A BCS Grad recently shared the world stage in Dubai as part of the United Nations Summit on Climate Change and COP28 UAE.
Jessie Chaplain, Charles D. Owen High School Class of 2014, is in a doctoral program for communications studies at the University of Utah. She attended the summit as part of her work with the International Environmental Communication Association which is an academic organization connecting researchers who study environmental communication. Ms. Chaplain spoke as part of a break-out session called "Working Through Climate Conflicts."
"I spoke about how just communication, or participatory decision-making processes that involve all stakeholders, is vital for navigating climate conflicts," she said. "Just communication requires building the capacity of all stakeholders to engage meaningfully with each other across differences, transparency within processes of decision-making to build trust, and coordinating action across different scales (local, regional, national, and international)."
Her doctoral research is focused on advocacy for climate justice.
"I am interested in three climate justice solutions that are being advocated for during these international negotiations: 1) meaningful inclusion of those most impacted in the decision-making processes for climate action. 2) climate finance to address the inequities of climate impacts and solutions. Climate change does not impact everyone equally, and those most impacted face a more difficult financial burden to respond to climate impacts and implement climate solutions. 3) just transition to green energy systems. A just transition recognizes that we need more sustainable energy technologies but that we cannot transition in a way that redistributes harm to frontline communities and workers. No one can be left behind in the energy transition."
You can see Ms. Chaplain's talk in the YouTube link below. She begins speaking around 3:30.
What a wonderful way to represent Buncombe County Schools!
