Climate Action SDG Laboratory (Caslab)
Climate Action SDG Laboratory (CASLAB) is a participatory learning organization, dedicated to climate change adaption, biodiversity conservation and community livelihood development, as well as documentation of indigenous knowledge and technical innovations related to resource governance at community levels. The organization was established in 2019 as a non-profit organization based on the second Paris Peace Forum, at present, it includes Mentsumo Climate Action SDG Laboratory in the eastern Himalaya of China and Nganyi Climate Action SDG Laboratory in Vihiga County, Kenya.
Mission Statement
To work toward our vision, our mission statement is as follows:
CASLab enables indigenous people and local communities to strengthen their evolving cultural traditions and generate innovative ways to improve their adaptability of climate change and enhance biodiversity through interdisciplinary research, capacity building, and participatory approaches for nurturing intercultural dialogue among people of varying local and scientific cultures, languages and knowledge systems.
Research Goals
In response to our newly articulated vision and mission, we have formulated four main goals for CASLab:
- Improve the capabilities of indigenous people and local communities for sustainable livelihoods and the well-being of human and non-human residents of mountain watersheds.
- Generate environmentally sound and sociocultural adapted knowledge for managing and conserving natural and cultural resources.
- Enhance the capacity of committed researchers and development workers for interdisciplinary research, facilitation, documentation and dissemination in partnership with indigenous people and local communities.
- Offer means and methods for bridging between knowledge systems, political systems and cultures to contribute to a society of intercultural, intersectoral and interdisciplinary dialogue and cooperation.
Profile and competences
CASLab aims to explore alternative adaption and development approaches for climate change, and working directly with indigenous people and local communities to enhance their livelihoods and maintain cultural and biological diversity through application of indigenous cosmovision, knowledge, and innovative technology in the environment of rapid change and uncertainty faced by indigenous people and local communities around the world.
CASLab also works to promote local and regional inter-sectorial and intercultural dialogue and communication among rural communities, NGOs, academia and governmental agencies. For this purpose, it conducts interdisciplinary research, facilitation for participatory development, consultation for cultural identity, networking for information sharing, and capacity building for climate governance and livelihood development.
