Globally, over the past several months our communities have been hit hard by climate-fueled disasters and violations of human rights, Indigenous rights, and women's rights.

In the United States, we are reeling from an onslaught of Supreme Court decisions. The U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade is an affront to the decades of powerful feminist organizing that fought to enshrine and uphold bodily autonomy, abortion rights, and reproductive justice.  

Reproductive rights are essential to bringing forward a just and healthy world for current and future generations. In addition, the U.S. Supreme Court also made rulings that limit tribal sovereignty and curtail the Biden Administration's ability to cut emissions that fuel the climate crisis.

Sadly, this trend is not happening in the United States alone, internationally we are seeing how colonial and patriarchal values are leading toward further conservative and fascist policies and administrations that oppress and violate the rights of women, Indigenous peoples, and people facing the worst of socio-ecological injustices. 

Hand-in-hand with collaborating with communities on the ground to uplift women's leadership, build grassroots solutions, and advance climate justice, we are also working to dismantle the systems that lie at the root of rights violations and the climate crisis. The fight to end violence against women and violence against the land are interconnected, and we will continue to fight until the rights of women and gender-diverse people are protected, and until our communities and planet are thriving. 

Despite the challenges, we hold deep hope and belief in our global movements to stop violations of our bodies and the Earth, working to end the terror of patriarchy and colonization in our communities. The way forward is together!

Please continue reading for upcoming events, updates on WECAN programs and campaigns, and to learn more about our hiring of a new Research and Policy Associate!

As the climate emergency accelerates, now more than ever we need the solutions of women and gender diverse leaders to protect our communities and the global climate!

As we make our way toward COP27 in November, we are demanding governments and financial institutions take urgent climate action while supporting women's leadership. Gender inequity and violations of women’s rights continue to proliferate globally due to the interconnected systems of patriarchy, capitalism, racism, the commodification of nature, colonialism, and imperialism. Due to unequal gender norms globally, women are simultaneously the most adversely impacted by climate change and socio-ecological degradation, and yet are indispensable actors and leaders of just and effective solutions. Within this struggle, women and feminists must stand at the forefront of policy-making and action to create long-term systemic change.

To confront these deepening crises and accelerate a path forward, we need to collectively uphold and implement protections for human rights, women’s rights, Indigenous rights, the rights of nature, and advance just and resilient community-led solutions— and women are leading the way!

During this three-day forum, grassroots, Indigenous, Black, Brown, and frontline women and gender diverse leaders, global advocates, and policy-makers will join together in solidarity to speak out against environmental and social injustice, draw attention to root causes of multiple interlocking crises, and present the diverse array of visions, projects, policy frameworks and strategies with which they are working to shape a healthy and equitable world. The Forum is an inclusive space across identities and the gender spectrum, and there will be both in-person and virtual events. To respect elders and immuno-compromised persons, masks are required for in-person events. Thank you for your understanding.

On June 29, WECAN took action with our colleagues in San Francisco to honor the lives of Bruno Pereira, Indigenous environmental defender, and British journalist Dom Phillips, who were found murdered in the Amazon rainforest, after conducting research and interviews into illegal mining and other activities in Indigenous territories. Read more here.

Land defenders are putting their lives on the line everyday to protect their communities, territories, and our global climate. We need to stand with land defenders and all those fighting for all that we hold dear. Osprey Orielle Lake, WECAN Executive Director, spoke at the event focusing on the specific issue of Women Land Defenders and Indigenous rights. WECAN was honored to support the event with Brasil Solidarity Network and Amazon Watch! Thank you for organizing and for everyone who participated.

Please support continued efforts to demand Justice for Dom and Bruno by encouraging members of U.S. Congress to join the international outcry for justice, learn more here.

Also please learn more about WECAN’s Escazú Agreement Campaign to address this urgent matter to defend women land defenders in the Amazon: https://www.wecaninternational.org/escazu

If you'd like to learn more about the Escazú Agreement please check out this recent article featuring WECAN voices!

Recently the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) granted Mountain Valley Pipeline’s request for an expedited renewal of their FERC certificate for four more years.

Thanks to persistent organizing, FERC has extended the public comment period on this issue, so please join us in raising our voices in solidarity to demand FERC deny the MVP extension request!

The Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) is a proposed 303-mile-long fracked gas pipeline and we're closer than ever to putting a stop to it! Right now, MVP has asked for a 4-year extension from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to complete the pipeline, despite partners saying there is a "very low probability" of completion.

The MVP is years behind schedule, billions of dollars over budget, and missing multiple federal authorizations. The pipeline has already brought destruction to the Blue Ridge Mountains, and communities impacted by the proposed pipeline are continuing to unite and call for solidarity and support. Together, we can stop MVP! Take action below:

Hundreds of water protectors and other defendants are currently facing criminal charges in Minnesota for standing in defense of the water, the climate, and the treaty rights of the Anishinaabeg people during resistance efforts to stop the Line 3 pipeline.

We continue to see outrageously exaggerated charges, some defendants could be crushed by fines over $3 million or 10+ years in jail.

So far, many charges have been dropped! Now, with more trials starting, organizers and water protectors are asking for solidarity to contact the Minnesota Governor Walz's office today and demand that he appoint Attorney General Ellison as special prosecutor for these cases.

Recently, The Michigan Public Service Commission has voted to reopen the record on Enbridge’s Line 5 tunnel project in the Straits of Mackinac, requesting more specific information from the oil company. This is an exciting win, after many months of organizing in the region by local and national groups, further delaying construction!

The current Line 5 Pipeline, which is long past its lifespan, is pumping tar sands oil under expired permits, transporting 22 million gallons of crude oil each day through northern Wisconsin, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and under the Straits of Mackinac. Currently, Enbridge is proposing to expand the Line 5 pipeline, despite the strong opposition of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and other Tribes. The new Line 5 pipeline expansion and re-route would threaten local aquifers and waterways, Treaty Rights, and our global climate.

70 groups, including WECAN, sent a letter today calling on insurance companies to rule out involvement in the risky Trans Mountain tar sands pipeline. This massive expansion project spells disaster for the climate and human rights—but without insurance, it can’t go forward.

18 insurers have already cut ties with Trans Mountain. Now others must follow suit and drop TMX. Read the full letter here: https://us.insure-our-future.com/tmx-letter-2022/

On July 12, the Climate Forest campaign released the "Worth More Standing" report highlighting 10 threatened forests on federal lands at risk of being devastated by logging, despite their extraordinary benefits of carbon sequestration and reducing the long-term impacts of climate change. The report details logging proposals affecting nearly a quarter of a million acres of federal forests overseen by the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management.

WECAN is honored to be a part of the Climate Forest campaign and continue our work advocating for the world's old-growth forests!

The Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN) is seeking a part-time Research and Policy Associate to join our dynamic team working for climate justice, systemic change, and women’s and feminist leadership in global climate solutions. This is a part-time position, and is expected to develop into a full-time position.

The Research and Policy Associate will work remotely, with the guidance of WECAN’s Executive Director, to conduct and produce research and writing for policy briefs, reports, and additional documents, and also provide varied support of WECAN programs. Report topics include divestment, fossil fuels, feminist economies, Indigenous rights, women’s rights, and more.

The Women's Earth and Climate Action Network is seeking several new "Women Speak" Research Interns to join our dynamic team of women working for climate justice, systemic change and women's leadership in climate change solutions.

"Women Speak" Research Interns will work remotely from their home region, with a fantastic team from around the world - to conduct pointed research, summary writing, and data upload to contribute to the WECAN storytelling and research database - ' Women Speak: Stories, Case Studies and Solutions From The Frontlines of Climate Change’.

This is a 5 hour a week remote volunteer position which may be carried out independently. If you have any questions please reach out to katherine@wecaninternational.org. Learn more and apply for the Women Speak Internship here.