(Photo: Courtesy of Kelsie Garbutt)

 

Climate Justice and the Commonwealth

The Ramphal Institute is pleased to announce its webinar and policy series on Climate Justice, one of several work programmes addressing global development challenges and issues facing Commonwealth member states that will be delivered this year.

‘Climate justice’ is a concept that recognises that although climate change and global warming are global crises, their effects are experienced or felt unevenly around the world, with countries and communities in the Global South being the most disproportionately affected, especially small island developing states (SIDS) and developing countries in coastal areas but also those that are landlocked. From crop failures to extreme heatwaves and storms and severe droughts, many people in Commonwealth member states and regions are being adversely moved.

This webinar and policy series led by Climate Justice activist and researcher Kelsie Garbutt will address key aspects of climate justice in Commonwealth member states and aims to illuminate some of the policy and political choices that have and continue to result in climate justice issues across the wider Commonwealth. It will also highlight how Commonwealth member states and peoples are experiencing and responding to these.

Join us for this exciting and informative new series.

Interested persons can register via the following link https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/myevent?eid=861167092957

 

The Ramphal Institute on 21^st November 2023 changed its registered status from a Charitable Incorporate Company (CIC) to that of a foundation type Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), making it one of the first Commonwealth organisations in England and Wales to adopt the new legal status.

The new registered status as a CIO required the Institute to adopt a new legal structure using legislation which came into effect in 2018 for non-profit organisations and charities. As a result of this change, the Institute is now registered with only the Charities Commission and is no longer subject to company legislation or registered with Companies House.

Beyond the changes in terms of legal personality, the shift to Foundation CIO status has important implications for the Institute and the main benefits have to do with its legal personality (the Institute is now able to enter contracts, sue and be sued, and to hold property in its own name – rather than in the name of its trustees), and its members have limited liability (their liability in the event the charity becomes insolvent is limited or nil). The shift to CIO status is also expected to be more cost-effective and simpler structure than a company limited by guarantee, especially as it relates to filing of its accounts.

The shift does not affect the priority areas of work or the programmes and activities offered by the Institute.

The Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) is an alternative legal form for a charity. Part 11 of the Charities Act 2011 creates the basic legal framework, complemented by the Charitable Incorporated Organisations (General) Regulations 2012, the Charities Act 2011 (Charitable Incorporated Organisations) (Constitutions) Regulations 2012 and the Charitable Incorporated Organisations (Insolvency and Dissolution) Regulations 2012. Regulations to enable the conversion of existing charitable companies and community interest companies to charitable incorporated organisations came into force on 1 January 2018 (although applications for conversion of community interest companies will apparently not be accepted until September 2018 and further guidance is expected from the Charity Commission).