Voice4Change England at the Northern Race Equality Conference 2026: Climate Confidence, Collaboration, and Hopeful Conversations

On the 15th of June, our colleagues attended the Northern Race Equality Conference 2026, coordinated by the Race Equality Network, Racial Justice Network, and Ella Baker School of Organising. Taking place at Leeds University, this conference (the largest of its kind in Europe) brought together activists, academics, and organisations to collaborate and share learnings. It marked a day of powerful conversations and enriching workshops centred around a diverse but shared struggle for fairer futures. In light of a resurgence of racist violence and intimidation, with disturbing scenes from Southampton to Belfast, we were reminded that fearful times demand fearless leadership.

As part of the programme, our Environmental Officer, Jennifer Wat, conducted a workshop titled The Slow, Everyday Violence of Climate Change. In this session, Jennifer explored the language and framing needed to connect climate to the fault of exploitative systems, such as colonialism and capitalism, and introduced terms such as environmental justice, 'the principle that all people and communities have a right to equal protection and equal enforcement of environmental laws and regulations’ (Dr Robert D. Bullard).​ Jennifer discussed the disproportional impacts of environmental collapse on marginalised communities and what was needed to provide solutions at both a local and global level.

To prompt discussion between our 17 attendees, we asked: 

What does climate justice mean to you? What is often missing or being overlooked when we talk about climate and nature? 

Climate justice was largely understood by the group as being about accountability: different actors and institutions doing what they can with respect to the capacity, power, and influence that they have. Participants highlighted the importance of recognising the ongoing role that colonialism and capitalism have played in shaping the current crisis and expressed frustration at the lack of responsibility taken by governments and larger institutions.

Several participants felt that there was a disconnect between local and global understandings of climate justice, particularly in the UK, where it can sometimes feel like climate change is happening 'somewhere else'. In reality, there are many minoritised communities in our local areas already feeling the effects, as Jennifer spoke about uneven access to nature and outdoor recreation, and the disproportionate exposure to pollution. The experiences of these individuals are often overlooked in favour of more overarching understandings.

We also spoke about the important role class and culture play in shaping conversations and actions around climate, and how not all approaches are valued equally or seen as legitimate. For example, there are certain behaviours associated with sustainability that have long been practiced by working class and Global Majority communities, including things like mending clothes or eating a more plant-based diet. However, these contributions are not always recognised as legitimate forms of climate action within mainstream environmental movements. Participants reflected on how dominant environmental narratives are often shaped by Western, middle-class perspectives, which can overlook or undervalue existing sustainable practices within different communities. As a result, communities that have long engaged in ‘environmentally friendly’ behaviours can find themselves being told what climate action should look like, rather than having their own knowledge, experiences, and approaches recognised and centred within the conversation.

How confident do you feel communicating climate? How accessible is climate action to you currently? 

Many participants felt confident discussing climate change and taking some sort of action in their daily lives. However, this confidence varied depending on the topic and social context.

When it came to talking about climate at work or in their personal lives, participants felt that people were generally receptive to easy, low-cost, and normalised actions such as recycling. Conversations became more difficult when discussing actions that required greater lifestyle changes, such as reducing meat consumption. Participants observed that the topics likely to have the biggest impact are often the most uncomfortable and difficult to discuss, and some shared that it led to them feeling alienated from their peers.

While many participants felt comfortable discussing climate and race as separate issues, they were less confident discussing the connections between them. Participants also reported lower confidence when it came to explaining or engaging with higher-level climate and environmental policies and strategies. Although many felt motivated to act and communicate the importance of climate justice, there was a sense that understanding and discussing some aspects remained a challenge.

It was also acknowledged that not all forms of climate action are accessible to everyone. Organisations such as Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion have made disruptive action a tenet of the mainstream climate movement in the UK. However, this sort of action is more dangerous for those from BME communities who often experience harsher policing and sentencing than their white counterparts.

Some other workshops from the day’s programme included: Prevent in practice: What you Need to Know (by Prevent Watch and Medact), How the East Influenced the Global Anti-Racist Movements (by Jagish Patel, Director of Race, Arts and Heritage at Himmah, Nottingham), Who was left behind? Deindustrialisation, Renewal and Community Memory (by Runnymede Trust and Lancaster University), and United in Struggle: Internationalism, Colonial Power and Interconnected Fight for Liberation (by The Racial Justice Network).

The Northern Race Equality Conference gave us the opportunity to not only share our environmental work to a wider audience but to learn from the many others paving the way for racial justice and equity. The speakers in the closing plenary highlighted the importance of collaboration, shared learning, and shared hope, particularly in the current climate of instability and inequality. We left the conference grateful for new connections, ideas and, renewed energy for the work ahead.

If you weren’t able to attend our workshop or the conference, you can get in touch directly at Jennifer@voice4change-england.co.uk to request access to the presentation or arrange for us to deliver the workshop either online or in person.  Information on our Environmental Strategy and Where Climate Meets Race project can be found here: https://www.voice4change-england.org/climate-justice