Building Bridges for a Just Climate Transition – KALLIED Workshop in Rio de Janeiro
On October 1-3, the Knowledge Alliance for Environmental Defenders (KALLIED), the community of practice led by Asuntos del Sur and supported by IDRC, held its first workshop in Rio de Janeiro, bringing together experts, activists, and project leaders from across the Global South. The two-day workshop, hosted by the BRICS Policy Center, aimed to strengthen professional and personal connections between KALLIED projects, define a collaborative model for its community of practice, and discuss future courses of collective action. These meetings were an important step in strengthening the community of practice in the Global South for the protection of environmental defenders.
Project Implementation and Shared Content Design
The first day of the workshop began with a lively icebreaker in which each group shared an object that symbolized their country or community, allowing participants to gain insight into the different cultures and regions represented. This activity set a collaborative tone and emphasized the importance of personal connections alongside professional collaboration in building an effective community of practice.
The morning session provided a platform for seven different KALLIED projects to present their progress and challenges to date. Each group gave a 10-minute presentation. This provided a cross-regional perspective on the challenges faced by environmental activists, highlighting the need for innovative solutions and deeper collaboration across sectors.
The presentations were followed by a Q&A session where participants exchanged ideas on how to overcome the challenges defenders face in an increasingly hostile environment. The discussions highlighted the need to develop tools and frameworks that can be applied in different contexts to support both defenders and the broader community.
In the afternoon, participants discussed how to jointly shape the content of two important tools that can be produced within KALLIED. The first will focus on the security challenges faced by environmental defenders, while the other will address broader implementation challenges for environmental projects. In this session, participants brainstormed ideas on how to develop these resources in a way that reflects the diverse experiences of the Global South. The focus was on creating practical tools that can be widely disseminated and used by organizations and communities working on climate and environmental crises.
Defining the KALLIED Community and Setting an Impactful Course
The second day was dedicated to exploring ways to make the KALLIED community more cohesive and effective, proposing ideas for strengthening collaboration between projects and setting common goals. Group discussions generated actionable ideas on how the alliance could focus its energies, ranging from policy advocacy and public awareness campaigns to developing local training programs for defenders. These strategies will then be validated in a larger group session to ensure that they reflect the priorities and perspectives of the entire community.
In the afternoon, Asuntos del Sur presented KALLIED’s initial proposal to rethink and build a comprehensive roadmap to achieve tangible results.
Building a stronger alliance for climate justice
The KALLIED workshop in Rio de Janeiro created a strong foundation for future collaboration. By bringing together diverse projects and perspectives, the sessions fostered a deep sense of solidarity among participants and provided a roadmap for advancing KALLIED’s mission to support environmental defenders and promote a human rights-based approach to climate justice.
The workshop’s focus on building a community of practice, defining pathways for impact, and developing practical tools for environmental defenders highlighted the critical role that collective action plays in addressing global challenges. With this newfound sense of alignment and purpose, KALLIED is poised to make significant strides in its efforts to protect defenders, empower communities, and ensure that the energy transition is just and inclusive.
As the community of practice moves forward, the connections made during this workshop and the strategies outlined will be instrumental in driving meaningful change. Through continued collaboration and shared learning, KALLIED will continue to amplify the voices of the Global South in the global climate conversation and ensure that the rights and needs of the most vulnerable are at the forefront of climate action.
