Making Climate Change Initiatives More Accessible

The Inclusion Imperative in Climate Change

Climate change is a global challenge that requires collective action from diverse communities, technical teams, journalists, as well as environmental program, policy and design professionals. However, many global climate initiatives are not accessible to persons with disabilities, leading to exclusion and marginalization. The Victor Pineda Foundation / World Enabled and our partners are pleased to host a webinar on practical approaches to accessibility in climate community gatherings and programs. The purpose of this webinar is to provide environmental practitioners, journalists and the wider community of sustainability professionals with knowledge and resources to make their climate advocacy initiatives more inclusive and accessible to persons with disabilities.

The webinar will take place on the sidelines of the United Nations Conference of States Parties to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Who Should Attend

The target audience for this webinar is climate journalists, professionals, and advocates, including community organizers, team leaders, and program managers. Participants should have a basic understanding of climate change and disability but are open to learning more about accessibility in climate advocacy.

Objectives:

1. Provide an overview of the importance of accessibility in climate and environmental initatives
2. Highlight practical examples of how climate advocates can be more inclusive of persons with disabilities
3. Discuss the role of effective communication in promoting accessibility in climate advocacy
4. Equip professionals with knowledge and resources to make their climate and environmental initiatives more accessible to persons with disabilities.

The event is moderated by Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi, Co-founder and Director, Mizrahi Family Charitable Fund. Dr. Victor Santiago Pineda, Director at Inclusive Cities Lab at UC Berkeley is the featured speaker. He is a global expert on accessibility and disability inclusion. The webinar will consist of the following segments:

Introduction: Setting the context for the webinar, including a brief overview of the importance of accessibility in climate advocacy.

Session 1: Practical Approaches to Accessibility - This segment will focus on practical examples of how climate advocates can be more inclusive of persons with disabilities. Participants will learn about accessible event planning, inclusive communication strategies, and adaptive technologies.

Session 2: Effective Communication for Climate Advocates - This segment will explore the role of effective communication in promoting accessibility in climate advocacy. Participants will learn about best practices for communicating with persons with disabilities, including accessible language, plain text documents, and captioned videos.

Conclusion: The moderator will summarize the key takeaways from the webinar, and participants will have an opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback.

You Will Gain:

1. A deeper understanding of the importance of accessibility in global and local climate initiatives
2. Knowledge of practical approaches to making climate advocacy initiatives more inclusive of persons with disabilities
3. Awareness of the role of effective communication in promoting accessibility in climate advocacy
4. Resources to promote accessibility in their climate and environmental initiatives, including access to expert sources and research

Mission and Vision:

The Victor Pineda Foundation is committed to promoting inclusion and accessibility for persons with disabilities in all areas of society. We believe that everyone, regardless of ability, should have equal access to opportunities and resources, including climate advocacy initiatives.

June 15th

9 am PST / 12 pm EST / 4:00 pm GMT

Live captions will be provided during the session.

Featured Speaker: Dr. Victor Santiago Pineda

Dr. Pineda is a distinguished executive and global authority on human rights, inclusive urban development, and accessibility. As Executive Chairman of the Victor Pineda Foundation / World Enabled, www.pinedafoundation.org, he advises governments, Fortune 500 companies, and the United Nations on corporate governance, ESG, SDGs, and public-private partnerships.

A two-time presidential appointee, Dr. Pineda's expertise spans innovation, resilience, and inclusive design. He has shaped international regulatory frameworks, such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals and UN Habitat's New Urban Agenda, and implemented key regulations like Dubai and Abu Dhabi's Disability Strategies and Section 508 of the US Rehabilitation Act.

Dr. Pineda's award-winning book, "Building the Inclusive City," reflects his groundbreaking research. He serves on multiple World Economic Forum councils, the US Federal Access Board, and directs the Inclusive Cities Lab at UC Berkeley. Holding a Ph.D. in Urban Planning from UCLA and multiple other degrees, Dr. Pineda is an invaluable asset to companies championing inclusion, sustainability, and progressive governance.