2022 ICRG Annual Learning Event
Cooperatives Address Climate Change Proactively
Event Resources Archive
On January 19th, & 20th, 2022, the ICRG invited partners and collaborators from Cooperative Development Organizations and non-profit experts to discuss how CDP participants can address Climate Policy concerns. The ICRG invited technical experts in energy, agriculture, and trade to share their expertise with the attendees on concrete steps cooperatives are uniquely equipped to contribute.
On this page, we seek to share key documents and presentations prepared by our participants and panelists as part of the event. The event materials were steered around the USAID Climate Strategy Draft organized under three strategic goals and five embedded principles.
We encourage you to engage and interact
with the materials we’ve provided. We hope that this information can generate more discussion within your own organizations, communities of practice, and beyond. ICRG would be happy to provide more information about the event and any future activities – feel free to contact us at researchgroup@ocdc.coop.
Click to Download Any of The Following Resources
The Learning Event Day 1 Slides include presentations by representatives from OCDC, ICRG, USAID, Fairtrade America, and Fairtrade UK.
The Learning Event Day 2 Slides include presentations from NRECA International, Agriterra – Philippines, and Agriterra – Netherlands.
Attendee Contributed Website Links include links and resources shared by our participants.
Organizations and Strategic Objectives: Participant sourced notes on engaging with the Strategic Objectives found in the USAID Climate Change Strategy.
Future CDP Programming and Climate Solutions: Participant sourced notes on CDO partner engagement and incorporating Climate Solutions into future CDP Programming.
Word Cloud – Topics of Interest includes the topics and themes CDO partners have listed as topics that would be valuable for future exploration.
CDP and Current/Planned Activities: Participant sourced notes on identifying current and planned CDP activities already contributing to the USAID Climate Strategy.
Cooperative Advantage in Climate Strategy: Participant sourced notes on identifying the unique strengths, assets, and opportunities that cooperatives that can contribute to the USAID Climate Strategy.
These background documents were prepared by the ICRG to help facilitate discussion and understanding of the Climate Strategy.
Video Archives
Recording of Day 1
Day 1. Hear perspectives from Fairtrade, their work, and their activities addressing climate change. Join in our discussion on how cooperatives are uniquely prepared to contribute to USAID’s latest Climate Strategy
Day 2 Recording
Join our panel with partners from NRECA International, Agriterra, Philippines, and Agriterra, Netherlands. We discuss actual, on-the-ground programs and activities cooperatives are already undertaking. On this last day, we close with an optimistic call to action: the drafting of a statement in response to USAID’s Climate Policy.
AGENDA
Who?
OCDC’s Collaborative Group members as participants; TechChange and ICRG staff as facilitators, Wangeci Gitata-Kiriga as moderator, joined by climate change professionals/experts as special guests.
What?
OCDC’s annual cooperative learning event with member organizations’ HQ staff.
Where?
Virtual, held on Zoom.
When?
January 19th-20th 2022.
Why?
Strengthen OCDC’s community of practice by creating opportunities for collaborative learning on key issues affecting cooperative development. This year the topic is climate change prioritized by a number of CDOs and by our donor USAID.
How?
Collaboratively! Through a mix of information discussion and mutual learning, drawing upon adult learning principles, informed by expert input and field-based learning. Facilitated sessions with the skilled technical support of TechChange.
Event-Specific Goals
- Provide information and interaction around the global, USAID and project level imperatives driving climate change responses. Climate-related issues will drive development programming during the next decade and beyond.
- Develop shared understanding of USAID’s draft climate strategy and increase awareness of how it could impact future CDP activities and project cycles.
- Create a roadmap for incorporating climate change considerations into present and future CDP programming.
- Develop preliminary input into a draft document designed to articulate why cooperatives and their members, supported by USAID and CDOs, are both important strategic partners and front-line drivers of changed policy and practice.
Day One
Objectives and Schedule: January 19, 2022
- Provide information and interaction around the global, USAID and project level imperatives driving climate change responses Climate-related issues will drive development programming during the next decade and beyond.
- Develop shared understanding of USAID’s draft climate strategy and increase awareness of how it could impact future CDP activities and project cycles.
- Create a roadmap for incorporating climate change considerations into present and future CDP programming.
- Develop preliminary input into a draft document designed to articulate why cooperatives and their members, supported by USAID and CDOs, are both important strategic partners and front-line drivers of changed policy and practice.
9:30am – 12:00pm
Welcome and Introduction:
Paul Hazen | Executive Director, OCDC
Dr. Judith Hermanson | Director, ICRG
Emily Varga | USAID
Wangeci Gitata-Kiriga | Moderator
Setting the Stage:
To share global perspective of climate action (or inaction) and US commitments to climate
Patricia Espinosa (Recorded) | United Nations
Peg Willingham | CEO, Fairtrade America
David Taylor Policy Manager, Fairtrade UK
USAID’s Strategy and Implications for Cooperative Development and CDOs
Joint Analysis of USAID’s Draft Climate Strategy 2022-2030
Plenary and small group activity
1:00pm – 2:00pm
Locating Cooperative Development within Climate Change Programming
What are the opportunities and challenges for CDOs and their cooperative clients? Are there unique strengths that cooperatives bring, such as scaling or local leadership? Small group activity
Day Two
Objectives and Schedule: January 20, 2022
9:30am – 11:00am
Welcome and Feedback on Day 1:
Wangeci Gitata-Kiriga | Moderator
Focusing on the Practicalities for Cooperatives:
Drawing from experience, opportunities, challenges, and the unique advantages that cooperatives have to offer.
Frank Bergh, P.E. | Senior Engineer, NRECA International
Marciano “Jun” Virola | Agriterra
Daan Vreeburg | Agriterra
11:00am – 1:15pm
Towards a Joint Statement on the Role of Cooperatives in Addressing Climate Challenges:
In small groups, share ideas and vision of how cooperatives can contribute and assist USAID moving forward; how they can operationalize climate response actions under current and future CDP
– Lunch Break –
2:15pm – 2:55pm
Bringing all themes Together: What have we learned?
Report out: Each group share their outcomes.
2:55pm – 3:00pm
Closing Remarks
Paul Hazen | Executive Director, OCDC
Background Documents
- The USAID Climate Change website: https://www.usaid.gov/climate
- USAID Climate Readiness Plan: https://www.usaid.gov/climate/readiness-plan
- Last updated in October 7th, 2021
- Includes the USAID Climate Readiness Plan:
- USAID Climate Strategy: https://www.usaid.gov/climate/strategy
- Last Updated: November 24th, 2021
- Includes the draft document: https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USAID-Climate-Change-Strategy-2022-2030-Offical-Draft.pdf
- USAID Climate Strategy FAQ: https://www.usaid.gov/climate/strategy/frequently-asked-questions
- Climate Strategy Process and Timeline Factsheet: https://www.usaid.gov/climate/strategy/process-timeline https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2021-USAID-Climate-Strategy-Factsheet.pdf
- ICA-EU Partnership; Cooperation for the transition to a green economy. https://coops4dev.coop/en/node/15615
