FASS academic insight and expertise has been used to help create new learning resources, hosted on OpenLearn aimed at redressing the narrative about climate change, and including voices of those currently left out of the conversation. The resources are available for the public to view and are also embedded into student curriculum going forward.

Discussions around the climate crisis and climate policy are often dominated by what’s termed as the “Global North”. By contrast, a new initiative aims to spotlight diverse perspectives on the climate crisis across different regions of the Global South. By emphasising Indigenous knowledge and diverse viewpoints, it underscores the importance of a multifaceted approach to addressing the climate crisis.

Voices from the Global South is a collaboration involving the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG), the International Geographical Union (IGU), and the Geography and Environmental Studies Discipline in the School of Social Sciences and Global Studies, FASS. Over five years, the project aims to present a series of visual and audio interviews focusing on the climate crisis across diverse regions of the Global South.

To begin this project, open access teaching video resources have been created highlighting Indigenous knowledge and diverse perspectives on the climate crisis, enabling people to engage in active listening and reflect on the need for a multifaceted approach to address climate change.

The six videos hosted free on OpenLearn, and available under a Creative Commons licence, form an international virtual field trip that drives awareness of the impact of the climate crisis on the Global South. By amplifying voices often overlooked in global discussions, the initiative aims to foster understanding and inspire action to combat climate change.

Professor of Economic Geography at the OU, Michael Pryke, said: “That understanding comes from listening, and learning to listen, to a range of voices captured in the six videos.

“Together they form part of the Geography Strand in the new level 1 module D113. We hope that listening to and acting on such a range of experiences and knowledge running through these videos will benefit students.

“It is not just crucial to addressing and responding to the climate crisis but is key to becoming a Geographer fit for the 21^st century.”

In each video, viewers can see and hear from people ranging from activists and campaigners, to distinguished academics, who hail from affected regions; Bangladesh, South Africa, Chile, Nepal, Uganda, Australia, Aotearoa / New Zealand, and Fiji.

You can access the videos by visiting Learning from the Global South via OpenLearn.

The project was launched at the Royal Geographical Society, supported by FASS’ External Engagement team, during the recent London Climate Action Week and underscores a commitment to sparking global dialogue and challenging dominant narratives. Voices from the Global South aims to deepen awareness of the climate crisis, and promote inclusive solutions through listening to voices and experiences often marginalised by the Global North.