Early Childhood in the Era of Climate Change

Event Takeaways

Speakers:

• Moderator: Elliot Haspel - Author; Director, Climate & Young Children, Capita
• Jacqueline Patterson, Founder and Executive Director of the Chisholm Legacy Project: A Resource Hub for Black Frontline Climate Justice Leadership
• Diana Rauner - President, Start Early; Co-Chair, Early Years Climate Task Force; Former First Lady of Illinois
• Tonja Rucker - Director, Early Childhood Success, Institute for Youth, Education, and Families, National League of Cities
• Sara Slaughter - Executive Director, W. Clement and Jessie V. Stone Foundation

From our speakers and webinar co-sponsors:

Early Years Climate Action Task Force - Capita and This is Planet Ed (the Aspen Institute) have co-convened the Early Years Climate Action Task Force to draft the U.S. Early Years Climate Action Plan. The plan will recommend ways the country can help young children, zero to 8, flourish in the face of climate change. It will be published in late 2023.  The task force’s work is supported, in part, by the W. Clement and Jessie V. Stone Foundation.

The Early Years Climate Action Task Force held a series of listening sessions highlighting the particular vulnerabilities of young children to climate change and opportunities for the early years sector to take action. Find listening sessions recordings, podcasts, and register for upcoming events here: https://www.capita.org/early-years-climate-action-task-force

Recent reports:

• A Child-Centered Approach to the Climate Crisis Can No Longer Wait, Capita
•  Equitable Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Requires All Hands On Deck, Capita

For more information on the Task Force, contact Elliot Haspel.

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The Chisholm Legacy Project, A Resource Hub for Black Frontline Climate Justice Leadership.  Resources include a hub for examples of policies that provide holistic support to those resisting extractivism and creating regenerative and democratic systems in their communities.

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National League of Cities, Education and Early Childhood Success compilation, and Addressing the Impacts of Environmental Challenges on Early Childhood Development, includes examples of cities promoting resiliency and innovation.

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Health and Environmental Funder Network (HEFN) helps funders find their place and connect with others who care about environmental health and justice.   Resources include good "first-reads” to dive deeper, and see what other funders are doing. The Resource Library and Funder Stories offer more ways to learn and explore.

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Children, Youth and Family Funders Roundtable Environmental Justice & Climate Change – Funder Series, in partnership with: Environmental Grantmakers Association, Grantmakers in Health and Health and Environmental Funders Network.  Find primers on environmental justice and children, climate change and children’s health, and the impact of climate on children’s mental health; Funder Q&A’s; and webinar archives.

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Investing at the  Frontlines of Climate4 Change, A Funder Toolkit on Climate, Health and Equity, Climate and Energy Funders Group

This toolkit, developed as a partnership between eight philanthropic support organizations, including Health and Environmental Funders Network, is intended to accelerate investments by helping funders gain a sense of a large, complex, and interconnected landscape of climate and health funding. The suggestions are designed to build a more equitable response to climate change and to explore a number of ways funders can get involved. The resource list is expansive and a great place to start learning more about philanthropy’s role in investing in climate change and health.  Resources include profiles and lists of foundations and nonprofits, as well as pointers to hubs of collaboration within philanthropy, civil society, and government. The toolkit also includes: suggested starter resources for exploring funders; and resources by impacted populations and communities, specific issue areas and geographic focus.

Related Resources:

Early Childhood Intersections with Climate and Environment

• Centering Children in the Fight Against Climate Change, The Burke Foundation Start Early newsletter feature
• Early Childhood and Climate Change are Connected In More Ways Than You Think, EdSurge
• How Climate Change and Early Childhood are Intertwined, The Hechinger Report
• Flood Risks in NYC’s Child Care System, LISC, sophisticated of flood risk for family child care providers (also an issue in other cities)
• Addressing Climate Change Also Means Addressing the Child Care Crisis, Inequality.Org
• Doulas as groundwork for community resilience in climate change efforts, Capita article featuring The Burke Foundation

Food Intersections

• Farm to Early Care Minnesota, connecting young children with nutrtitious, locally-grown foods and supports farmers in their communities.
• Farm to Early Care and Education Toolkit, Every Child Thrives/W. K. Kellogg Foundtion
• Building Power and Shifting the Frame: Grassroots Narratives for the Future of Food, recording of funder webinar by Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Funders (2020)

Cities and Facilities

• How are the world's fastest-growing cities meeting the needs of their youngest residents in adapting to climate change?, Capita
• Let's design early education facilities now to meet the challenge of climate change, EdSource
• Planning for Resilient Early Care and Education: Addressing Climate Vulnerabilities, Low Income Investment Fund (LIIF) and the Center for Cities + Schools at UC Berkeley make the case for explicit focus on and improvements to the physical settings where young children spend their time, through the lens of space, facilities, and the built environment.