presentation will consider the video clip used to launch the Copenhagen conference, and the rhetoric and images utilised to evoke responses. The unintended messages of such communications will be discussed, emphasising how people are alienated and become disengaged. More constructive means of engaging in social change will be considered, from a community psychology perspective, and participants will discuss different and more effective forms of engagement. Ideas and practices related to local communities and environmental activism will be explored.
Assessing impacts of climate change and displacement on human population: using rights-based approach
Ashirbani Dutta
A complex interplay of various issues around environmental, social and other pressure points will determine the impact of climate change on population. The interaction between these elements and human movement may be ‘proactive’ migration as a part of adaptive strategy, or ‘reactive’ displacement due to failure of available alternatives. This presentation will take as starting point the acknowledged complexities of socio-economic factors, and suggest what the likely real impact on the displaced population may be by reconceptualising their needs ‘subjectively’.
Hot Under the Collar: Adapting to shrinking resources
Colin Feltham
Nations like the UK may struggle to accommodate waves of immigrants resulting from climate change, and competition for resources is likely to stretch altruistic limits and human rights claims. Likely rationing of food and housing may cause conflicts, escalating into increasing violence, and increased policing will also cause tensions. This is an opportunity to discuss how successful adaptation strategies will be challenged by cultural and religious attitudes.
A brief overview of the UK approach to risk and resilience
Jo Gillespie
This presentation will provide an opportunity to discuss how we communicate risk to the public and build our community resilience. Current policies and responses will be examined, yielding opportunities for critical debate among participants.
The public health implications of climate change
Tony Waterston
Global warming will adversely affect food growth in many countries leading to widespread malnutrition, and the climate changes (sea level rise and adverse weather events) will make very large populations homeless. There will be an increase in vector born disease and in water born infections affecting the most vulnerable members of the population first. This presentation will invite discussion of appropriate responses to this scenario.
Colin Feltham is Emeritus Professor of Critical Counselling Studies, Sheffield Hallam University. His publications include 'What's Wrong With Us? The Anthropathology Thesis' (Wiley, 2007) and he is currently writing a book 'Failure' (in all its manifestations) for Acumen Press.
http://www.crisis-forum.org.uk/events/index.php