UWI leads discussion on climate justice in the Caribbean as part of massive global grassroots effort on March 30

The UWI Regional Headquarters, Jamaica W.I. Friday, March 25, 2022. — Through a collaboration with the Open Society University Network (OSUN) Global Teach-In webinar series, The University of the West Indies (The UWI) will host a conversation on March 30 on the key issues facing the Caribbean and the need for Climate Justice.

The Global Teach-In initiative has designated March 30 for universities and organisations worldwide to lead events focused on ambitious but feasible solutions in their regions to help solve climate change by 2030, as part of a massive grassroots effort. More than 250 events have been scheduled across the globe throughout the OSUN network.

The UWI’s webinar is being led by its Office of Global Affairs headed by Pro Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Stacy Richards-Kennedy, and includes a feature presentation by Professor Raphael Heffron, Dean of the Faculty of Law at its St Augustine Campus. Other speakers include Ms. Yamide Dagnet, Global Director, Climate Justice, Open Society Foundations; Dr. James Fletcher, Former Energy Minister of Saint Lucia and Founder and Managing Director, SOLORICON Ltd.; Dr. Emily Dick-Forde, Acting Deputy Principal, The UWI Open Campus, and Management Committee Member of the UWI Global Institute for Climate-Smart and Resilient Development; as well as Ms. Jhannel Tomlinson, PhD Candidate and Member, Caribbean Youth Environment Network (Jamaica Chapter) and GIRLSCARE, Jamaica.

The webinar begins at 9:00 a.m. Jamaica or 10:00 a.m. Eastern Caribbean/AST, and will be broadcast live via UWItv’s website, www.uwitv.org, and Facebook channel.

There has been a growing focus on climate justice, examining the climate crisis from a human rights perspective. The UWI-organised event aptly titled, Climate Justice in the Caribbean, will highlight the role of higher education institutions in mainstreaming and integrating approaches, as well as enlisting the support of key stakeholder groups in tackling this specific aspect of climate action. The event builds on the research projects and collaborations that have been fostered through The UWI’s MOU with Open Society Foundations—one of which supports the development of a climate justice strategy.

As a subject matter expert in the field, Professor Heffron’s work has a principal focus on achieving a just transition to a low-carbon economy and combines a mix of energy law, policy, and economics.

Prior to his appointment to Deanship at The UWI St Augustine in November 2021, he was Professor for Global Energy Law and Sustainability at the Centre for Energy, Petroleum, and Mineral Law and Policy at the University of Dundee. He is also the 2019-2022 Jean Monnet Professor in the Just Transition to a Low-Carbon Economy awarded by the European Commission. He has published over 150 publications on various subject areas and is the most cited scholar in his field worldwide (1680+Scopus), with translated work in multiple languages including Chinese and has given just over 155 keynote or guest lectures in 51 countries worldwide. Among his many international involvements, he is also a reviewer for the current Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report.

Information about each of the Global Teach-In events can be accessed at this site.

About The University of the West Indies

The UWI has been and continues to be a pivotal force in every aspect of Caribbean development; residing at the centre of all efforts to improve the well-being of people across the region.

From a university college of London in Jamaica with 33 medical students in 1948, The UWI is today an internationally respected, global university with near 50,000 students and five campuses: Mona in Jamaica, St. Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago, Cave Hill in Barbados, Five Islands in Antigua and Barbuda and its Open Campus, and 10 global centres in partnership with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa and Europe.

The UWI offers over 800 certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Culture, Creative and Performing Arts, Food and Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities and Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science and Technology, Social Sciences, and Sport. As the Caribbean’s leading university, it possesses the largest pool of Caribbean intellect and expertise committed to confronting the critical issues of our region and wider world.

The UWI has been consistently ranked among the top universities globally by the most reputable ranking agency, Times Higher Education (THE). In the latest World University Rankings 2022, released in September 2021, The UWI moved up an impressive 94 places from last year. In the current global field of some 30,000 universities and elite research institutes, The UWI stands among the top 1.5%.

The UWI is the only Caribbean-based university to make the prestigious lists since its debut in the rankings in 2018. In addition to its leading position in the Caribbean, it is also in the top 20 for Latin America and the Caribbean and the top 100 global Golden Age universities (between 50 and 80 years old). The UWI is also featured among the leading universities on THE’s Impact Rankings for its response to the world’s biggest concerns, outlined in the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Good Health and Wellbeing; Gender Equality and Climate Action.

For more, visit www.uwi.edu.