By: Staff Writer
May 4, 2021
Young women should not feel the burden of sexism when in the climate change arena, but instead should feel empowered and motivated says up and coming rising regional star.
Jhannel Tomlinson, secretary of the Jamaican Women in Coffee and also a PhD candidate at the University of the West Indies (Mona), told Caribbean Magazine Plus about her recent experience representing Jamaica at April’s United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), calling it an “interesting experience.”
Ms Tomlinson said, “The ECOSOC was an interesting experience as it represented a space for youth to share and learn from each other. While there were opportunities for learning and while Caribbean youth were given a side event in which we were able to share our unique country experiences, I think it was interesting for us that when the different regions were being identified in another space, the Caribbean was not mentioned.
“Another interesting point was that with Latin America and the Caribbean being grouped together, often in these spaces our unique differences are not often seen and we are seen as a collective group.”
Not being afraid of the big stage as a young woman, she added: “As a young woman hoping to make a change within my country and across the Caribbean, I feel empowered and motivated as many of my other colleagues and fellow activists are also women. In other spaces where young women may feel that due to issues of sexism they may be discriminated against, I can say that I have been engaged by entities within both the public and private sectors, across academia and has even received the Prime Minister’s Youth Award for Environmental protection.”
Having such a weight on her shoulders for now and the future is “not a burden,” Ms Tomlinson said. She added: “I would say it can prove challenging because while I may be passionate about advocacy, I have to make sure it doesn’t consume all of my time as I have to focus also on my research as well as my obligations to my department and the students I tutor also.
Ms Tomlinson also spoke about her attendance at the Youth Climate Summit at the United Nations HQ in 2019 and how it has prepared her to take the centre stage at any event: “I think that the youth are increasingly being given a space to engage and be engaged. As to whether we are being taken seriously, many young people consider the engagement to be tokenistic- in that it just checks a box for some entities. For me however, I do think there are entities such as UNDP and the Climate Change Division that are: Actively engaging youth in projects; giving us resources to execute our own projects; and having us attend sessions and seminars locally and internationally for us to be able to better understand the technical processes and procedures involved in decision making around climate related issues.
Looking forward to further climate advocacy, Ms Tomlinson shares thoughts on what she feels Caribbean leaders should be focusing on with regard to climate change policy. She said: “Personally I think awareness, engagement and the climate proofing of policies will be important for us. From a policy standpoint having plans and programmes that facilitate action on the ground and that enforce sustainable behaviours and practices will be necessary. Another important thing will be engagement and will involve educating individuals on how climate change will affect their lives and livelihoods and the role that each of us can play in reducing the impacts.
“There are often conversations about People, Planet and Prosperity but oftentimes prosperity is prioritised without necessary attention being paid to the other two. Our efforts need to be people centric and focus on how we can maintain livelihoods without serious degradation and destruction to the environment.
Larger countries need to have a greater financial input into mitigating climate change issues as “access to necessary resources is a huge constraint,” Ms Tomlinson said, “especially for civil society organisations undertaking work in the climate change arena. The provision of much needed financial support is one way in which larger countries can support. Other ways include reducing their carbon footprint, adopting more renewable energy solutions, raising their climate ambitions and having more on the ground campaigns to emphasise collective action in tackling the problem.
“In some countries more than others some effort is being made but action must be accelerated and must be done now.”
As for her future, Ms Tomlinson is looking forward to becoming Dr Tomlinson in the near future as she is in the process of finalising her doctoral theses and submitting it. “Hopefully afterwards I get the opportunity to continue in academia or to work with a body such as the UN in effecting change on the ground especially within vulnerable populations and communities,” said Ms Tomlinson.
