Code of Values, Ethics & Conduct

 

Guiding Value I. Environmental Justice

 

The Solarpunk Conference is dedicated to intersectional environmental justice. While there are many different definitions of Intersectional Environmental Justice, at its core Intersectional Environmental Justice can be understood as an understanding and approach to environmental issues that identifies systemic inequities and oppression as inherently interconnected to the drivers of environmental issues, and seeks to address these systemic inequities and oppression in the approaches used to tackle environmental issues.

 

An overview of these principles, as outlined by Amorim-Maia et al. (2022) includes:

 

Intersectional Climate Justice

• Tackle underlying systemic reinforcers of racial and gender inequalities

• Redress drivers of differential vulnerabilities

• Take politics and ethics of care seriously

• Adopt place-based and place-making approaches

• Promote cross-identity climate action and community resilience building

 

This diagram in Amorim-Maia et al.’s 2022 article “Intersectional climate justice: A conceptual pathway for bridging adaptation planning, transformative action, and social equity” provides an excellent visual aid for understanding Intersectional Environmental Justice:
 

For Participants, this means that you should be aware of intersectional environmental justice principles.  Any work shared or done at the Conference should be pursued in good faith, and should seek to promote, either in its workings, results, or distributions, a restorative environmental life practice. 

 

Participants should value all living things, and work to build paths for a balance between people and our shared biosphere. If Participants are not able to internalize these beliefs and practices, they should at least not actively work against them during or at the Conference.

 

Guiding Value II. Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility

 

The Solarpunk Conference is a space that celebrates diversity and inclusion, while expressly condemning and barring bigotry of all kinds. We assert that diversity is a strength, and commit ourselves to actively include people with a variety of identities and life experiences. The Solarpunk Conference aims to be an event that is accessible to all its members to equitably participate, and treats all its members with respect.

 

Participants should work to hold each other accountable and collaborate to maintain the shared safety of all participants. Reproductions of systemic forms of violence are expressly banned, including but not limited to ableism, bullying, colonialism and imperialism, fascism, homophobia, racism, sexism, and transphobia. 

Any participants that engage in harmful behaviour that violates our guiding values and Code of Ethics and Conduct will face disciplinary action such as, but not limited to, immediate expulsion from the Conference, at the conference coordinators’ discretion, without refund of ticket fee, or compensation for speaking services provided. Harmful behaviours can include, but are not limited to: bullying, harassment, unwanted comments on another Participants’ appearance, sexuality, gender, etc., spreading false information or conspiracy theories, comments that support systemic oppression and violence, etc.

 

Guiding Value III. Personal Integrity and Honesty

 

The Solarpunk Conference is an event that asks all of its participants to commit to bringing their best selves into this space. All Participants are asked to act with personal integrity, and engaging with one another with honesty and good faith. All Participants are asked to be open to learning and personal growth as we engage with one another, and to work under the assumption that we are acting in good faith.

 

Guiding Value IV: Confidentiality and Building a Safer Space

 

The Solarpunk Conference is a space for discussing ideas, but it is also a safe space. Participants are not to reveal personal data about others without the express consent of those others, or without that data being sufficiently anonymized or pseudonymized. If you are uncertain if data has been sufficiently anonymized or pseudonymized, either don’t share it, or feel free to reach out to our EDIA team for clarification.

 

The Solarpunk Conference aims to cultivate a space that is welcoming and accepting. Behaviors that violate our Code of Ethics and Conduct will not be tolerated.

 

Guiding Value V: Authenticity and Validity

 

While Solarpunk is often an imaginative speculative fiction genre (across many mediums), presentations and workshops at the conference should be grounded in fact. Presentations and workshops should be verifiable and truthful, working with either reputable sources or specific personal experience. This Conference is not a platform for spreading misinformation, conspiracy theories, or lies.

 

Organizers of The Solarpunk Conference assert that they will do their utmost to ensure that all Participants and Organizers follow the Code of Conduct and adhere to the Code of Ethics and Values. In instances where a Participant has breached the Code of Conduct or Code of Ethics and Values, Organizers call on Participants to report this information as soon as possible.

 

Citations

 

Ana T. Amorim-Maia, Isabelle Anguelovski, Eric Chu, James Connolly,

Intersectional climate justice: A conceptual pathway for bridging adaptation planning, transformative action, and social equity, Urban Climate, Volume 41, 2022, 101053, ISSN 2212-0955, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.uclim.2021.101053. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212095521002832)