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November/December 2004 David M. Levy
Serving in God's Spirit
Zechariah 4:1–14
The official seal for the State of Israel was unveiled on February 10, 1949. It consists of a seven-branched menorah (lampstand/ candelabra) with an olive branch on either side. Opposite the entrance to the Israeli Knesset (parliament) stands a great menorah with branches that reach 16 feet high and 13 feet wide. This particular menorah is decorated with figures highlighting Israel's history and engraved with the Scripture, "not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lᴏʀᴅ of hosts."
The menorah, olive branches, and inscription are symbols of the rebirth of the State—a graphic reminder and witness of God's power and promise to preserve the Jewish people.
The inspiration for both Israel's seal and the inscription on the giant menorah was taken from Zechariah's fifth vision in chapter 4. These same symbols that inspired modern-day Israel were first used centuries earlier to inspire Zerubbabel to finish construction of the second Temple.
Zechariah's Revelation
Zechariah began his fifth vision by relaying the revelation he received from the interpreting angel:
And the angel who talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep, and said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked and, behold, a lampstand all of gold,with a bowl upon the top of it,and its seven lamps on it, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top of it, and two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side of it (vv. 1–3).
Most likely Zechariah was not asleep as we know it but in a state of spiritual exhaustion or trauma, overwhelmed by the previous four visions that had come to him in quick succession (cf. Dan. 10:8-9).
When the interpreting angel asked Zechariah what he saw, the prophet answered, "a lampstand all of gold" (v. 2). Zechariah described a lampstand that was entirely different from the one standing in the Tabernacle. First, he saw a "bowl [container] upon the top" of it filled with olive oil that flowed to seven lamps. Second, the container had seven tubes connected to each lamp. In Hebrew the text "seven pipes to the seven lamps" reads "seven and seven," meaning seven pipes were connected to each lamp, making a total of 49 tubes, which allowed oil to flow directly to the lamp without the assistance of a priest. Third, an olive tree is pictured on each side of the lampstand, supplying oil directly to the container through "two golden pipes" (v.12). The olive oil is described as "golden oil," or yellow in color (v. 12).
The lampstand provided light in the holy place so the priest could see as he ministered. A lighted lampstand also represents the nation of Israel as the Lord's chosen witness to bring spiritual light to a world living in pagan darkness.
Zechariah asked the interpreting angel, "What are these, my lord?" (v. 4).
The angel answered the question with a question: "Knowest thou not what these are?"
Zechariah responded, "No, my lord" (v. 5). The angel's question intimated that Zechariah, who was a priest as well as prophet, should have understood what he saw. The question is not answered until the end of the chapter.
Zerubbabel Rebuilds
The angel continued to give Zechariah further revelation: "This is the word of the Lᴏʀᴅ unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power; but by my Spirit, saith the Lᴏʀᴅ of hosts" (v. 6). Zerubbabel, who had laid the foundation of the second Temple 16 years earlier, was assured he would complete the task, but not by might (human strength, wisdom, wealth, or military force) or by any human power. The insurmountable difficulties in completing the construction could be overcome only by the power of God's Spirit. A finished Temple would provide irrefutable evidence to Zechariah and Zerubbabel that God's Spirit alone accomplished the task, not Israel.
The angel revealed that Zerubbabel would face great obstacles and opposition:
Who art thou, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain; and he shall bring forth the headstone of it with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it (v. 7).
The word who is used to personify the phrase great mountain, which is a metaphor for the obstacles and opposition that confronted Zerubbabel. He started to rebuild the Temple after the Jewish remnant had returned to Jerusalem (cf. Ezra 3:8), and he immediately faced what seemed to be insurmountable problems.
Gentiles living in the land tried to stop the Temple reconstruction in three ways. (See Ezra 4:1-24.) First they wanted to help with the task but were rejected because they did not follow the God of Israel. Making an ungodly alliance with these people would have diverted Israel and weakened the Jewish nation's resolve to finish the project.
Then those Gentiles tried to discourage and intimidate the workers by hiring counselors to frustrate construction. Finally, those opposing the project wrote letters of complaint to King Artaxerxes, petitioning him to shut down the project. Nevertheless, this seeming mountain of opposition would "become a plain," or be leveled by the Lord, so Zerubbabel's Temple could be expeditiously completed.
And it was completed when Zerubbabel capped it off with a "headstone" (v. 7). This was not the foundation stone laid 16 years earlier. It was the "top stone," or last stone, put in place to complete the Temple. When Zerubbabel set the headstone in place, shouts of "grace, grace unto it" (v. 7) could be heard echoing throughout Jerusalem. The word grace can be interpreted as a request for God to bless the worship place with His favor; or it could be interpreted as the people praising God for His favor in restoring the beautiful Temple for Israel.
Zechariah's confidence in the Temple's completion received a boost by an encouraging word of assurance from the interpreting angel. The prophet wrote,
Moreover, the word of the Lᴏʀᴅ came unto me, saying, The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it, and thou shalt know that the Lᴏʀᴅ of hosts hath sent me unto you (vv. 8–9).
These verses are not a repeat of verse 7 but an emphatic announcement that what Zerubbabel had begun, he would finish. This encouragement came from the "Lᴏʀᴅ of hosts" (Jehovah of armies), a phrase used by the post-exilic prophets to describe an all-powerful God who will accomplish what He decrees.
Great hope filled the elders of Judah, who envisioned a Temple possessing the glories they had gazed on before their captivity. But as the walls went up, people's spirits came down. Those who had not seen the grandeur of Solomon's Temple praised the Lord. But the older generation, who lived before the destruction of Solomon's Temple, wept loudly and profusely because Zerubbabel's Temple was nothing in comparison to Solomon's. They scorned the new structure as insignificant compared to the first Temple because it was small and plain.
Zechariah silenced the critics with a word from God: "For who hath despised the day of small things?" (v. 10). The Lord rebuked those who scorned. Nothing God has commissioned to be built for His glory should be considered insignificant. God often uses so-called small people and places to accomplish great projects.
As the Temple went up, the nation's attitude changed from one of criticism to rejoicing. Zechariah wrote,
For they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet [plumb line] in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the Lᴏʀᴅ, which run to and fro through the whole earth (v. 10).
The plumb line in Zerubbabel's hand was to assure proper alignment of the stones as Temple construction moved speedily ahead. While Zerubbabel worked, the Lord watched "with those seven," that is, "the eyes of the Lᴏʀᴅ, which run to and fro through the whole earth" (v. 10, cf. 3:9).
Nothing is hidden from God's infinite intelligence and omniscience. The Lord's eyes scrutinize the world. He providentially watches over and cares for Israel against its enemies and will accomplish His sovereign program for the Jewish people. God had commissioned the Temple's construction, and no one had a right to despise it.
Zechariah's message greatly encouraged both Zerubbabel and the Jewish remnant, both of whom were equipped and sustained by God's Spirit to finish building the second Temple. Zerubbabel completed the work four years later in 516 .C. (Ezra 6:15).
Zechariah's Response
Zechariah, excited about the revelation he had received and knowing his question about the olive trees in verse 4 had not been answered, quickly responded with one question and then another:
What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the lamps/and and upon the left side of it? … What are these two olive branches [literally, ears of olives, a cluster of olives] which, through the two golden pipes, empty the golden oil out of themselves? (vv. 11-12; cf. v. 3).
Again, the angel answered Zechariah's question with a question: "Knowest thou not what these are?"
Zechariah responded again, "No, my lord" (v. 13).
Then the angel revealed, "These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth" (v. 14). The word these refers to the two branches of the oil tree (v. 12) and, indirectly, to tl1e two olive trees (v. 11). The two are "anointed sons" (literally, sons of oil), or channels through which oil flows.
Anointing oil was used to consecrate high priests and kings; it was poured over their heads to symbolize their being endowed with God's Spirit.
Though not stated, Zerubbabel (the civil leader) and Joshua (the high priest) represent the two anointed ones who "stand by the Lord of the whole earth." Zerubbabel, a descendant of King David, and Joshua are anointed servants chosen by the Lord to head the nation and represent Israel before Him.
They also prefigure the two witnesses in Revelation 11:4 who are described as olive trees and lampstands, filled with the Holy Spirit as the witnesses of Christ during the Tribulation, shortly before He returns to Earth.
The lampstand, together with Zerubbabel and Joshua, prefigures Jesus the Messiah, who will function as the Messianic King-Priest at His Second Coming. He will be the light of a godly Temple in the Millennium, reign and rule as King-Priest, and bring blessing through a redeemed Israel as Lord and Light to the nations of the world.
The prophet's message is an encouragement to believers today. Everyone serving the Lord needs the anointing power of the Holy Spirit. His servants should never despise small beginnings when the Lord is in them. God is sovereign over the earth, and His prophetic program will succeed and accomplish what He has divinely decreed. Truly, it is neither by might, nor by power, but by the Spirit of God that a servant accomplishes the Lord's work.
David M. Levy is the media resource specialist and a Bible teacher for The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry.
The MBB's 'Dirty Little Secret'
Presbyterians Come Out of the Closet
Jerusalem: The Missing Link
The Ever-Expanding Reach of Islam
Islam's Bogus Peace
From Bill Sutter's Desk Nov/Dec 2004
Bill Sutter's Remarks to the UN Conference on Anti-Semitism
The Wahabi Invasion of America
God's Holy Mountain
If the Maccabees Had Lost
Sharia: It's Closer Than You Think
Eye on the Middle East Nov/Dec 2004
God is True and Truth Part Two
They Cry in Silence Nov/Dec 2004
Are You A Naomi? Conclusion
Israel in the News Nov/Dec 2004
Zvi Nov/Dec 2004
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Mike Pompeo scraps visit to Sri Lanka
U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo has canceled a planned visit to Sri Lanka due to 'scheduling conflicts' while also expressing regret that he will not be able to visit Colombo.
"Due to unavoidable scheduling conflicts during his upcoming visit to the Indo-Pacific region that includes accompanying President Donald J. Trump to the G20 Summit in Japan, U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo is unable to visit Sri Lanka as previously announced."
"Secretary Pompeo regrets that he is no longer able to visit Colombo at this time," the US Embassy in Colombo said today (19).
The statement said that Secretary hopes to travel to Sri Lanka at a later date to underscore the US's strong partnership with Sri Lanka, which it said is rooted in a commitment to democracy, economic growth and a free, open Indo-Pacific region.
The United States remains committed to these objectives and looks forward to building on our longstanding partnership, the embassy said.
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Road from Kahawa to Godagama swamped in by ocean waves
Three faculties at Ruhuna University to be reopened tomorrow
Navy apprehends suspect with over 3000 conch shells
Gazette on extending term of commission probing corruption in govt issued
Ranjan says opponents distorted his statement


What is dyslexia and why does it matter?
Dyslexia, defined by the International Dyslexia Association and the British Dyslexia Association, is "a neurological condition caused by a different wiring of the brain" that "mainly affects the development of literacy and language related skills." This means that children with dyslexia might experience problems learning how to read, spell, and write well. Although there is no cure for it, these individuals can learn coping strategies to deal with it.
In a study (Ferrer, 2015, The Journal of Pediatrics) conducted by Emilio Ferrer, a professor at UC Davis, it shows that there is a gap in reading ability as early at first grade, or our equivalent of Primary 1, and it persists until the child becomes a teenager. The good news however, is that implementing suitable reading programmes as early as kindergarten or even preschool offers the potential to close the achievement gap.
In Singapore, a child can only be diagnosed for dyslexia at the age of 7. A psychologist will have to conduct a series of tests to determine if a child has dyslexia. All mainstream schools have access to a psychologist via the school counsellor and the diagnosis is free of charge. However, there is a long waitlist and the child will have to wait for several months to a year before seeing the psychologist.
There are also psychologists in private practice that charge a premium for their services for faster results. The Dyslexia Association of Singapore also conducts psychological assessments and even offers a bursary for those needing financial assistance.
Children with dyslexia often benefit from a reading programme that has a multi-sensory approach. This means that instead of merely looking at words on a worksheet, the child might be told to use dough to form words, engaging his kinaesthetic ability (or learning through feeling). In addition, an experienced educational therapist would also guide the child to pronounce the various sounds even as they trace letters in the air.
Educational therapy is different from traditional tuition programmes as the dyslexic child is not "dumb" or unable to comprehend concepts learnt. He/she instead might be unable to read, and would need direct, explicit, and specific instruction to learn to read, write, and spell better. In my experience, regular tuition teachers generally are unable to properly help a child with dyslexia due to their lack of training and understanding.
How to know if my kid has dyslexia?
Doesn't recognise rhyming patterns like 'cat', 'bat', 'rat'.
Complains about how hard reading is.
Confuses words that sound alike such as saying "volcano" for "tornado", and changing "lotion" to "ocean".
Has trouble finishing tests on time.
Is able to do word problems when read to him/her, but unable to do it on his/her own.
Is very articulate and creative when narrating an story, but unable to write as rich a description.
There is hope – Dyslexics have their strengths too!
All is not lost if your child has dyslexia. I have personally taught dozens of students with dyslexia and they are equally intelligent, articulate, and creative, if not more so, than the average kid.
Ever wondered why every item of furniture in IKEA has a name? That's because its founder, Ingvar Kamprad, has dyslexia! He had trouble remembering the product number for each item, and instead gave names to all his products. Chairs and tables have male Swedish names, and large furniture is named after places in Sweden. One of the largest furniture stores in the world – founded by someone with dyslexia.
Some of the greatest strengths of dyslexia, shared by Scientific American, are that they have extra sensitivity in causal perception, which allowed scientists like Carole Greider and Bruj Benacerraf, to win the Nobel prize even though they have dyslexia. Visual talent can prove to be useful in areas such as science and medicine when one has to analyse images. Also, they are able to see the "big picture", which can be useful in business.
Richard Branson, the founder of the Virgin Group, is yet another successful businessman who has used the strengths of dyslexia to his advantage. On his company's blog, he revealed that "I've always dreamed big and I'm naturally good at thinking creatively and being able to see the big picture. Dyslexia can help you problem solve and even drive innovation as you look for new ways of doing things." Isn't that just inspirational?
Do not despair if you think that your child has dyslexia. Instead, send him/her for an assessment and get remediation (aka therapy) straight away. There is nothing like early intervention to help a child gain confidence in reading and spelling in his/her early years. Children with dyslexia can also go on to lead fulfilling and successful lives in the future too.
Rachel Tan is the founder and owner of The Alternative Education, a place which provides educational therapy/tuition for students with dyslexia, ADHD, and ASD. She has almost a decade of experience working with children with special needs and is wants to help them learn with a difference.


text:
Sweden plans stricter Covid measures 'next week' amid rise in infections
@thelocalsweden
Swedish Health Minister Lena Hallengren, left, and the Public Health Agency's director-general Karin Tegmark Wisell. Photo: Duygu Getiren/TT
Sweden is considering rolling out new guidelines and restrictions amid a renewed rise in Covid-19 infections, health chiefs told a press conference on Thursday.
Health Minister Lena Hallengren told reporters that the government "could relatively soon be forced to introduce new restrictions" due to an increase in Covid-19 infections in Sweden and elsewhere, with some regions reporting renewed pressure on their healthcare services.
"We're facing an uncertain winter," she said.
The Public Health Agency's director-general Karin Tegmark Wisell said that the agency may roll out new guidelines as early as "next week" to curb the outbreak.
Initially, all adults may be urged to keep a distance in public and avoid crowded places, to choose other means of transport than public transport if possible, and to use face masks if crowding can't be avoided on public transport.
(article continues below)
See also on The Local:
Employers may also be told to arrange online rather than in-person meetings, and to make it possible for staff to keep a distance and to "a certain extent" work from home.
Tegmark Wisell said that additional measures could be introduced at a later stage if the outbreak continues to worsen.
As of December 1st, a valid Covid-19 vaccine pass is required in Sweden at indoor public events and public gatherings of over 100 people that don't have any other infection control measures in place, such as social distancing or a limit on the maximum number of people allowed per group.
The government is preparing legislation to extend vaccine pass rules to other venues such as restaurants if it is considered necessary.
Which foreign Covid vaccine passes are valid at public events in Sweden?
Sweden's 14-day incidence rate last week stood at 184 new Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people, up from 125 the previous week, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. The country has recorded more than 1.2 million cases since the start of the pandemic.
Four cases of the new Omicron variant have so far been confirmed in Sweden, but Delta is still the dominant variant. Omicron has been labelled a variant of concern by the World Health Organisation and it may be more contagious, but a lot of questions remain unanswered.
Sweden on November 30th stepped up its Covid-19 testing recommendations for international travellers, urging all arrivals from non-Nordic countries to get a Covid-19 test as soon as possible after arriving in Sweden, preferably on the first day if possible. People who have been to certain countries in southern Africa are additionally urged to self-isolate and get a second test on the fifth day after arriving.
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cespiner - 6 December 2021 at 18:23 CET
If Sweden is seriously considering enforcing a vaccine pass system for restaurants and cafes before it sorts out its woeful bureaucracy that has seen millions of vaccinated Swedes and a large swathe of international visitors prevented from being able to access the system, then it can no longer claim to be the home of rational common sense during the pandemic.
Such a move, without at least allowing a negative test result as an in-lieu option, would actually make Sweden one of the most draconian nations when it comes to Covid rules, rather than one of the most lenient.
Laura Creighton - 5 December 2021 at 10:33 CET
When you change the rules about who needs to get a covid test from 'people with symptoms who are doubly vaxxed do not need to' to 'get tested even if you are doubly vaxxed if you have symptoms' you will, of course, see case numbers rise. But as long as the proportion of the positive cases to the overall tests stays the same, there is no need to get any more worried than you were before the rules changed. (Well, if you were one of the people who thought that double vaccination prevented infection, and have just discovered that it doesn't, you can be worried about that if you like.)
I should have said 'always prevented infection' there. There is evidence that it still does, sometimes. It's just not the miracle-get-out-of-jail-free card that many of us hoped it would be.
marlibgin - 3 December 2021 at 14:09 CET
General Question:
to get info about Covid19 and about vaccination rollout I usually turn to the Folkhälsomyndigheten page. I must say it is not an easy reading, especially for people not used to move through statistics and numbers, which does not help to spread fair information. Anyway, that is the official reference for C19 matters and I take it. The question then: is there a way to have a graph showing the rollout in time of the 1st, 2nd and, above all, 3rd dose? even better if in age groups but this, I reckon, is asking too much. MVH.
kio - 2 December 2021 at 10:10 CET
I called to book a booster shot and they told me I was too young , that only 65 and older can get them . The rest of the World has rolled out the Booster shot for anyone above 18 years of age , so why is Sweden so far behind again , and playing with fire ? I told the Nurse that Dr Faucci said everyone should get the Booster , that the two shots of vaccine gave only 40 percent protection against this new variant , but all the Nurse could say is we know , but that is how it is in Sweden , that I should call back when I turn sixty . Absolutely outrageous behaviour by the Swedish Government .
Dear kio - 2 December 2021 at 13:43 CET
I did want to add that I really admire your eagerness to get the booster shot. I really hope many people (all around the world) share this eagerness because I do believe that the only way we can keep us and everyone else safe is to have higher vaccination rates all around the globe.
Sweden is also rolling out booster shots for the entire population, and as the 65 year and older are much more in danger of severe Covid19 cases than the younger, it is logical to prioritize them first. Also, they were the first to get their first two doses, and so their protection from the first two doses will likely diminish first.
Also, check this link: https://www.thelocal.se/20211112/covid-booster-shots-in-sweden-who-can-get-them-and-how-to-book/ because Sweden is planning to get you your booster shot too.
Finally, you will be aware that the individual nurses that we call up will have no authority to make any decisions. They are following a framework of regulations set up by the public health agency, or the regional health boards. There is no point of wasting your or their time/energy on the phone for something that will get both of you nowhere.
BTW, thanks for the link you sent, in that one can read:
"The second round of booster shots will be given once 80 percent of those aged 65-79 have received their first dose. This will be measured on a regional level, meaning that the start date of the second round of booster shots will be slightly different in different regions, as regions each individually reach this milestone".
Do you know if there is a way to know which percentage of the 65-79 has been reached so far? I object a bit on this figure of merit, in that if for any reason this batch of people are slow at vaccinating all the others will have to wait. It should be 65-79 reaching 80% or 3 months time, whichever come first, something like that.
The logic of vaccinating first the >65 is sound due to their fragility. However, in general, Sweden vaccination rate is simply quite slow at least with respect to their neighbors. Considering that no other measure is being adopted this is really playing with fire, or, if one wants to be a conspiracy theorist, perfectly in line with the idea of spreading the infection curve, which was the never told too loud idea of mr. Tegnell.
Timothy - 2 December 2021 at 14:26 CET
People over 65 were the first to get their two doses in Sweden, but not all people who live in Sweden were vaccinated here.
I got the second of my two doses over 9 months ago while staying in the USA. I would love to get a booster, and it would make sense to give me a booster from a public health perspective since my vaccination is almost certainly not as effective as it used to be. Sadly it seems like I won't be able to get one for quite a while since the only thing that matters is how old you are, not when you were vaccinated.
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Tell us: What do you think of Sweden's vaccine pass rules for events?
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During the holiday season, the fireplace becomes the centerpiece of time spent with family and friends. If the hearth is the heart of our homes, then it certainly deserves to be dressed up for the occasion. Transforming your mantelpiece into a festive display offers a chance to showcase your personal style. Here are our tips to help guide you in creating a custom mantelpiece display that will WOW.
The fireplace is the focal point of the room, so start by choosing a single item that will serve as the central focal point of your arrangement. Choose something that will draw the eye: a mirror that can play with the light, a wreath that rekindles fond holiday memories, or a piece of art you love that deserves to be showcased. If you have a television mounted above your mantel, consider instead a pair of larger items that will anchor your display on either side. They don't have to match or even be symmetrical, but you want to move the focus away from your TV and towards your beautiful objects. Your focal point piece or pieces will help establish the overall style of the display: formal or informal, traditional or modern, a rustic winter wonderland or luxe and glamorous.
A Bonus Tip: Arranging your mantelpiece for the holidays doesn't mean you need to wipe the slate clean and remove all of your year-round decor. By including some of the items you usually display, you'll provide a sense of balance, a feeling of home, and a familiar background for your pops of holiday spirit—they're the ensemble, and your holiday additions are the stars.
Arrange greenery—real, faux, or non-traditional greens like succulents—to add fullness and dimension to your mantelpiece display. Consider incorporating candles and lights: battery-operated strings will let you skip the unsightly cord. Ornaments and pieces made of glass or metallic materials can bring in extra sparkle. Books, leather boxes and organic or natural pieces like pinecones and berries can provide a variety of textures and seasonally appropriate colors. Patterned pottery or ribbon can supply a splash of interest and are an easy way to emphasize a color scheme. Tip 3. Group items wisely.
Gather like objects in different colors, shapes or sizes for a striking visual effect. These could include a grouping of small presents, candles or tiny decorative pieces. Arrange objects symmetrically on the mantelpiece for a more traditional look, in an unbalanced fashion for a rustic feel or spaced widely for a sleek, modern vibe. Even if you're aiming for symmetry, vary heights to add interest and group items in odd numbers. The "rule of threes" suggests that groupings of three (or five, seven, and so on) produce a more visually-appealing, memorable design.
A bonus tip: Balance your mantelpiece design with some hearth decor. An attractive stack of firewood, a pile of wrapped gifts, a vintage sled leaning against one side, a big basket of cozy throw blankets, a gorgeous urn or even a small holiday tree can add another layer of holiday spirit to an often overlooked corner of your fireplace.
With a little artistry, you can create a mantelpiece that sets the tone for your home's holiday season and serves as a central place to gather and celebrate. It will be ready for warm fires, cozy nights and all of your family's treasured holiday traditions. If you're looking to expand your collection of holiday decor, or want advice on how to arrange the objects you already own and love, stop by our Geneva showroom for inspiration to shop our curated selection of holiday home goods and to see these design tips in action.


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The Green and Black Ambassadors
Posted on February 23, 2019 January 1, 2022 by r.d.pancost
Summary: The Green and Black Ambassadors project arose from a series of conversations during and after Bristol's year as the European Green Capital 2015. Although the year was lauded for numerous successes, including in public engagement, many (including the organisers) agreed that it failed to overcome barriers to inclusion, especially with marginalised communities. The G/B Conversation revealed many of those barriers and proposed ways forward, one of which was to properly fund members of BME communities to challenge and connect different groups. To achieve that we, launched the Green and Black Ambassadors Programme, to build bridges but also to challenge and provoke. To provide focus, we engaged with the African and Caribbean communities prominent in Bristol. This work was funded by the Cabot Institute, NERC and the ERC.
NOTE: An inspiring and exhaustive collection of Green and Black Ambassadors multi-media resources are available at the website of our partners, the Bristol Green Capital Partnership. This project has been an outstanding collaboration, including the University of Bristol, Ujima Radio, the Green Capital Partnership and of course the Ambassadors. Particular acknowledgment must be given to Ujima Radio, who initiated the Green and Black Project which was the foundation for much of what is discussed here. Please also read the final report:
Green-and-Black-Ambassadors-Pilot-Report-2018-yo3y5k
Background: In 2013, Bristol was announced as the 6th European Green Capital (for 2015) and the UK's first. This award acknowledge a wide range of initiatives, success stories and ambitions, including significant waste reduction, widespread cycling, city-owned renewable energy provision, a rapidly growing green economy, and strong university partnership. The year had a particularly strong focus on climate change, as it occurred during COP21. Crucially, the award itself as well as policy decisions made during and since the end of the Green Capital Year commit the city to a bold plan of leadership and social and technological innovation to become more sustainable and reduce its carbon footprint. For example, representing Bristol at COP21 Mayor George Ferguson committed Bristol to decarbonisation by 2050, a pledge that his successor Marvin Rees has reiterated. Such an ambition requires widespread buy-in amongst formal and distributed city leaders as well as Bristol's population.
The year was characterised by a range of Summits, lectures and festivals; a cultural and arts program; new public and private initiatives; and more. However, this engagement was incomplete. Throughout the year, many explored the social justice issues arising from climate change. Echoing commentary by numerous international political and religious leaders, discussions at Green Capital events frequently focussed on the ethical dimensions of climate change, including those related to class, ethnicity and race. As such it was considered necessary to engage a diverse cross-section of society (and of course, this was also considered necessary to mobilise support for the aforementioned policy objectives). There were many efforts to achieve this. The Year included a Neighbourhood Arts Progamme and a Primary Schools Programme, both of which were rolled out across the city. The Cabot Institute led several events in the poorest parts of the city, to complement those held on our campus. Nonetheless, poor inclusion was a persistent and legitimate charge (Pancost, 2015), as it has been for other Bristol activities. It was the disconnection between the Green Capital's ambitions for inclusion and the lack of it that has proven to be particularly frustrating to many.
There are vital lessons to be learned from this and there is a necessity to resolve it if Bristol – and other similar cities – are to achieve their desired transformations. Ujima Radio, recent winner of the UK's Best Community Radio Station, initiated this effort in late 2014 and explored it throughout 2015 via the Green and Black Programme. In late 2015, the Cabot Institute and the BGCP joined Ujima to explore this further via a series of workshops with BME leaders. Two broad messages emerged, as summarised by our partner Roger Griffiths (Chair of Ujima Radio): 'To many, the 'green' debate has hallmarks of being predominantly understood as a white, middle-class domain; moreover, there is a strong narrative of existing and potential engagement with green issues across BME communities that must be recognised and developed.' Around these wider issues, a number of specific challenges were identified:
There was a widespread perception that formal activities – and especially the higher level decision-making – was led by an 'in-crowd' of established green activists, city leaders, and usual suspects (university and industry leaders).
Many venues were considered 'off-limits' to members of the BME community for a combination of issues related to perceived class bias, reputation or history (bearing in mind the role of slaving in Bristol's history). Aside from that, many venues in the city centre, Bristol's traditional focus for events (including the University), are not readily accessible.
Participation in events remains difficult for many due to childcare or work responsibilities. This reinforces the 'in-crowd' nature of activity and city planning, as many were able to attend as part of their jobs. Events were numerous and often organised at the last-minute, which further disenfranchised those with less flexible personal or working relationships.
Similarly, many were able to either volunteer time or were seconded from their businesses to participate; this puts particular stress on community organisations with limited resources.
BME leaders who were invited to attend workshops and planning meetings were often asked to attend or even speak but 'rarely to help set the agenda.'
This is summarised with clarity and purpose by our partner at Ujima Radio, Roger Griffith in the Green and Black Conversation. The Green and Black Conversation 2015-2016-2f0l648
One of this consortium's main conclusions was to launch a Green and Black Ambassador Programme, to pay, train and support (and learn from) a new generation of leaders who would: 1) foster dialogue among diverse groups, including showcasing examples of sustainability leadership arising from BME communities; 2) serve as a positively 'disruptive' participant on strategic boards (i.e. BGCP Board); 3) generate bespoke material on environmental issues and sustainability solutions for BME communities, some of which will be broadcast by Ujima Radio; and 4) conduct further research on the obstacles to BME inclusion in environmental initiatives. Given the diversity of Bristol with at least 91 languages spoken and 45 religions practiced, we have focussed on those communities of African and Caribbean descent, recognising that even that represents a great diversity of cultures, faiths and experience. Crucially, a goal of this initiative, directly identified during community consultations and reiterated by Mayor Marvin Rees, is to invest in the leadership skills of those bridging environmental and social justice ambitions.
Our events and networks forged
The Ambassadors have contributed to or led dozens of events, all characterised by their diversity and ambition, connecting people from a range of communities to one another and to natural resources. They have occurred across Bristol and the West of England, either in traditional locations with a specific aim to challenge and disrupt conventional approaches to engagement (i.e. Cabot Institute lecture in the Wills Memorial Building or the BGCP Board Meeting); in communities with large BME or otherwise marginalised communities (i.e. Hamilton House); or by bringing BME citizens out of the city to nature-rich areas (i.e Slimbridge).
Through Festivals, Workshops and Lectures, the Ambassadors have reached over 1000 people, and likely several 1000 more through their monthly radio shows. These events have included classical outreach activities, engaged workshops, field trips and knowledge sharing. Emerging from these activities has been sustained and deeper engagement, outlined below. This is critical. During one presentation, while discussing the outcomes of the project, the PI was asked: 'How will you measure how BME communities have adopted more sustainable practices?' This is a critical misconception of the entire project of engagement and certainly a misunderstanding of the Green and Black Ambassadors Programme. The goal is to constructively change the scientists, the campaigners and the communicators alongside the public participants; the goal is for these leaders to listen to, learn from and better understand the initiatives occurring in and knowledge generated in marginalised communities so that the scientific endeavour becomes richer and stronger – and better connected to a wider variety of the public. Therefore, the Ambassadors have devoted particular effort to engaging and collaborating with organisations. These include:
Slimbridge WWT: The Ambassadors brought BME citizens to Slimbridge to stimulate a conversation around engagement with nature; they then collaborated on a workshop to address inclusion and diversity in their nature programme.
Avon Wildlife Trust: The Ambassadors are developing collaborations to address diversity in the AWT programme.
University of West of England and University of Bristol (including the Students Union): The Ambassadors have worked with the Joint University SU Skills Bridge team including advising the team's inclusivity efforts and featuring individual researchers on their radio show and promotion of Photovoice (Drs Shaun Sobers & Ade Olaiya).
Bristol City Council and Mayor: The Ambassadors have met the Head of the Sustainable Cities Team, engaged with knowledge sharing / interactions with the Mayor on social media, and met with Cllr Asher Craig. This is serving as the foundation for future projects focussing on air pollution and health.
Numerous connections and outputs have emerged from these events and activities, with highlights being: the embedding of diversity issues, awareness and responsibility across the BGCP network of over 800 organisations; a dramatically raised profile of BME-led initiatives in the city and a stronger dialogue between NERC researchers and marginalised communities; a website containing numerous blogs, commentaries and interviews (http://bristolgreencapital.org/category/green-black/); and a multimedia archive of the Ambassadors' radio show on Ujima Radio. These dynamic and interactive shows have featured leading scientists, campaigners and politicians can be found on Soundcloud, i.e.: https://soundcloud.com/ujimagreenandblackradio/green-and-black-radio-002. Guests and topics have included: Fuel poverty in Bristol – Bristol Energy Network; What happens when you flush your toilet in Bristol – GenEco; Monitoring equality in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – Ade Olaiya, UWE; Focus on Guyana's biodiversity (World Wetlands Day special); Exploring spaces outside the city – Imayla. This network and knowledge building will culminate during the 10th Anniversary celebration of the BGCP on 6 July, where the G/B Ambassadors will showcase their findings to hundreds of industry, civic society, public and political voices in the West of England sustainability movement, a conversation to be broadcast live by Ujima Radio – this will feature environmental research, showcase the need for a far more inclusive approach to outreach activities, and provide critical commentary on how to better engage with marginalised communities.
Other networks that are being developed include those with Black 2 Nature, Resource Futures, GENeco, Sustrans, Journey to Justice, Bristol Food Network, Up Our Street, Bristol Energy Network, Easton Energy and Lifecycle UK. In doing so, the Ambassadors are facilitating a rich but challenging conversation among some of the city and region's leading environmental and social justice networks. Over 20 other organisations have expressed interest in engaging the Ambassadors to explore their own diversity and inclusion challenges with respect to public engagement.
It is hard to convey the enthusiasm with which this scheme has been received. Industry, government, civil society and public participants in environmental and sustainability issues are passionate about inclusion for its own sake but also because of its necessity to achieve the profound changes to which Bristol committed when it was the European Green Capital in 2015. However, those organisations and individuals recognised that well-meaning efforts to engage and include failed because of a lack of common understanding, misplaced or insufficient effort, disparity of resources, and the lack of facilitators that could help navigate interactions among diverse communities. Against that backdrop, the Green and Black Ambassadors Programme has been hailed by numerous citizens, lauded by some participants as transformative, identified by members of the BGCP as an exemplar project, and celebrated by civic leaders including the Mayor of Bristol, Marvin Rees. This is evidenced by a strong twitter following, hundreds of retweets, over 30 requests to engage with other organisations and the Ambassadors' prominent role in the BGCP 10th anniversary celebrations.
Such enthusiasm and engagement must be met with some caution. The goal of the programme is not to simply better connect environmental researchers and organisations to more diverse communities as a box-ticking exercise. The programme is meant to be disruptive and challenging – leading to genuine transformation of organisations, practices and relationships. We do not aspire to 'communicate better' but to have a shared agenda for making the scientific endeavour, including its participants and users, more diverse. As said by Zakiya: 'Our task is to build bridges. We are honest about the barriers within our own communities and will hold people to account. We are also here to challenge the environmental and science sectors to co-produce, consult inclusively and step outside of the pervading bubble of whiteness and masculinity as necessary for validity. We have a daunting task that will agitate people on both sides of the divide but as we say in Jamaica "one, one cocoa fill basket"; by using our skills to fill the void in conversation, Jasmine and I are making way for better dialogue and real, inclusive actions.'
There is strong evidence that the organisations involved have been transformed, with both the BGCP and Cabot Institute being recently celebrated for better showcasing BME citizens, putting visible effort into engaging with those citizens, and adopting more rigorous and challenging practices. A crucial research question if the programme continues will be to explore how deep, wide and long-term such transformations have been in those and in other organisations.
What was learned
During Bristol 2015, the profile of environmental research was dramatically raised; from climate change scientists to atmospheric chemists to biodiversity experts, our work was showcased at Green Capital Summits, married to arts exhibits, centred in citizen science initiatives (i.e. Urban Pollinators), and integrated to local and regional policy makers (i.e. Pancost was invited to accompany the Mayor and BCC to COP21 and has contributed to developing Bristol's 50-year trajectory by serving on the Resilience Sounding Board).
This initiative has not raised that profile but changed it.
Through the Green and Black Conversation we facilitated a community-led dialogue about the limitations of previous outreach and engagement activities in Bristol – including our own. The Ambassadors Programme allowed us, our partners and our fellow citizens to put those lessons into practice.
The most important of these lessons was: "Do not assume that different communities are not engaged; assume that they are but are doing it separately or differently. So ask them what their ideas are." Consequently, engagement must be co-designed, with joint agenda setting ('We are invited but the agenda is already set.'), and a recognition of different forms of knowledge and a shared capacity to contribute. Within this broader context, five key themes emerged: 1) Change or recognise the constraints of terminology, its culture and ownership; 2) Profile activity beyond that which takes place in white middle-class neighbourhoods; 3) Create a new set of green narratives that relates to different cultural perspectives and experiences; 4) Challenge leadership and decision-making, especially by developing new leaders; and 5) Fund and support active projects that make the difference rather than just well-meaning manifestos and statements of intent. From these lessons derive some self-evident actions for future events and initiatives: a) engage under-represented marginal communities early and often, funding them as appropriate, while creating the space and open dialogue that encourages all to contribute their ideas; b) host events in a variety of venues and actively ensure that all feel welcome at all venues; c) depoliticise discussions by acknowledging and exposing their political dimensions rather than treating them as apolitical; d) challenge those with influence and position to ensure that BME citizens are given voices within institutions – and to ensure those voices are supported when they provoke and challenge; and e) guarantee representation.
This project also reinforced the challenges related to time and capacity to engage. Engaging the public but especially marginalised communities requires time to gain trust; but at the same time, the public can have limited resource or capacity to engage. For poor communities, time and resource issues are compounded. These are difficult barriers to overcome but can be mitigated by: longer lead-in times and earlier invitations; providing child-care support; and having fewer events but delivering them in a way that involves a wider cross-section of the city (including perhaps running the same event several times at multiple locations).
Crucially, it was argued and accepted that privileged leaders, including many in Bristol's thriving green economy and HEI sectors, must both build structures and cultivate the culture change that allows inclusion to thrive. Liberating the strength of our diversity requires not just good will but the creation of structures that promote inclusion, including training and genuine financial support of community partners. It is illuminating that one of the Green Capital's strong inclusion stories was the School's programme, which essentially engaged every primary school child in Bristol. Tapping into structures or networks – where they exist – can facilitate engagement; but where they do not exist, they must be built.
'These issues affect everyone. Class, race and gender need not be obstacles. This gap needs to addressed and acknowledged and realised by communities and organisations together if we want to move forward as a city.' Jasmine Ketubah-Foley, Green and Black Ambassador.
Arguably, this investigation has moved into issues far beyond those that are the normal scope of engagement and outreach discussions: how to better communicate to diverse audiences, tailoring messages, choosing diverse venues and format. Nonetheless, valuable lessons were learned – derived from the above – that could be applied to nearly any NERC-based science outreach. The programme reinforced the lesson to connect research findings to the needs and interests of your audience; however, most audiences were quite receptive to a creative connection – linking palaeoclimatic events to air pollution challenges or past biotic change to current migration debates were welcomed. Other lessons were surprising – although not in hindsight. For example, NERC scientists work all over the world or on samples collected from all over the world; BME audiences, perhaps due to a more recent immigrant past, wanted to hear more about this. Who were the partners and collaborators? What was it like working in these countries, especially for communities that have ancestral roots there? And most critically, are these scientific efforts still informed by colonial biases – have we worked with, respected and co-authored with citizens from those nations?
All of us involved have different thoughts: For some it is the disruptive presence of BME citizens in places that had seemed 'off limits' such as the University's Great Hall; for others, it will have been the excitement of young people taken on a field trip to the wetlands. More broadly, we argue it is the fact that the language of social justice and inclusion are now ubiquitous in environmental and sustainability conversations, exemplified across the manifestos of all major party candidates for Metro Mayor (we cannot take all credit for that but the Ambassadors Progamme has been a focus and distillation of numerous other conversations). Personally, the PI of the project thinks that the best outcome has been the unleashing of Jazz's and Zakiya's talents. We have given some training to these exceptional women, but the real benefit has been the commitment of the partners to give them a platform and show city leaders the skills, knowledge and passion they already had.
More fundamentally, it has changed perceptions on engagement between diverse publics, civil society organisations and universities. It is not enough to think about science communication as apolitical and in isolation. If we want citizens to engage with scientists, then we must show that we have made commitments to their communities, that we are engaged in the challenges those communities face, that we are committed to addressing the flaws within our own institutions. It is not enough to say 'we wanted to have a diverse panel but there are very few black climate scientists.' Of course, scientists should be very cautious about appearing partisan but nor can we ignore the challenges of those we engage, especially where it interfaces with our work. Engagement is far more than 'better communication.' It is becoming constructive partners in our communities, of which science outreach is a small part of a wide portfolio.
There is much that could not be achieved during a brief pilot project (even extended to 10 months by co-funding). First, given the key outcome that engagement between researchers and communities must be protracted, allowing for deep, mutual, respectful and trusted collaboration, these types of initiatives must have long-term investment. Building trust is always important but particularly so for marginalised communities with a history of being excluded. Second, we caution against extrapolation to other marginalised communities; our efforts focussed on BME communities of African or Caribbean descent (already a multitude of different voices) and that means that we have not probed a range of more nuanced issues related to religion, gender or class. Future efforts could widen this exploration; we doubt that the fundamentals will differ (diverse venues, family or worker-friendly times) but nuanced findings almost certainly will. Third, we aspire to test the long-term changes these interventions have made. Have AWT or WWT (or UoB and BGCP) embedded diversity in their practices? Have they adopted new policies or practices? Do they remain dependant on the initiative of marginalised groups or individuals, such as the Ambassadors, or have they taken on their own responsibility to support inclusive initiatives? If these changes have occurred then these organisations, in partnership with NERC researchers, will be better poised to connect our research findings to a wide and diverse part of the UK's population.
We collectively agree that we must challenge/re-imagine models of scientific 'pubic engagement' – and that therefore NERC should think about moving away from the kind of measures illustrated in this report (i.e. to be judged on number of events and number of people 'engaged') and towards thinking about 'quality' of engagement – long term meaningful relationships based on the sharing of knowledge and expertise. Most importantly, however, the final reflections should belong to our two Ambassadors:
Holding the green sector to account
Jasmine Ketibuah-Foley, Green and Black Ambassador
Being part of the activist movement in Bristol, something kept picking away at the back of my brain. After some time I realised I could find almost no black or brown role models to look up to. Where were the culturally rich BME communities of Bristol who have so much to say on the environment, environmental racism and sustainability? Why were they not thriving in this supposedly inclusive space?
Bristol's year as the European Green Capital in 2015 had many successes but it failed to include BME communities. The community radio station Ujima ran a debate about the issue in 2015 and this project has grown from there. The University of Bristol Cabot Institute and the Bristol Green Capital Partnership joined up to continue to fund it along with the public engagement funding from NERC. Together they set up the ambassador programme to pay, train and support a new generation of BME environmental leaders – Zakiya and I.
We are trying to find out why inclusion has failed so far and we're challenging Bristol's research and BME communities to work together. We have a radio show on Ujima, we run workshops and we took a group of young BME people to a large wetlands centre outside of Bristol to explore why these nature attractions aren't attracting diverse communities.
Zakiya and I come from community research backgrounds and worked as radio and TV broadcast journalists. Our passion to tell people's stories and our brazenness in asking difficult questions with a healthy sense of justice fits well with the role.
Tackling inequality in Bristol
Zakiya McKenzie, Green and Black Ambassador
In March 2017, The Sunday Times named Bristol the 'best place to live in the UK'. As a black woman, single mother and mature student, I cannot help but wince at this misleading accolade. The difference in life expectancy between the city's wealthy and deprived wards is as much as a decade. I grew up in Jamaica, studied in NYC and worked as a journalist in Johannesburg and I absolutely love 'ole Brizzle' – but nothing prepared me for the city's virtual segregation.
In one of our workshops people told us they found it difficult to get the time to attend research events, particularly if they worked for small organisations with limited funds. Participants also found that they might be invited to events, but not to help set the agenda.
Our task is to build bridges. We are honest about the barriers within our own communities and hold people to account. We are also here to challenge the environmental and science sectors to step outside of the pervading bubble of whiteness and masculinity as necessary for validity.
We have a daunting task but as we say in Jamaica "one, one cocoa fill basket". By using our skills to fill the void in conversation, Jasmine and I are making way for better dialogue and real, inclusive actions.
Posted in Climate Change and Climate Action, Green and BlackLeave a Comment on The Green and Black Ambassadors
A proposal to link Past Climate Research to Inclusion Initiatives in Bristol
Posted on February 23, 2019 March 11, 2019 by r.d.pancost
This is a proposal that was funded by the NERC to support the ongoing Green and Black Ambassador's Project.
The Green and Black Ambassadors: Fostering a Dialogue between Environmental Research and BME Communities
Summary: During 2015, the city of Bristol delivered an extensive programme of activity around its role as the European Green Capital, the first British city to win this accolade. Despite numerous activities, including new art, concerts, international Summits, workshops, a city centre office, and hundreds of talks, the year was widely perceived as failing to crack through the long-standing inclusion issues that affect the city of Bristol and other British core cities as well as much of the global 'green' movement. The PI of this project, Professor R Pancost, was strongly engaged with the Green Capital programme, including partnering with a wide range of other groups and hosting joint events with colleagues to showcase NERC environmental science. Given the inclusion concerns, Pancost (and subsequently the University of Bristol Cabot Institute and the Bristol Green Capital Partnership) funded Ujima Radio to continue its Green and Black Programme of activity, which started in late 2014 and explored issues of inclusion and points of opportunity throughout the Green Capital Year. At the end of 2015 and in early 2016, we jointly convened a variety of workshops with BME leaders in Bristol, documenting their concerns and learning about how subtle organisational issues, timings, venue location and in-built pre-conceptions had a collective negative impact on inclusion.
One of the main findings was that the 'in-crowd' nature of Bristol's enthusiastic environmental community, closely aligned to city leadership, universities, business and civil society, undermined engagement from outsider voices. We found little evidence for active exclusion – in fact, nearly all participants in the Green Capital year shared the frustration expressed above. Nonetheless, many implicit assumptions and behaviours of that 'in-crowd' – from choosing venues that were perceived as 'posh' or 'off-limits' to last-minute planning – effectively disenfranchised some citizens. Of relevance to this proposal, this implicit exclusion made it difficult to entrain the alternative voices needed to develop an ongoing dialogue about NERC-derived environmental and climate change research that appeals to, connects to and learns from the experiences of Britain's BME communities. To address this, we are proposing to launch – in partnership with Ujima Radio and the Bristol Green Capital Partnership (BGCP) – a new Green and Black Ambassadors Programme. This programme will have several goals, supported by the Cabot Institute and BGCP (£10K). However, funding is sought from the NERC Engagement Scheme for two of its most important features:
1) Initiate a dialogue with BME communities to identify new and vital research directions, inspired by their concerns, needs, experience and knowledge; and
2) Exploring the ways in which NERC environmental change research resonates with the BME community, revealing opportunities for stronger, more relevant and more inspiring dissemination of our findings.
The PI was strongly engaged with these activities in 2015 and continues to support its follow-ups. As Director of the Cabot Institute, he seconded the Institute's Manager to be the (elected) co-Director of the BGCP in 2014 to help prepare for the year. He served as a Science Advisor for the 2015 Company and helped to frame the discourse, Summits and cultural program. He hosted one of the flagship Summits, and advised and contributed to the others. He also contributed to the Arts Program, including writing the Introduction to its Guide, co-hosting the Coleridge Lectures with the Festival of Ideas, co-curating the Fog Bridge Exhibit, advising on @Bristol's Blue Marvel movie, and co-sponsoring Withdrawn with the National Trust. Overall, he led or participated in events that reached >50,000 people. In all of this he showcased NERC Research, emphasising his own palaeoclimate, environmental and Earth system research but also that of others, especially that related to future climate change impacts globally and on the UK. This public engagement led directly to engagement with policy makers, with Pancost being invited to serve on the Bristol City Council (and Rockefeller Foundation) Resilience Sounding Group and to work with numerous city and national organisations on an ad hoc basis, including Bristol Health Partners, Somalia First, Bristol is Open, Voscur, Schumacher Institute and Happy City. He was invited to attend COP21 with Mayor George Ferguson, representatives of Bristol City Council and business and civil society leaders. [RDP: A bit of bragging here, as one must do for proposals. But there is a crucial subtext – I was deeply involved with the Green Capital project and by extension was part of the community that failed to engage and include more diverse voices.]
However, this engagement was incomplete. Throughout the year, Pancost (and many others) explored the social justice issues arising from climate change. Echoing commentary by numerous international political and religious leaders, discussions at Green Capital events frequently focussed on the ethical dimensions of climate change, including those related to class, ethnicity and race. As such it was considered necessary to engage a diverse cross-section of society (and of course, this was also considered necessary to mobilise support for the aforementioned policy objectives). There were many efforts to achieve this. The Year included a Neighbourhood Arts Progamme and a Primary Schools Programme, both of which were rolled out across the city. The Cabot Institute led several events in the poorest parts of the city, to complement those held on our campus. Nonetheless, poor inclusion was a persistent and legitimate charge (Pancost, 2015), as it has been for other Bristol activities. It was the disconnection between the Green Capital's ambitions for inclusion and the lack of it that has proven to be particularly frustrating to many. There are vital lessons to be learned from this and there is a necessity to resolve it if Bristol – and other similar cities – are to achieve their desired transformations. Ujima Radio, recent winner of the UK's Best Community Radio Station, initiated this effort in late 2014 and explored it throughout 2015 via the Green and Black Programme. In late 2015, the PI, the Cabot Institute and the BGCP joined Ujima to explore this further via a series of workshops with BME leaders. Two broad messages emerged, as summarised by our partner Roger Griffiths (Chair of Ujima Radio): 'To many, the 'green' debate has hallmarks of being predominantly understood as a white, middle-class domain; moreover, there is a strong narrative of existing and potential engagement with green issues across BME communities that must be recognised and developed.' Around these wider issues, a number of specific challenges were identified:
One of this consortium's main conclusions was to launch a Green and Black Ambassador Programme, to pay, train and support (and learn from) a new generation of leaders who would: 1) foster dialogue among diverse groups, including showcasing examples of sustainability leadership arising from BME communities; 2) serve as a positively 'disruptive' participant on strategic boards (i.e. BGCP Board); 3) generate bespoke material on environmental issues and sustainability solutions for BME communities, some of which will be broadcast by Ujima Radio; and 4) conduct further research on the obstacles to BME inclusion in environmental initiatives. Given the diversity of Bristol with at least 91 languages spoken and 45 religions practiced, we have focussed on those communities of African and Caribbean descent, recognising that even that represents a great diversity of cultures, faiths and experience. Crucially, a goal of this initiative, directly identified during community consultations and reiterated by Mayor Marvin Rees, is to invest in the leadership skills of those bridging environmental and social justice ambitions. These goals are complementary and we argue that all fit within the remit of the NERC engagement call; however, we do note that goal (3) is most strongly aligned with this call to better share the results and value of NERC research. As such, we are supporting this bid with matched funding from the BGCP and the UoB Cabot Institute and the requested funding will focus on this third area of action.
Approach and Delivery:
NERC Science to be the focus of Engagement. Pancost's NERC funded research employs lipid biomarkers to study modern and ancient biogeochemical processes. Superficially, such research appears to be rather fundamental and somewhat removed from the actionable needs of the public and policy makers, but three main strands resonated with public and policy partners during the Green Capital: (i) our research underpins our understanding that pCO2 levels have not exceeded 400ppm for about three million years, a symbolic threshold only recently crossed due to human activity; (ii) our research contributes to the evidence base that the current rate of climate change is nearly without precedent in Earth history; (iii) our work has also shown that rapid warming has complex biological and biogeochemical impacts – and feedbacks – on the Earth system. These observations arise from a long research career and represent the achievements of many in the NERC research community but can be specifically related to at least three recent NERC-funded projects:
Terrestrial methane cycling during Paleogene greenhouse climates, 2012-2015; NERC Responsive Mode grant to RDP (~£900K to RDP and Paul Valdes, Bristol; David Beerling, Sheffield; and Margaret Collinson and Andrew Scott, RHUL).
Timing, causes and consequences of the decline in Pliocene pCO2; NERC Standard Research Grant to RDP (~£850K to RDP, Dani Schmidt and Dan Lunt, Bristol; and Gavin Foster, Southampton).
The Descent into the Icehouse, 2011-2014; NERC Thematic Consortium Grant: Long-Term Co-Evolution of Life and the Planet to Gavin Foster; RDP was Bristol Co-I (£110K to Bristol)
Engagement Plan. The focus of our plan is to appoint two 'Green and Black Ambassadors' from African and Caribbean communities, to provide reciprocal mentoring and support to and from the PI and his collaborators and research group. Ujima Radio has identified two ambassadors, Zakiya McKenzie and Jasmine Ketibuah-Foley, ensuring a prompt start to this project in Jan 2017. Specific activities in approximate chronological order will be:
Be trained in co-production research methods and then build on our existing research: The ambassadors are already receiving training on research co-production by Helen Manchester, who is directly linked to the ESRC-funded Productive Margins programme. The ambassadors will use this to explore areas of interest to the African-Caribbean community; for example, initial work indicated that air quality, a profound exacerbator of inequality in Bristol and other UK core cities, resonates more than climate change – but it is unclear how much more engaging it is or how the strands can be integrated into a wider narrative. We will also explore whether palaeoclimate can provide an alternative entry point to discussion by serving as a neutral space for discussion or by disrupting climate change fatigue (a concern of Andrew Garrad, Chair of the Bristol 2015 Company, and a reason why artists frequently engaged with Pancost). The two ambassadors will explore these issues and identify potential areas of common interest.
Test via Case Studies: Based on these findings, Pancost and the Ambassadors will develop a new suite of materials, including a joint presentation, but also interactive activities. We will share these twice with members of the African-Caribbean public in local community centres (for example, the Malcolm X Centre). Afterwards, the Ambassadors will use focus group discussions to identify how the NERC research could be better connected to their concerns and learning interests. We will specifically explore: 1) Are the research findings of interest, in and of themselves; 2) Are the findings more interesting when linked to other topics (i.e. air pollution); 3) Are the findings more interesting when linked to solutions or contemporary political issues (inequality, food or fuel poverty); and 4) what would the community like to know more about, both within and beyond NERC's remit.
Create Media Projects: Arising from the previous activities, we will produce three brief radio broadcasts that will be broadcast on Ujima Radio. The content will depend on the outcomes of the previous exercises, but in all we will feature some aspect of NERC science. (NOTE: due to scheduling issues and the wider aims of the programme, it is unlikely that all will actually be broadcast by grant-end)
This is a pilot project but, via support from Helen Manchester who has expertise on co-production, we hope that it can be transferred to other excluded communities in Bristol and elsewhere and other parts of the NERC research portfolio. We do recognise the profound challenges associated with simplistic translating of lessons learned in this project; in fact, it is the assumption that all communities have similar interests that this project will challenge. However, we still argue that the lessons learned will provide broader lessons on engagement of value to the whole NERC community, and this will be published as a public commentary (likely The Conversation). To ensure this programme's legacy, the Ambassadors will write a follow-up proposal on behalf of Ujima Radio to the Esme Fairborne Foundation and help identify and recruit future BME community leaders who could benefit from the programme.
The roles of Our Partners: This project arises out of the Ujima Radio-led 'Green and Black Project', an inclusive movement for social and environmental justice. It recognises that this vision can only be realised when people are meaningfully involved in the environmental agenda regardless of race, religion, class or origin and when the environmental community speaks to – and for – the concerns of all. It is these ethos that inform the collaboration between the Ujima Radio and the PI, supported by the University of Bristol Cabot Institute (of which RDP is also Director, but formal representation will be from Hayley Shaw, the Institute's Manager, and Kat Wall of UoB's Centre for Public Engagement), and the BGCP, who will co-deliver the project with Ujima Radio to address the aforementioned concerns and deliver the crucial support, mentorship and training of the Green and Black Ambassadors.
The PI will be responsible for the project's deliverables and ensuring that NERC environmental and climate change research is shared with a more diverse community, as guided and facilitated by the Ambassadors. However, in the spirit of this endeavour, Ujima Radio will manage ambassador selection. They will also provide mentoring and media training, curate and communicate media projects, and involve wider communities. Bristol Green Capital Partnership CIC will provide mentoring through leadership development – providing Ambassadors with constructive engagement with leading civil society sustainability organisations at Board level, in addition to brokering connections within wider 'green' networks. University of Bristol's public engagement team and Cabot Institute will provide project administration and research curation.
2.4. Costings and Justification:
[RDP: This is important. Nearly all of the funding went to our partners. When you ask marginalised groups to help you with inclusion issues, you have an obligation to provide the financial support for their labour. This was a partnership. But it was vital to recognise the privilege the University had in that partnership and the obligation to direct the financial support accordingly.]
Activity Cost
Ambassador salary x2: Contract terms are 12 hours per week at £11.10 per hour for 14 weeks; 1 Jan to 31 March (These are the preferred working arrangements of the two Ambassadors) £3,730
Ujima Radio project management costs (inc. coaching, mentoring, media production); this partnership cost is vital for engaging community groups) £1,800
Ujima Radio operations and HR to support three pre-recorded broadcasts featuring NERC climate change science by the PI and collaborators £1,500
'Green and Black' Convo workshops focussed on 'Is past climate relevant to the BME community?' (inc room hire and catering costs) £450
Ujima Radio website hosting/online presence £250
Directly Incurred Cabot Institute Costs for hosting content on website and production costs for materials and video-recording of engagement events £750
Although this project has a relatively narrow focus – connecting a particular strand of NERC research to a specific community – we have ambitions that this pilot will enable much more substantive change. We will learn from one another, train new leaders, and start building new relationships among major institutions and diverse communities across the city. Through long-term widening of the public dialogue we aspire to influence, challenge or support current decision-makers, thereby delivering more ambitious policies, such as implementation of Bristol's Climate Change and Energy Security Framework and its Resilience Strategy. We will do this by acknowledging, listening and promoting inclusive initiatives, engaging communities with environmental issues, and re-focusing organisations (including our own) to encompass the concerns of BME communities. Specifically, this multi-stakeholder approach will leverage the expertise of civil society partners to deliver long-lasting impact by: 1) contributing directly to a more diverse environmental community; 2) identifying and making progress on issues of concern for newly-involved communities; 3) developing new forms of communication, outreach and sharing, by which environmental and climate change issues can be better connected to BME communities; and 4) exploring how diverse communities can better access, understand and ultimately make use of academic research to drive their own social initiatives.
Posted in Archives, ReportsLeave a Comment on A proposal to link Past Climate Research to Inclusion Initiatives in Bristol
Environmental Justice Must Recognise and Centre Social Justice
Posted on February 17, 2019 February 23, 2019 by r.d.pancost
This is Bristol: Numerous green businesses and voluntary organisations, a multitude of cyclists, recyclers and circular economists; ethical banking and a local currency; a Council-owned windfarm, Energy Company and low-carbon investment strategy; local food production, community energy, sustainable housing developments. The 2015 EU Green Capital and the owner of the most rapid and extensive decarbonisation ambition of any city or nation in the world.
This is also Bristol: Congestion, polluted air and a polluted harbour, heat-inefficient Victorian homes, fuel poverty and food deserts. Economic inequality magnified by environmental inequality.
Bristol has been a leader in the environmental movement for decades, and it has been a leader in tackling climate change. I've been studying climate change for 30 years but am still in awe of the Bristol spirit. And since arriving in Bristol, I've tried to help my small bit: I was with George Ferguson in Paris when he pledged carbon neutrality by 2050; I also collaborated on the Council's Resilience Strategy and, more recently, Marvin Rees' One City Approach, and especially its environmental theme.
Consequently, I was enthused to see Bristol pass a motion of intent, declaring a Climate Emergency and a desire to become carbon neutral. Carbon neutral across all sectors. By 2030. This is the ambitious Bristol that I love.
And yet I am wary. I am wary that in our fear of catastrophic climate change and in our urgency to declare a Climate Emergency, we fail to build a genuinely inclusive movement. And such a movement is needed to achieve the tremendous change that is required.
We must drive our society towards sustainability, circularity and carbon neutrality. It is necessary to protect our civilisation, to protect all of us and our planet. But most of all, we must minimise climate change because climate change is unjust. It will affect all of us, but it will affect some of us more. It will affect children more than their parents. The young more than the old.
And it will affect the poor, the vulnerable, the isolated – and it will do so not just because of the unfortunate coincidences of geography but because of the structural inequalities in that same society that we are fighting to save. Heat waves kill the poor, they kill outdoor labourers, the working class. Sea level rise will trap, drown and infect the poor, those without the means and wealth to freely move among nations. The volatility of food production will be particularly devastating to those who already struggle to feed their families, who already lean on food banks and charity. Hurricanes and storms will continue to devastate the communities with the least recourse to escape, who likely already live in flood-prone areas, who can be sacrificed, like those in Puerto Rico, with minimal political repercussions.
Climate change is an affront to our proc ideals of fairness and equality. It is classist. It is racist.
But if climate action is a question of social justice, then those marginalised groups must be part of the movement. They must set the agenda of that movement. They must lead the movement. And if they are not, those of us who claim the title 'environmentalist' cannot ask why they are not engaged, and instead must ask how we have failed. We must challenge ourselves, our privilege, our dialogue and our institutions and understand how we have excluded them. Have we invited marginalised groups to participate in our events and our agenda? Or have we honestly co-created an open space for multiple agendas? Have we recognised that destroying inequality is a legitimate starting point for fighting climate change? Have we recognised that many of our proposed solutions – entirely rational solutions – can be implicitly racist or sexist?
If we are going to prevent catastrophic climate change, then we must act fast and with unrelenting persistence. But at the same time, we must be patient, check our privilege and listen to those who have been marginalised by past environmental movements. This is especially true because it is those same marginalised groups who will most likely bear the greatest burden of climate change. We assault these groups doubly if we do not centre their voices in our common cause. And because the environmental movement is unstoppable – technologically and socially inevitable and therefore economically inevitable – exclusion from these opportunities is yet a third assault.
I am by no means an expert on co-creating powerful social movements, fuelled by equality amongst the participants and effective in achieving change. But I have been lucky enough to work and learn from those who do. They have shown undeserved patience and understanding and trust.
They taught me that it is vital to recognise not just your own privilege but the economic, historical or social privileges of the institutions one represents. In my case, a world-leading university. In other cases, a business or a trust – even a small green business or cash-starved charity. And even a movement, especially a movement perceived as being by and for the white middle class.
Having recognised that privilege and in many cases the structural racism, sexism and wider inequalities that come with it, it is our obligation to decolonise those institutions rather than to plead for yet more labour from those our institution oppresses. It is our obligation to do our own research and to commit our own emotional energy and labour. And when we do work with marginalised groups, we are compelled to respect their expertise by paying them for their services. Major institutions will pay consultants 100s of thousands of pounds for a re-brand or governance review but ask marginalised groups to help address our diversity challenges by serving for free – by serving on our Boards, attending our workshops, advising on our projects. It is insulting to imply that the privilege of entering our institutions and projects is adequate compensation for their time, their re-lived trauma or their expertise.
Of course, a recognition of the limitations of our institutions, our organisations and our movements is only the start. The next steps involve a fundamental reckoning with the word 'our' in those projects – who has owned these, who owns them now, who will own them in the future? And given those answers, are they fit for the challenge at hand? Are they projects capable of becoming genuinely co-owned, co-creative spaces, where not just new members are welcomed but also their new ideas, challenges and perspectives? Or are these projects that must be completely deconstructed, making way for the more energetic ones to come? Do we ourselves have the humility to deconstruct our own projects and cede our labour to those of someone else?
Image from the PhotoVoice Project of the Green and Black Ambassadors
These are challenging questions and the answers are not as simple as I imply. Those of us who have been fighting climate change, plastics in the ocean, toxins in our soil, pollution in the air, and the non-sustainable exploitation of our planet are deeply invested in the struggle and in the solutions we have forged. It is not trivial to patiently draw in new perspectives nor to have our ideas questioned – we have been fighting an establishment for five decades that has been guilty of predatory delay and manipulation of public understanding. We are right to be wary of anything that delays action, right to be uncivil, impatient and intemperate.
But it is also time to concede that a thousand ripples have yet to become a wave. Certainly not the wave needed to dismantle the environmental degradation that has become a near-inextricable feature of our society.
In Bristol, we have the potential to create this wave together. We have a Partnership, a One City Approach and a cross-party ambition without precedent. This is the time to re-invigorate our environmental movement, to align it with our other challenges, to become genuinely inclusive and diverse. It will not succeed with a simple majority, with a mere 52% of the vote. It will have to be a new political project but with an apolitical community that rejects the discourse of division and embraces new and unexpected collaborations.
It will be a community that makes use of all of our talent and is united not with a single strategy or action plan but a common cause and shared values. It will be a community that thrives through a multitude of equally respected agendas.
I would like to thank so many people for inspiration, patience, passion and laughter: The original Green and Black Ambassadors Jasmine Ketibuah-Foley and Zakiya Mackenzie; and of course: Roger Griffith, La Toyah McAllister-Jones; Andrew Kelly, Sado Jirde, Paul Hassan, Ruth Pitter, Hayley Shaw, Kat Wall, Sumita Hutchison, Eric Herring, Karen Bell, Ian Townsend, Vicki Woolley, Marvin Rees, Stacy Yelland, Cllr Asher Craig, Zoe Banks, Mya 'Birdgirl' Craig, Peaches Golding and many many more. And associated organisations (Ujima Radio, Bristol Green Capital Partnership, Festival of Ideas and the Cabot Institute for the Environment) and funders (the EU ERC Programme and NERC).
Originally posted by Rich Pancost on the website of Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees.
Posted in Bristol, Climate Change and Climate Action, Environmental and Social Justice, Green and BlackLeave a Comment on Environmental Justice Must Recognise and Centre Social Justice


Wrestling Uncensored Episode 233. Original air date: April 25, 2015. Hosted by Dave Simon and Johnny North.
Simon and North preview WWE Extreme Rules including Seth Rollins defending the WWE title against Randy Orton in a steel-cage match and John Cena defending the US title against Rusev in a Russian chain match.
Simon and North discussed Daniel Bryan's current injury problems, Naomi challenging Nikki Bella for the Divas title and Dolph Ziggler v. Sheamus in a Kiss Me Arse match at Extreme Rules.
Ringside Report Radio April 24, 2015. Hosted by Dave Simon and Fred Garcia.
This is a UFC 186 special edition of Ringside Report Radio featuring Georges St-Pierre, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and exclusive interviews with Michael Bisping, Kyoji Horiguchi, Patrick Cote, Sarah Kaufman, John Makdessi, Steve Bosse and Stephane Patry.
This episode also features a UFC 186 roundtable preview featuring Dave Simon, Fred Garcia, Glen McKenzie and Anthony D'Alesio.
Wrestling Uncensored Episode 232. Original air date: April 18, 2015. Hosted by Dave Simon and Johnny North.
Simon and North discussed Daniel Bryan's being sent home from WWE's European tour with an injury and what that could mean for his future in pro wrestling.
Simon and North talked about matches being made official for WWE Extreme Rules including Sheamus v. Dolph Ziggler in a Kiss Me Arse match and John Cena v. Rusev in a Russian Chain match.
Ringside Report Radio April 17, 2015. Hosted by Dave Simon and Fred Garcia.
Simon and Garcia previewed UFC on FOX 15 including Lyoto Machida v. Luke Rockhold, Cub Swanson v. Max Holloway and Paige VanZant v. Felice Herrig.
Simon and Garcia discussed Phil Davis signing to Bellator, Anderson Silva's potential Olympic bid and his desire to have a rematch with Nick Diaz.
Wrestling Uncensored Episode 231. Original air date: April 11, 2015. Hosted by Dave Simon and Johnny North.
Simon and North discussed Seth Rollins match with Adrian Neville on Raw and his upcoming WWE title defense against Randy Orton at WWE Extreme Rules.
Simon and North talked about AJ Lee's retirement, John Cena's Open Challenge and Daniel Bryan facing Bad News Barrett at Extreme Rules.
Ringside Report Radio April 10, 2015. Hosted by Dave Simon and Fred Garcia.
Simon and Garcia discussed Rampage Jackson being pulled from UFC 186 and his Steve Bosse replacing him against Fabio Maldonado.
Simon and Garcia talked about Chad Mendes' win over Ricardo Lamas, Yoel Romero's injury and Cro Cop v. Gonzaga 2 for the UFC in Poland.
Wrestling Uncensored Episode 230. Original air date: April 4, 2015. Hosted by Dave Simon and Johnny North.
Simon and North discussed results from Wrestlemani 31 including Seth Rollins becoming WWE champion, Daniel Bryan becoming Intercontinental champion and Ronda Rousey's appearance with The Rock and The Authority.
Simon and North talked about Undertaker's win over Bray Wyatt, Triple H's win over Sting and Big Show winning the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal.
Ringside Report Radio. April 3, 2015. Hosted by Dave Simon and Fred Garcia.
Conor McGregor and Jose Aldo appeared on this episode to discuss their UFC Featherweight title bout on July 11 at UFC 189.
Simon and Garcia previewed UFC Fight Night 63 including Chad Mendes v. Ricardo Lamas and Al Iaquinta v. Jorge Masvidal.