How can design amplify the voices of underrepresented groups in climate action?
Who bears the brunt of climate change, and why are their voices so often missing from the conversation? This panel session explores how underrepresented groups in climate action— such as women, informal workers, and farming communities—can move from being disproportionately affected to becoming active co-creators of climate solutions. Through real-world examples and personal experiences, our panelists will discuss the barriers to inclusion, the potential of community-driven change, Together, we’ll discuss strategies for integrating equity into design practices, shifting public narratives, and building solutions that are not only sustainable but truly inclusive. Join us to reimagine climate action as a collective, co-creative effort.
In India, communities most affected by climate challenges—women, children, informal sector workers, farmers, and waste pickers—are often left out of decision-making. Despite facing the highest exposure to air pollution and environmental risks, policies tend to take a top-down approach, overlooking their lived experiences and needs.
For example, traditional cookstoves (chulhas) contribute to severe indoor air pollution, impacting the health of women and children the most. However, these issues rarely receive the attention they deserve in public or policy discussions. Similarly, informal waste pickers, critical to managing urban waste, face low wages, unsafe working conditions, and lack formal recognition. Workers in brick kilns and other informal industries experience similar challenges, with limited regulation or support. Farmers are also deeply affected by changing monsoon patterns due to global warming, yet public narratives often unfairly blame them for practices like stubble burning, ignoring the systemic issues behind such actions. This alienation prevents meaningful collaboration and change.
Objective
This panel at WDCD Delhi 2025 aims to amplify the voices of underrepresented communities in climate action and policymaking. It will explore the barriers that silence their perspectives and discuss how design can play a role in changing public narratives from blame to collaboration. By fostering co-creation with affected communities, the panel will demonstrate how design can create inclusive, practical, and sustainable climate solutions that address real-world challenges.
Format
The panel will bring together experts who have worked closely with communities impacted by climate change. The discussion will focus on the intersection of climate issues, such as air pollution and emissions from short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs), with health and social inequities.
Moderated by: Babitha George
Speakers: Samya Ghosh , Nitisha Agrawal, Gunraagh Talwar
Partners
This break-out session is part of the Super Pollutants programme with Global Methane Hub.