Western North Carolina is grappling with unprecedented devastation from Hurricane Helene. Many still lack basic services like water, power, and internet, making recovery incredibly difficult. The rising body count, potentially in the thousands, adds to our community's overwhelming grief and hardship.

Your continued love and support are vital. Please don't forget us; keep discussing this disaster, which highlights critical issues like climate change and systemic inequalities. We must collectively work towards a more sustainable and equitable future.

Thank you for all GoFundMe donations. Contributions directly support mutual aid organizations assisting underserved communities here. Please continue to donate, share, and spread the word; your solidarity means everything.

Explore our latest documentary showcasing Earth Guardians' global mission to restore critical forest ecosystems. Since 2015, we've protected forests worldwide, now focusing on reforesting 10 hectares with 20,000 trees in Tagba, Togo. Beyond planting, our efforts empower Indigenous communities, safeguard biodiversity, and combat climate change for a brighter future.

Help us double our impact! The World Rainforest Fund will match donations up to $10,000 for our Tagba project. Donate today and join us in planting hope for generations to come: GoFundMe. Learn more or become an Earth Guardian: Earth Guardians.

Indigenous youth are shaping a brighter future. Earth Guardians' Indigenous Youth Leadership Initiative Training explored "What If Indigenous Futures THRIVED?" Participants envisioned Indigenous Futurisms, blending traditional wisdom with modern solutions for climate resilience, environmental justice, and an equitable, regenerative future.

This vision is a call to action. These young leaders advocate for cultural reclamation, sovereignty, and self-determination, building ethical and sustainable futures for their communities and beyond. Earth Guardians' Initiative proves diverse, intergenerational leadership drives meaningful change.

Inspired by these changemakers? Join the movement by engaging in Earth Guardians programs or donating today at www.earthguardians.org.

Earth Guardians and CREDO Mobile present a video highlighting CREDO's over $100 million in donations to environmental and social justice nonprofits, including Earth Guardians. Since 2017, CREDO has supported Earth Guardians' youth-led climate initiatives and global justice efforts.

The video features Kellie Berns, Earth Guardians' Global Program Director, discussing CREDO's tangible impact on their programs and operations.

Watch the video to learn how you can make a difference. Support Earth Guardians by switching to CREDO Mobile, turning your phone bill into a force for good, or by joining and donating to our movement. Together, we can protect our planet and empower future leaders.

On November 18, WECAN hosted a COP29 press conference where women leaders advocated for a fossil fuel phaseout and a Just Transition. Speakers emphasized the importance of climate finance for equitable solutions and accountability, also highlighting efforts for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The panel featured Eriel Tchekwie Deranger (Indigenous Climate Action), Dr. Amiera Sawas (Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty), and Osprey Orielle Lake (WECAN).

WECAN organized a COP29 press conference featuring Brazilian Indigenous women leaders. They advocated for Indigenous rights, forest and water protection, community well-being, and global climate action, with a focus on the path to COP30 in Belém, Brazil.

Speakers included Puyr Tembé, Concita Sôpré, and Lucimara Patté, all co-founders of Ancestral Indigenous Women Warriors (ANMIGA). Moderated by Osprey Orielle Lake (WECAN), the event highlighted the critical role of Indigenous women in safeguarding Amazonian biodiversity and connected biomes.

On November 16, WECAN hosted a COP29 Press Conference, advocating a new legal and economic framework based on living in balance with Earth's natural systems. Prominent speakers discussed the Rights of Nature movement, highlighting its potential as a systemic framework for defending biodiversity, communities, and the climate.

WECAN presented "A Global Initiative for a Universal Declaration on the Rights of Nature," outlining a strategy for national and subnational governments to adopt this declaration. To learn more about this vital initiative, please visit: wecaninternational.org/ron-declaration

On November 5, WECAN Executive Director Osprey Orielle Lake addressed the GLOBE COP26 Legislators Summit at the Scottish Parliament. She urged global leaders to reject false solutions, advocating for climate justice, Indigenous rights, keeping fossil fuels in the ground, and greater inclusion of women and frontline communities in decision-making.

Lake highlighted that current country commitments fall short of the Paris Agreement's 1.5-degree target. She presented a "Call to Action" from the Global Women's Assembly for Climate Justice, outlining how existing frameworks can achieve this goal. This call represents millions of women and feminists worldwide.

Read the Call to Action Statement and Framework Recommendations.

WECAN Executive Director Osprey Orielle Lake addressed world governments at the UN ahead of COP26, declaring a refusal to sacrifice future generations for corporate greed and political power. She urged leaders to fight for social, racial, economic justice, and Indigenous and human rights, emphasizing that communities need climate justice now.

Lake demanded an end to "sacrifice people" and "sacrifice zones," challenging governments to confront the fossil fuel industry and deliver the promised $100 billion for a just transition. Highlighting that current commitments fall short of the 1.5°C target, she presented a "Call to Action" from the Global Women’s Assembly for Climate Justice, outlining existing frameworks.

Read the Call to Action Statement here and the Framework Recommendations here.

In June 2022, Osprey Orielle Lake delivered a presentation at Scenarios Forum Session 93.

Her talk, titled "Addressing the gender dimension in socioeconomic scenarios," explored policy and climate change impacts on gender equality, and gender equality's role as a driver of change.

During WECAN's Climate Week events, Thilmeeza Hussain, Permanent Representative to the UN and Ambassador from the Maldives, spoke with WECAN Executive Director Osprey Orielle Lake. Their discussion focused on climate justice policies, women's leadership, and accelerating just, resilient, community-led solutions.

This event was part of the Women's Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN) three-day Climate Justice Forum. Titled "Facing the Climate Emergency on the Road to COP27: Solutions and Perspectives from Global Women and Gender Diverse Leaders," the forum took place September 20-22.

Indigenous women are leading global efforts to uphold Indigenous rights, sovereignty, and Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) in interactions with financial institutions and corporations. These institutions often perpetuate human and Indigenous rights violations, particularly in extractive industries. A recent event highlighted the need for these entities to implement FPIC, Indigenous rights, and due diligence, while investing in climate justice solutions centered on Traditional Ecological Knowledge.

Given the climate crisis, respecting Indigenous knowledge, ways of life, and FPIC—including the right to say “no” to extraction—is paramount, as 80% of Earth's biodiversity remains on Indigenous lands. This discussion took place at a formal side-event of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues 2022, featuring Indigenous women leaders and global advocates like Sônia Guajajara and Casey Camp-Horinek.

International women leaders convened a press conference to discuss feminist and women-led visions for a healthy, equitable future. They shared insights from global movements, examined the impacts of international climate policies, and proposed strategies and alternatives.

Speakers included Neema Namadamu (DRC), Casey Camp Horinek (USA), Anne Songole (FEMNET, Kenya), Taily Terena (Brazil), and Osprey Orielle Lake, Executive Director of the Women's Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN).

Facing escalating climate and ecological crises, humanity seeks a new legal framework and economy based on living in balance with Earth, where human rights do not extend to dominating nature. The Rights of Nature movement offers a systemic solution, rapidly growing globally.

A recent press conference showcased how this framework protects biodiverse ecosystems, Indigenous sovereignty, and human rights. Advocates from organizations like WECAN and Health of Mother Earth Foundation shared insights.

During the event, a White Paper on the Legal Rights of Nature Framework, co-authored by WECAN, Movement Rights, and the Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature (GARN), was released. Read the report here.

Global movements are addressing the escalating climate crisis, with women and gender-diverse leaders amplifying their voices in response to COP27. This event featured direct reports from the negotiations, sharing critical insights, report releases, and urgent calls to action, alongside global women's demands, struggles, and solutions.

The diverse panel included leaders from Indigenous communities, youth activists, and environmental organizations worldwide. Representatives from groups like DIVA for Equality, Reacción Climática, Youth Advocates for Climate Action Philippines, The Chisholm Legacy Project, Amazon Watch, and the Women's Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN) offered vital perspectives from most affected peoples and areas.

At a COP27 UN Side Event, "Women for Climate Justice" convened grassroots, frontline, and Indigenous women leaders with international climate justice organizations. They addressed the root causes of interlocking crises, advocating for solutions rooted in a climate justice framework.

Discussions highlighted crucial areas like forest and biodiversity protection, Indigenous rights, agro-ecology, and fossil fuel resistance. Speakers emphasized safeguarding women land defenders and promoting community-led solutions, showcasing diverse global leadership in climate action.

A COP27 press conference, "Accelerating a Feminist Green New Deal," highlighted the necessity of a cross-cutting approach to the climate crisis, firmly rooted in feminist principles and actively combating historical oppressions.

Organized by the Feminist Green New Deal Coalition, with WECAN as a founding member, the event featured speakers who discussed vital feminist policies and frameworks. These discussions aimed to advance just climate policies, emphasizing the integral role of feminist perspectives in effective climate action.

Indigenous women from the Amazon, leading global and local movements, issued urgent calls to action at a COP27 press conference. They highlighted ongoing efforts to protect their communities and territories from governments and corporations violating Indigenous and human rights through harmful extractive projects.

Speakers, including Sônia Bone Guajajara (Federal Deputy of Brazil) and Patricia Gualinga (Spokeswoman for Mujeres Amazónicas Defensoras de la Selva), demanded stronger Indigenous rights, forest and water protection, and global climate action.

Women leaders are developing critical strategies for national and international divestment from fossil fuels and deforestation. They advocate for a Just Transition, demanding accountability from financial sectors and governments to prioritize people and the planet.

During a WECAN press conference at COP27, speakers shared vital reports and strategies to end the fossil fuel era, support impacted communities, and address Indigenous rights. Featured speakers included Eriel Tchekwie Deranger (Indigenous Climate Action), Tzeporah Berman (Fossil Fuel Non Proliferation Treaty), Leila Salazar-López (Amazon Watch), and Osprey Orielle Lake (Women's Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN)).

This event convened diverse women and gender-diverse leaders from grassroots to global levels, alongside advocates and policymakers. They shared insights on the climate crisis, COP27, and strategies for advancing just, community-led solutions to interlocking global challenges.

Notable speakers included Jacqui Patterson (The Chisholm Legacy Project), Diana Duarte (MADRE), Farhana Yamin (Chatham House), and Jade Begay (NDN Collective), who also served as moderator and is WECAN's Executive Director.

The event was part of the Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN) three-day Climate Justice Forum, "Facing the Climate Emergency on the Road to COP27," held September 20-22.