ABOUT US
WHO ARE WE?
At our most basic, we are a coalition of groups looking to push meaningful climate action.
The ECC is just starting out so watch this space for announcements on our member groups as we confirm them!
THE EDUCATION CLIMATE COALITION’S CORE PRINCIPLES AND ETHOS
These core principles that our coalition is being built upon have been collaboratively workshopped and agreed upon by our member groups, seeking to reflect how we want to operate as in our shared space, interact with one another and move as a coalition.
Mutual aid based
All groups within the coalition should seek to both aid, and be aided by, the other coalition members in a fashion that enables effective action, and fosters healthy activists and a sense of community. Groups within the coalition should endeavour to support one another through (depending on the group’s methods and capacity): sharing of resources; mobilisation of members in solidarity action; and provision of moral/emotional support through community building. This could include, but is not limited to: sharing space, hosting useful workshops, encouraging members to come out in support of an action, joint action, amplifying messages on social media, sharing social events, exchanging digital or physical resources, and knowledge sharing.
Student, educator or academic-led or operating within the educational or academic sector
The coalition will be made up of groups that are existing within the educational/academic space either through the occupation of its members or directly targeting change within this space. Education is a major pillar of society that primes our youth for the future and runs the risk of perpetuating destructive or exploitative ideas of the current system, and it is only through collective action of students and educators we can tackle this. The same is true for universities and institutions producing research: there is great power in these places that both gather knowledge and dispense it, and change needs to come from - or in union with - its constituents.
Intersectional
The unfolding climate and biodiversity crisis can be directly traced to the highly exploitative nature of our current systems. The exploitation of nature is deeply entwined with the exploitation of the Global South and oppressed social groups. Climate breakdown directly and disproportionately threatens historically oppressed nations and social groups. Climate justice must be at the forefront of climate action. Therefore, the coalition welcomes any groups - within or connected with the educational sector - seeking to fight against systemic issues causing the climate crisis, preventing decisive action on solutions (e.g. restrictions on democracy and the right to protest) or exacerbating inequalities in climate impacts (e.g. along lines of class, race, gender, nationality, or sexuality).
Unified & Equal
In coalition we also must elevate mutual respect. Participating groups must acknowledge our shared goals of system change, regardless of disagreement in the methods or tactics to bring about said change. Each group within the coalition is completely autonomous and allowed self-determination. If you disagree on the actions of a group within the coalition, it is your prerogative to offer alternative action through your own group and there is no policing of the actions of others through the coalition. Membership of the coalition is not endorsement of tactics but is acknowledgement of shared goals and values, and the provision of solidarity and aid where needed.
The coalition will provide a safe open space for dialogue about tactics, where groups can share their honest thoughts, experiences, successes and failures and have respectful and constructive discussion on activist methods.