This year, 2022, the world has witnessed some catastrophic environmental changes that have led to unforgettable impacts on people’s lives. These changes, unique and destructive, have caused losses in economic value and non-economic value on a national scale as well as on a personal level in the global north and south.
In response to these changes, our actions have been lopsided. The responses have been unfair on the basis of race, nationality and profit. This of course is regressive and marginalising because the very thought that even climate action would be compartmentalised for negative reasons dashes the hopes of people who are already suffering the impacts of climate change in the body and mind.
Nobody should feel like they have to wait in queue for support that is this dire, especially when it’s meant to be equitable and fair, because the toll of climate impacts is increasing in real-time and every injustice has a consequence.
With particular emphasis on the emotional and psychological responses, there is a serious lack of awareness, support, community and initiatives for people who experience climate impacts not just in tangible things but also in their psychological well-being.
Discovering this void, COP² (Care of People x Planet) was launched at COP27 in Sharm El-Sheik, Egypt, on the 10th of November, 2022, in collaboration with the Race to Resilience, a UN Climate Change High-Level Champion campaign to nurture and develop human resilience in the face of escalating climate consequences.
The launch happened at the Implementations Labs Event, on the Sharm El Sheikh Adaptation Agenda & The Race to Resilience where our founder, Jennifer Uchendu spoke in her capacity as a member of COP²’s Steering Committee.
The network of over 230 organisations, of which SustyVibes is a part, will be developing a roadmap for the Race to Resilience agenda that incorporates psychological resilience as part of its climate adaptation framework. This will be done by working with the network which includes activists, researchers, indigenous and community leaders, and a wide range of mental health professionals from the global north and global south to connect and create a united front against the excruciating psychological impacts that climate change demands.
COP²’s goal is to bring to the fore the understanding of individual and societal mental health as a severe vulnerability and a crucial resource in the battle against climate change.
Explaining how necessary the network is, Founder of SustyVibes Jennifer Uchendu and also a member of COP²’s global leadership, said, “With COP² we create a structure that is really dynamic, contextually relevant, and that is culturally sensitive. We believe in dialogue where we can feed in ideas and opinions from people from every part of the world”.
The idea of COP² is to show the world that there is a need for contextualised support systems like this amidst our hurry towards transitioning towards a sustainable future and that a fair response to the climate catastrophe means actions that are holistic and interconnected.
To join the work of COP², you can fill out the form here and your Regional Hub Lead will reach out, or you can access the official website of COP² here. There you’ll be able to access more information about COP² and how to be active with the cause.