Environmental Defenders and Climate Justice

SSRP and Not1More short film on frontline environmental defenders and their fight for climate justice. Filmed in Glasgow during the COP26 Climate Conference.

In 2021, thousands of climate justice activists gathered at the COP 26 Climate Conference in Glasgow to protest, raise awareness of environmental and social injustices and fight for their rights. Amongst these were Sussex Sustainability Research Programme (SSRP) members and Not1More representatives and activists, including frontline environmental defenders and activists from Brazil, Tanzania and Cambodia.

As part of our awareness-raising activities during COP, we set up workshops looking further into the links between violence to environmental defenders and climate justice, including film screenings, conversations with defenders and a collagraph printing workshop.

The activities and workshops held during COP 26 were also used as an opportunity to visually document the impactful work which researchers at the University of Sussex, frontline environmental defenders and their in-country partners had been undertaking over the last few years through the SSRP. With funding from the SSRP Impact Fund, video footage was filmed by Dave Aspinall Films during the COP-side events and workshops in November 2021 and now been put together as a 14-minute video. With the main focus being on environmental defenders, human rights abuses and climate action, the short film features interviews with frontline activists from Brazil, Tanzania and Cambodia and their fight for climate justice supported by Not1More representatives and SSRP researchers.

Thanks to Sussex Sustainability Research Programme and ONCA Gallery. Video production supported by Dr Mika Peck, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex.