With erratic weather conditions that challenge people’s way of life, Rowena Dela Rosa Yoon has joined hundreds of like-minded people from over 30 countries last month to receive personal training from former US Vice President Al Gore’s Climate Reality Project (CRP). The training marked the 25th since the global project was launched in 2006.

 

Frequent and more severe weather conditions have wreaked havoc on the lives of many people and communities,  destroying livelihoods, massive investments, and infrastructure. Mega-cyclones and hurricanes have become more frequent, while severe flooding and bushfires have been raging unprecendentedly. In many parts of the world, drought and famine have triggered ethnic wars resulting to massive displacement of people and influx of refugees.

 

Calamities and disasters are not merely a natural phenomenon. Scientific studies show that they are aggravated by human activities such as logging and deforestation, unabated carbon and methane emissions, irresponsible resource and waste management, and government inaction.

 

At this juncture in human history, however, a major shift is taking place, with grassroots worldwide taking the future into their hands. There are solutions to the climate crisis.

 

Mr Gore has trained leaders around the world, including small communities. He has offered to support committed leaders standing up to take action on the climate crisis. “Our goal is to provide them with the best possible tools to become even more effective leaders in their schools, businesses, houses of worship, and local and national governments,” Mr Gore said.

 

Ken Berlin, President and CEO of the CRP also said during the leadership training he is convinced that the important work being done by Mr Gore and the CRP is absolutely vital to solving the climate crisis. He added, “Now more than ever, we need a large corps of climate change leaders who can speak to and reach out to their communities with a message that develops the support needed to change the culture and politics of climate change, and which convinces our political, social and business leaders to do the right thing and embrace the solutions at our fingertips.”

 

Ms Dela Rosa Yoon has an extensive professional background in journalism and strategic communications. Her interest in climate leadership is rooted her long years of experience as an environmental writer. “People need education and empowerment to be able to look better for the planet. There must be a better, more responsible, and more sustainable way of living. It is the key to our survival,” she said.

 

She is available to speak to small organizations and communities and present the state of climate and the way forward. For more info, read her profile at: Climate Reality Presenters. Contact her here.