An Interview With Monica Sanders
Don’t neglect the small stuff. It is tempting to focus solely on the big milestones. However, acknowledging and celebrating the small wins provides momentum to continue progressing. I continue to focus on being consistent with quality content that is relevant and relatable. Feedback from just one person letting me know that my work has influenced them to make a positive change is very rewarding.
According to the University of Colorado, “Those who are most affected and have the fewest resources to adapt to climate change are also the least responsible for the greenhouse gas emissions — both globally and within the United States.” Promoting climate justice is an incredibly important environmental responsibility that is slowly becoming more and more recognized. In this interview series, we are talking to leaders who are helping to promote sustainability and climate justice. As part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Derval Barzey.
Derval Barzey is a sustainability consultant and the founder and host of The Climate Conscious Podcast, a podcast dedicated to communications and advocacy of Sustainable Development & Climate resilience from the Caribbean perspective. She has co-founded the Caribbean Women for Climate Justice (CW4CJ) conference and currently co-leads the Gender Working Group within the Caribbean Climate Justice Alliance.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about how you grew up?
I grew up with my extended family of aunts, uncles, and cousins in the coastal village of La Brea in the southern part of the island of Trinidad. I always loved reading and writing short stories and poems as a child. In secondary school, I fell in love with the subject of geography and became fascinated by Earth’s diverse landscapes, as well as the cultural diversity that extended beyond the beaches and tropical forests on my island home. I believe this interest was instrumental in my choosing to pursue my Degree in Environmental and Natural Resource Management.
Everyone has a cataclysmic moment or marker in their life which propels them to take certain actions, a “why”. What is your why?
My why is the desire to harness my knowledge and skills in environmental sustainability to contribute to an informed and resilient society.
After completing my Degree in Environmental and Natural Resource management at the University of the West Indies, I started working in the oil and gas sector managing environmental and social risks associated with upstream energy projects (seismic surveys, drilling, production, pipelines).
In December 2013, oil started washing up on the shoreline of La Brea. Almost overnight the beaches and mangroves were covered with a thick black coating. Although I had been privy to other oil spills in the course of my work, this one struck close to home. I experienced more intimately the tug-of-war/ conflict between economic development and environmental and social well-being.
I knew the fisherfolk whose livelihoods were disrupted. The beaches I frequented as a child were now marred. I also knew the role of energy in driving the national economy, creating jobs, and allowing for the provision of social and other services to citizens.
The question plagued me: Can we do both? Harness natural resources to generate revenue while maintaining the integrity of natural and social ecosystems.
I still maintained the belief that yes, we could. But it was necessary to do things differently. This sparked a renewed interest in the principles of Sustainable Development, where there was a balance among the priorities of People, Planet and Prosperity/Profit
This experience inspired me to go deeper into the area of sustainable energy and climate action.
Little did I know that I was laying the foundation for what would become my mission to expand the awareness, understanding, and application of the principles of sustainability to every sector of our society.
You are currently leading an organization that is making a difference for our planet. Can you tell us a bit about what you and your organization are trying to change?
I founded The Climate Conscious Podcast and consultancy in response to a void I observed in the conversation on climate change. While the Caribbean region is on the frontline of climate impacts, the international discourse centers on the Global North. The views and experiences of small island developing states like the Caribbean are not given the same level of attention and action so critically needed. As an environmental practitioner, I also recognized the disconnect between the experts, and the average citizen without an academic or professional background in environmental sustainability.
The podcast covers global climate change, its localized impacts, and the actions and solutions relevant to the Caribbean region. On the podcast, I interview guests about the various dimensions of climate action and sustainable development, from entrepreneurship, education, fashion, energy, agriculture, and gender equity. Since launching in April 2020, its 75 episodes have garnered an engaged community of listeners spanning over 100 countries.
The primary mission is to create awareness, and through advocacy, translate awareness into action for a more inclusive, sustainable, and resilient Caribbean. The podcast is making climate change and sustainable development something that the man in the street can relate to. It is shifting the Caribbean narrative from victimhood to leadership and innovation, amplifying our stories of resilience and home-grown solutions.
This platform continues to center justice and redefines resilience according to the Caribbean context. It works with civil society and corporate entities to advocate inclusive and sustainable development.
When people understand the issues, it is easier to create change. I have been able to amplify the voices of Caribbean experts, activists, and entrepreneurs and highlight local knowledge and home-grown solutions. I don’t only interview women but I am always happy to give women more visibility.
As a Caribbean-based / focused platform, we value authenticity, telling our stories of resilience from our perspective. Even with a topic that may not be as appealing or that is highly technical, I use dialogue to bring out interesting aspects to help the audience make a personal connection, while also providing options for their response. I work to assist the audience in connecting at some level to the topic being discussed. Through social media, I have observed a growing interest in climate change and sustainable development.
The podcast has evolved to play a major role in climate and gender advocacy in the Caribbean region:
- Partnering with gender and environment-focused civil society groups to present policy recommendations for climate justice and resilience.
- Engage in Alliance-building and agenda-setting to promote gender-sensitive climate action.
- Engaging and creating visibility for youth and women in climate and gender advocacy.
We have produced podcasts and series for organizations (Caribbean Natural Resources Institute and RMI) highlighting their advocacy work.
The platform has also expanded into offering a Sustainability Consulting service that helps organizations integrate sustainability principles into their business operations aligning business strategy with the SDGs and communicating the value they create by doing so.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company or organization?
One of the highlights of my podcasting journey was being listed amongst UCL’s favorite sustainable and eco-friendly podcasts.
This acknowledgment showed that although the podcast has a clear Caribbean focus its content appeals to an international audience.
For the Podcast anniversary (Earth Day, 22 April), I partnered with NGO The Breadfruit Collective to host a virtual regional conference that explored the intersection of gender and climate justice in the Caribbean. The Caribbean Women for Climate Justice (CW4CJ) conference brought together persons from across the region and its diaspora to discuss the issues affecting climate justice and gender equity as well as the solutions that can be implemented. This was a fulfilling experience to extend the podcast’s platform and to see the response to the event and the growing support from the 2022 edition to the 2023 event.
None of us can be successful without some help along the way. Did you have mentors or cheerleaders who helped you to succeed? Can you tell us a story about their influence?
In 2020 podcasting was new territory for me. When I first launched there were not many Caribbean podcasters around. I found support from the Caribbean Podcast Directory, curated by Kerry-Ann Reid-Brown. I joined this community of podcasters of Caribbean Heritage and being part of this network provided information and resources that helped me develop as a Caribbean podcaster.
One of my biggest cheerleaders has been my aunt Marion Barzey-Tuitt. She has been an avid listener since Episode 1 and continues to listen to each episode, providing valuable feedback on elements of the show including the length and content. She is a retired nurse and does not have a background in climate change, or environmental sustainability. Her ability to connect and engage with the content is a huge indicator that I am achieving my objective of reaching a non-technical audience and breaking down complex issues. She has since adopted many of the sustainability practices shared on the show such as recycling plastics and collecting food waste for composting.
Thank you for that. Let’s now move to the central part of our discussion. Let’s start with a basic definition of terms so that everyone is on the same page. What does climate justice mean to you? How do we operationalize it?
Climate justice is recognizing the way existing inequalities influence the climate vulnerability experienced by communities of persons. These communities can be based on location, class, race, socioeconomic status, and gender, to name a few. Climate Change is a justice issue because it magnifies existing inequalities.
There are levels to climate injustice. The more obvious example of it is the disparity between the Global North / “developed countries” and the Global South/ “developing countries.” Developed countries, having benefited from the industrial revolution are responsible for the bulk of greenhouse gas emissions. However, developing countries like those in the Caribbean are experiencing the effects and are now faced with eh economic burden of adapting to climate change risk threatening the lives and livelihoods of their population.
Every Caribbean country has its distinct culture, but we find common ground in climate vulnerability, our colonial past, and the ongoing work of decolonization and dismantling systemic injustice. A less conspicuous side of climate injustice is experienced by marginalized and underserved groups. Women and girls, indigenous peoples, low-income communities, rural and urban communities, people with disabilities, migrants, and workers in the informal sectors are some examples of the layers that can intensify vulnerability to climate change and why an inclusive and intersectional approach is needed for effective climate action.
Climate justice requires the inclusion of diverse perspectives in decision-making. My work in climate justice has focused on Women and girls, their education, participation, and economic empowerment. Through alliances and partnerships, we continue to advocate for greater inclusion in climate decision-making and access to resources and to empower marginalized groups to speak up, especially about the policies that directly impact their lives and communities.
We can operationalize climate justice by acknowledging biases and barriers to inclusion and confronting systemic injustices. Underlying social inequalities exacerbate climate vulnerability so eliminating all forms of discrimination and truly embracing a participatory approach to development is critical.
It is important to hold our leaders in government and private sector, at the local, national, and international levels, accountable for implementing effective policies that address mitigation, adaptation, and resilience to climate change.
Science is telling us that we have 7–10 years to make critical decisions about climate change. What are three things you or your organization are doing to help?
- Providing a resource that builds awareness and understanding of sustainability and climate justice issues and the relevant solutions. We’re helping to create an informed and engaged population through podcasts, workshops, advocacy campaigns, and events.
- Promoting Sustainable Practices and Policy Action. Through conversations and collaborations with activists, academics, entrepreneurs, experts, community organizers, policymakers, and leaders of grassroots movements we offer feasible solutions and support strategy development for sustainability and climate justice.
- Facilitating networks, alliances, and a community of advocates, activists, and other stakeholders, thereby producing a stronger collective voice locally and regionally.
In my work, I continue to highlight women as powerful agents of change. We recently ran a public advocacy campaign: Truth Be Told: A Caribbean Call to Action on Climate and Gender Justice. The objectives of the campaign were to increase public awareness on the gender-differentiated impacts of climate change; Create Visibility for women-led actions addressing climate resilience, and gender balance, and engage in Policy advocacy by providing recommendations for policy actions to integrate gender considerations into climate strategies and highlight gender-responsive climate solutions relevant for the Caribbean.
Are there three things the community, society, or politicians can do to help you in your mission?
- Prioritize and invest in sustainability. Every development decision should be viewed through the lens of sustainability, inclusion, and resilience. This would require building capacity to understand and apply these principles. Engage the services of experts in the field to integrate climate justice and sustainability in business strategy and public policy.
- Support the work of social enterprises and civil society organizations. Provide financial resources, technical assistance, capacity-building support, and other resources for climate justice and sustainability work.
- Move past tokenism and instead Integrate marginalized groups in all levels of decision-making. Remove barriers to the full and active participation of youth, women, indigenous people, persons living with disabilities, and rural and low-income communities.
How would you articulate how a business can become more profitable by being more sustainable and more environmentally conscious? Can you share a story or example?
There is a clear business case for integrating Sustainability into business strategy. It can improve profitability in several ways. As you become more efficient in the use of resources (energy, water, raw materials) it translates into cost savings that directly and positively impact your bottom line. A simple energy audit can unearth areas of wastage and realize savings on utilities.
Proactively adopting sustainability measures ensures compliance with existing and anticipated regulations, reducing the likelihood of fines, disputes, and reputational damage.
Demonstrating your commitment not just to profit but also to People and the Planet improves your brand reputation and customer loyalty. This can lead to increased market share and revenue, as consumers become more environmentally aware and commit to responsible consumption. Employees are also inspired by their company’s commitment to the environment. In turn, there is better employee engagement and enhanced productivity and morale.
These are just a few examples of how investing in sustainability yields a range of benefits that directly impact profitability.
Apple is a good example of the compatibility of profitability and sustainability. The company has been integrating sustainability in its operations and working toward becoming net zero and this enhances brand loyalty and incentivizes new customers who are conscious of their carbon footprint.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started promoting sustainability and climate justice” and why?
1 . The more you learn, the more there is to learn. Climate justice and sustainability are such dynamic subjects with new, developments, findings and political influences. I maintain a posture of continual learning. While it can be overwhelming if you try to be an expert on every topic, it is important to keep abreast of how the space is evolving locally and globally as best as you can.
2 . You’ll be playing the long game. Creating change takes courage and patience. Achieving success in podcasting and advocacy is a marathon, not a sprint. (Podcasting in the small, emerging Caribbean market comes with challenges of discoverability.) The major keys to longevity are commitment, consistency, passion, creativity, and scheduling times of rest.
3. The secret sauce is Collaboration. Through partnerships with other climate justice stakeholders, I have been able to expand my reach and impact. I have partnered with other organizations around a shared vision and objectives. These partnerships have mobilized donor funding for advocacy work, including hosting 2 editions of the Caribbean Women for Climate Justice (CW4CJ) virtual conference which attracted over 500 registrants in 2023.
4 . Don’t neglect the small stuff. It is tempting to focus solely on the big milestones. However, acknowledging and celebrating the small wins provides momentum to continue progressing. I continue to focus on being consistent with quality content that is relevant and relatable. Feedback from just one person letting me know that my work has influenced them to make a positive change is very rewarding.
5 . Intersectionality Matters. With climate justice and sustainability, it’s never a single issue. As you start exploring and unpacking an issue it’s important to recognize the connections and intersections. I started with a focus on climate action. But soon enough, I could no longer ignore the connection between climate and gender and why gender equity was necessary to achieving climate resilience.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
I would like to sit with Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados. She stands out as a regional leader who is not afraid to have hard conversations. I admire her strength, clarity, and focus. As the first female Prime Minister of Barbados, she represents progress on gender equality but I’m sure she is still aware of existing hurdles due to gender.
She continues to advocate for bold policies that address climate justice and the economic well-being of our region on the international stage.
I would love to chat with her about her personal development as a leader and how she has faced and overcome the barriers in the context of being a woman, leader, from a small island. I would also like to get her perspective on two key issues affecting the Caribbean:
- The status of climate and gender justice within the Caribbean and the best approach to improve this.
- Operationalizing the loss and damage fund to the benefit of this region.
How can our readers continue to follow your work online?
Readers can connect with my work via the website theclimateconscious.com.
Listen to The Climate Conscious podcast on all major podcast apps, apple, Spotify, etc.
Engage directly on social media: Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.
This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!
About the Interviewer: Monica Sanders JD, LL.M, is the founder of “The Undivide Project”, an organization dedicated to creating climate resilience in underserved communities using good tech and the power of the Internet. She holds faculty roles at the Georgetown University Law Center and the Tulane University Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy. Professor Sanders also serves on several UN agency working groups. As an attorney, Monica has held senior roles in all three branches of government, private industry, and nonprofits. In her previous life, she was a journalist for seven years and the recipient of several awards, including an Emmy. Now the New Orleans native spends her time in solidarity with and championing change for those on the frontlines of climate change and digital divestment. Learn more about how to join her at: www.theundivideproject.org
How Derval Barzey Is Helping to Promote Sustainability and Climate Justice was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.