Voices from the Global South: Open access learning resources launched as part of new collaborative initiative

For too long, conversations around the climate crises and climate policy have been dominated by perspectives from the Global North.

In recognising this, the Society has partnered with The Open University (OU) and the International Geographical Union (IGU) on a new initiative, Voices from the Global South, which seeks to amplify voices often overlooked in global discussions, foster understanding, and inspire action to combat climate change.

As part of this project, open access educational video resources have been created that highlight 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.

Developed as teaching tools with the higher education environment in mind, the videos are also designed to be accessible for anyone with an interest in the climate crisis – its roots, consequences and how it is experienced from outside of the Global North, and the difference that geography makes to understanding its impact.  

To align with the broader goals of the Society, the IGU, and OU in teaching, research, and public engagement, the videos are available on the Open University’s OpenLearn platform under a Creative Commons licence.

The six short films will be launched at a Society event on Monday 24 June during London Climate Action Week.  Keynote speaker, Dr Farhana Sultana, award-winning scholar and Professor of Geography at Syracuse University, will offer insight into the issues raised in the videos. In a recent commentary in the Society’s journal Geo [‘Whose growth in whose planetary boundaries? Decolonising planetary justice in the Anthropocene’], Dr Sultana pointed to the need to “centre Global South perspectives” to “envision a more just and sustainable future”.

View the resources on OpenLearn