Golden integrates radical collaboration for climate justice into culture at Woodwell Climate
Photo: Nigel Golden / National Geographic Inclusive Methodologies conference presentation.
Nigel Golden cultivates climate justice through radical collaboration in his work as the Woodwell Climate Research Center’s Climate Justice Specialist. The creation of his role was supported by a 2023 Switzer Leadership Grant.
The primary goal of this project was to establish a foundation for integrating climate justice into Woodwell Climate Research Center's work, with a focus on building knowledge, skills, and networking opportunities to empower staff and drive long-term organizational change.
"We are collectively experiencing profound loss, from climate disasters and disease to systemic violence. As these crises unfold, we continue moving forward, navigating both the challenges of today and the uncertainty of what comes next,” Nigel reflects.
Despite the weight of this moment, history has shown us that survival depends on working together—and doing it well. Collaboration is not just necessary; it is a liberatory act.
Nigel Golden
As the Climate Justice Specialist, Nigel worked to develop recommendations for embedding climate justice into Woodwell Climate's research, education, and policy advocacy through the newly established Climate Justice Committee. Key objectives included reviewing current practices to assess alignment with climate justice principles, using self-assessment tools to identify conditions necessary for integration, and facilitating the learning and training required to embed climate justice into the organization.
To achieve these objectives, he and the committee led several training and capacity-building initiatives. These included an anti-bias awareness and intervention workshop to help staff recognize and respond to bias in real-time, particularly in participatory climate work. A facilitation training, focused on core principles such as equitable participation and principled disagreement, equipped staff with skills to engage communities more effectively. The committee also designed a survey to assess Woodwell Climate's organizational capacity for integrating climate justice, identifying barriers, opportunities for early implementation, and areas where additional training could strengthen staff capabilities.
Addressing the climate crisis and the unknowns ahead requires radical collaboration, yet many of us were never taught how to do this effectively.
Nigel Golden
“At the Woodwell Climate Research Center, the Climate Justice Committee has embraced collaboration as a foundational approach to integrating climate justice into our work. And we are not alone in recognizing this need.”
The committee organized a seminar series to provide learning opportunities for integrating climate justice into Woodwell's work. Nigel also presented the committee’s work through at the American Geophysical Union meeting (poster) in Washington DC and the National Geographic Inclusive Methodologies conference (slides) in London.
“During my presentations, I witness this shared urgency; snapping fingers, leaning forward, eyes lighting up at certain phrases, soft murmurs of agreement. The words find their rhythm, turning the moment into a conversation rather than a monologue,” Nigel recalls. “Afterward, people approach to share their thoughts, expanding the dialogue beyond what I had imagined. Together, we begin planning how to carry these conversations forward in their own workspaces, ensuring that collaboration is not just a value but a practice.”
The outcomes of these efforts include the creation of a Committee Charter that reflects Woodwell’s commitment to climate justice values.
By making our charter public, we've given others a tool to start conversations in their institutions, to ask themselves how they can practice climate justice, and to build a future where justice isn't just a buzzword, but a way of being.
Nigel Golden
Additionally, an ongoing assessment of Woodwell's communication strategies has produced actionable recommendations for more effective and inclusive messaging. As the project progresses, these efforts will continue to strengthen Woodwell's ability to engage in climate justice.
“Collaboration isn’t just a strategy—it’s how we build a just and livable future. The conversations we start today must continue beyond, shaping how we work, how we lead, and how we show up for one another."
So I invite you to consider: What does radical collaboration look like in your work? And what steps can we take, together, to make it real?
Nigel Golden
