**Organized by the UBC Sustainability Ambassadors**
SDG Week seeks to increase awareness of and engagement with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) from diverse perspectives. From science and technology to public health, business, and politics, we’ll discuss challenges and solutions to turn talk into action.
We acknowledge that these events take place on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) people.
Please note that for all in-person events you will be required to wear a mask and show proof of vaccination. Our in-person events will be held at the BC Hydro Theater, in the Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability, which is located at 2260 West Mall, Vancouver, BC.
Please note some events are still being finalized and this page will be updated when details are confirmed. Thank you for your patience!
MONDAY, February 28
Introduction to SDGs
11AM-12pm PST | Policy Lab, centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability
The UN SDG framework intends to provide a universal roadmap to end poverty and engage nations across the globe on common global issues. In this workshop, participants will explore the framework and its implications to their work and learning goals, while interacting with various activities and case studies to further their understanding of the framework.
Participants will:
- Discover the SDG framework, its key characteristics, relevance, and barriers;
- Interact with the elements of the framework to further their understanding; and
- Explore the COVID-19 impact on the framework and the goals.
Speaker: Kshamta Hunter, Manager of Sustainability and Student Engagement, Sustainability Hub
Forestry through a Global Lens
12.30-2PM PST | centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability
Are you interested in learning more about the interconnectedness of Indigenous peoples and their land?
Join us for a night of meaningful discussion as Terry Sunderland talks about his experience in forestry and what sustainable forestry practices look like in the tropics. If you’re looking for a place to start learning about how important our forests are and ways to transition to more sustainable forest management, this workshop is the perfect place for you!
Speaker: Terry Sunderland, Faculty of Forestry, Center for Sustainable Food Systems
Terry Sunderland’s research is centered around applied research, biodiversity, conservation, sustainable resource management, and linkages to levering policy influence. He is also a part of the project “COLANDS” (Collaborating to Operationalise Landscape Approaches for Nature, Development and Sustainability).
Beyond Boarding Documentary Screening
7-9PM PST | Policy Lab
From the non-profit Beyond Boarding Collective, The Radicals follows a group of snowboarders and surfers from the slopes and waves to frontline communities where they encounter resilient Indigenous land defenders protecting their lands, waters, and cultures. They explore ongoing resistance to controversial resource extraction projects, and give a voice to those most impacted by these projects in the Xwísten, Tahltan, Musgamagw Dzawada’enuxw, and Haida nations. This film allows the audience to learn alongside the athletes what it means to be radical, and inspires every outdoor enthusiast to explore our relationship to the natural places we love.
Tickets by donation, with funds supporting land defenders through RAVEN Trust.
More Info
https://www.waterbear.com/watch/feature/61d7f95aff89c25ee6bff230
https://beyondboardingcollective.com/film
Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_vgLIFky1M
TUESDAY, MARCH 1
Rethink, reset or accelerate? Decolonizing the 2030 Agenda from a feminist, equity and inclusion lens
10-11AM PST | Online
This event will raise questions about the transformative promises of the SDGs and the Leave No One Behind pledge from the lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Critically reflecting on gaps in the 2030 Agenda framework, speakers will refer to practical examples from development projects implemented by VIDEA, Kore Global and World Neighbours Canada to argue that the SDGs have not overcome or transcended some of the inherent problems of the Millenium Development Goals, but may in fact continue to have a colonizing impact on marginalized and underrepresented communities in Canada and the Global South.
Panelists: Dr. Zosa De Sas Kropiwnicki-Gruber, Prof. Olaolu Adeleye, Brianna Parent Long, Emily Boost, and Gurleen Grewal
Food Sovereignty Market
1-5PM PST | Fairview Commons (field south of Earth Sciences Building on Main Mall)
Drop by for this outdoor event featuring a food sovereignty activity booth, Bee My Guest Vegan Food Delivery, and a Low/Zero Waste Resource Map for the UBC Community. Please note that sign-up is not mandatory for this event.
Vendors and organisations: TBD
How can we improve IBPOC student engagement at UBC?
1.30-3pm PST | BC Hydro Theatre
Do you have thoughts about IBPOC experiences in sustainability and climate spaces — or in general student programming — at UBC?
The Sustainability Hub is currently embarking on a project aimed at improving IBPOC student engagement in our student-focused programming. Drop by to grab a snack and share your thoughts and perspectives with us! No registration necessary.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2
Climate Justice Community Care Workshop
2.30-4PM PST | ONLINE
Embedded into every call to action is the need for community care. This workshop explores how we can reduce inequalities and work towards bold climate action in ways that centre care and interdependence. Participants will have the opportunity to build wellness strategies for sustainable activism and deepen their understanding of self-care, community care, and mutual aid.
Facilitators: Michelle Xie (she/her), Climate Justice UBC & Sustainability Ambassador and A. Mylvaganam (they/them), Climate Justice UBC
Sharing Session
4-6PM PST | Online
The Sharing Session is a space where the minds and voices of different individuals intersect, gathered by a collective interest in the people and world around us. Everyone has questions and stories to tell, and this event aims to support the sharing of different perspectives, identities, and interests. Join virtually for an inclusive afternoon storytelling session guided by experienced facilitators, and connect with student leaders across Canada.
Sharing of perspectives can only happen through inclusive communication. Participants are free to express their experiences and engagements with the SDGs, as well as listen and realize multiple perspectives from student leaders across Canada. An interactive contest will conclude this event, including fun prizes!
Sketching Sustainable Cities
7-8.30PM PST | BC Hydro Theatre (maximum 30 participants)
Close your eyes and imagine the ideal city… How would it look and feel? What would it mean to have more housing, shops, and public spaces close by? What kind of neighbourly connections would you like to see? In this session, participants will work collaboratively to sketch, draw, illustrate (or cut out pictures) of neighbourhoods that incorporate opportunities for inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities. All levels of experience (yes, that includes none!) are welcome.
Organizer: UBC CAPACity
CAPACity UBC is a student-led initiative that aims to bring together undergraduate students interested in urban planning and its various branches. They strive to serve as a gateway for people to find opportunities in the field, share knowledge around local and global urban issues, and build networks with professors, planners, and fellow urbanists in the city.
THURSDAY, MARCH 3
YCAP Climate Storytelling Workshop
11AM-12.30PM PST | BC Hydro Theatre
The Youth Climate Ambassador Program at Climate Hub is here to host an event to talk about the importance of climate storytelling and using your voice to advocate for climate justice. Join them for a fun workshop of reflection, brainstorming, and action planning as they discuss topics such as SDGs, climate change, and more!
Friday, MARCH 4
Together Ensemble Workshop
Teaching and Learning with the SDGs: Educators and students driving transformational change in academic settings*
10-11AM PST | Online
Increasingly, educators, administrators, and students are taking note of the urgent need for educational institutions to lead transformational change, and many are noting the centrality of the SDGs to these change processes. In this session, we will hear sustainability leaders in the education sector describe what they are doing, how they are successful, and why these efforts are needed. Presenters will highlight some of the challenges and opportunities that they have faced in promoting the SDGs as a framework for transformational change in academic settings and in engaging with diversity, equity and inclusion in relation to the 2030 Agenda.
Speakers: Dr. Zosa De Sas Kropiwnicki-Gruber, Rosalind Warner, Luis Patricio, Anjali Mishra and Kshamta Hunter
*To attend, please register for Together Ensemble conference first and then select this event.
Navigating Climate Anxiety
1.15pm-1.35pm PST | Online
Join your Peer Health Educators for a 20 minute skill building session where you can reflect on your feelings of eco-/climate anxiety and identify ways to cope with these emotions while contributing to a better future. Participate via Instagram by following @ubcwellnesscentre!
Visualizing Circular Economies Competition
3-6PM PST | BC Hydro Theatre
Calling all sustainability enthusiasts, data analysts, Artists, Econ and Marketing students, you name it! Sign-up to attend the Visualizing Circular Economies Competition on March 4 and compete to best visualize some of UBC’s sustainability data. The Visualizing Circular Economies Event will be a visualization competition that focuses on UBC's waste data. Students are encouraged to sign up with a group of their peers and enter as a team. Students will receive datasets one week prior to the event and are encouraged to start brainstorming ideas.
The event will include educational workshops and discussions on Circular Economies, how they are integrated on Campus, and ways we can better advocate for them here at UBC. Your group’s output will be reviewed by judges from various faculties and sustainability departments. There will be a grand prize for the winners, and food will be provided at the event.
For any questions, concerns, or inquiries, please email circulareconomyUBC@gmail.com.
FIND OUT MORE
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – also known as the Global Goals – were developed by the United Nations in September 2015. Canada and 192 other United Nations Member States have since adopted these Goals, with an intent to meet them by 2030. The UN recognizes that efforts to tackle global issues, such as poverty and hunger, must involve approaches to improve health and education, promote economic growth, and reduce inequality, while putting climate change and the preservation of our natural environments at the forefront. These 17 Goals act together as a “shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future” (United Nations, 2015). However, the success of the SDGs is controversial, uncertain, and slow. “Implementation has begun, but the clock is ticking… the rate of progress in many areas is far slower than needed to meet the targets by 2030.” (United Nations, 2017).
2021 Events
MONDAY, MARCH 1
Introduction to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
4:00-5:30pm PST
The UN SDG framework intends to provide a universal roadmap to end poverty and engage nations across the globe on common global issues. In this workshop, participants will explore the SDG framework and its implications to their work and learning goals, while interacting with various activities and case studies to further their understanding of the framework.
Participants will:
• Discover the SDG framework, its key characteristics, relevance, and barriers
• Interact with the elements of the framework to further their understanding
• Explore the COVID-19 impact on the framework and the goals
TUESDAY, MARCH 2
Democracy Lab Reflection
3:00-4:30pm PST
Are you passionate about change but don’t know where to start? Have you tried to instigate action on environment or social justice issues only to find out you were advocating to the wrong level of government?
In 2020 UBC’s School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, and the Centre for Community Engaged Learning partnered to create The Democracy Lab, bringing individuals together to identify what elements of democracy are needed to bring about change. Working together, participants explore the how, what, when, and where of making progress on a social or environmental issue through the municipal government.
Moderator:
Andrea Reimer, Adjunct Professor of Practice & Democracy Lab Instructor
Participants:
Dr. Ismael Traore, former Democracy Lab administrator
Adriana Laurent, climate justice organizer and Democracy Lab alumni
Tonye Aganaba, artist, organizer, and Democracy Lab alumni
Frank Fleming, environmental activist and Democracy Lab alumni
Hack-Earth-On
6:00-8:30 pm PST
**Case submissions due Thursday, February 25
Are you looking for a place to share your sustainable ideas and innovations? Are you seeking a challenge outside of your classes?
The Hack-Earth-on is a sustainability hackathon which will focus on achieving accessible and equitable sustainable living. The competition will allow UBC students to work with teams of their peers to solve a challenge for the chance to win $500!
Even if you can’t participate in the competition yourself, come learn about innovative sustainability solutions from students on the UBC Vancouver campus.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3
Intersectional Environmentalism
2:30-4:00pm PST
Level up your climate activism!
Our journey to climate justice needs to be more inclusive: women, girls, and colonized and marginalized communities are at higher risk when it comes to climate change. Our journey to climate justice needs to be inclusive. Yet, colonialism, racism, and sexism continue to influence approaches to sustainability, often causing harm to the communities that are the least responsible for climate change.
Intersectional environmentalism is an approach to sustainability that advocates for the wellbeing of both people and the planet. Join UBC Sustainability Ambassadors for this interactive workshop where you will learn why and how to be an intersectional environmentalist, leaving you with actionable steps you can take in your personal and professional life.
Speaker:
Promit Chakraborty, School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine
Promit's primary interest is in the intersection between climate change and human health. Particularly, he is interested in exploring how environmental factors affect overall human health with an emphasis on mental health. Promit was born and raised in Bangladesh – a country that is severely impacted by climate change – and worked in a mental healthcare institute. These allow him to bring to the class his lived-experience of tales and facts from the other unheard side of the globe.
SDG Roundtable
5:00-6:30pm PST
Join the UBC SDG Alliance for the final roundtable event in the ‘Tiny Tables’ series. Take part in an interdisciplinary discussion wtih students, staff and faculty to support further implementation of the SDGs on UBC campuses.
The SDG Roundtable will bring together members of the UBC community from various fields and areas of expertise, and offers space to share opinions and experiences freely. In this event, issues on UBC campuses will be addressed and the goals and values the community wants to see moving forward will be put to action in a report, which will be presented and advocated for by the UBC SDG Alliance.
THURSDAY, MARCH 4
World Challenge Challenge Finals
5:00-8:00pm PST
The World’s Challenge Challenge is a competition hosted by the UBC Global Lounge, which seeks to engage students on international issues and how they can play a part in sparking social change.
Come see the final showdown between student teams, as they pitch their solutions to global problems for a chance to win up to $6000 and to go on to compete in the 2021 virtual International World's Challenge Challenge, for a top team prize of $30,000.
Find our more here.
Sustainable Consumerism Panel
7:00-8:30pm PST
Want to be more sustainable when making decisions as a consumer but don’t know where to start?
The Sustainable Consumerism Panel invites anyone who wants to begin fostering relationships with the things that they own, learn tips on how to adopt conscious consumerism practices, and connect with speakers from companies such as Daye, Drinkfill, and Fernish.
Moderators:
Mannkiran Pandher, SDG Alliance Co-Founder & Co-Director, Sustainability Ambassador Alumni
Sophie Rock, International Relations Student Associate Sustainability Committee Director, Sustainability Ambassador Alumni
Panellists:
Valentina Milanova, Founder of Daye
Andy Chou, Founder of DrinkFill
Lucas Dickey, Chief Product Officer & Co-Founder of Fernish
Shuli Ko, ChopValue
Friday, MARCH 5
SDGs @ UBC: Networking Event
6:00-7:30pm PST
Interested in connecting with sustainability-focused organizations?
Interested in connecting with sustainability-focused organizations at UBC? Join us to engage with a variety of UBC groups and organizations representing the 17 SDGs! Participants will have the opportunity to interact in breakout sessions with representatives who will share their work in supporting the transition to a just and sustainable society. Make connections, explore your interests, and develop your sustainability network!
2020 Events
MONDAY, MARCH 2
BC Hydro theatre, Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability
Introduction to the SDGs
11:00am-12:30pm
Join Michael Simpson (Executive Director, British Columbia Council for International Cooperation) as he introduces the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and find out more about how they address global issues such as poverty, climate action, hunger, and inequality.
Disconnect: The Miscommunication of Climate Change
5:00-6:30pm
Join author, researcher, and UBC professor Dr. Stephen Sheppard, as he explores the disconnect between scientists, government, the public, and climate change, with a demonstration of how visuals that ethically communicate climate change can be used for social learning, decision-making, and policy change. The UBC Office of Regional and International Community Engagement (ORICE) will further share how they are using virtual reality to approach complex problems such as climate change internationally.
TUESDAY, MARCH 3
BC Hydro theatre, Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability
“Healthy Planet, Healthy People”
4:30-6:00pm
Join Dr. Matilda van den Bosch (MD and UBC Assistant Professor) and Dr. Verena Rossa-Roccor (MD and UBC PhD student) for a presentation and workshop on the interrelationship between human and planetary health, with examples of cutting-edge research projects. Together, we’ll situate these connections in the SDG framework and our own backyard, to develop systemic and personal pathways to solutions. Snacks will be provided at 6pm!
Entrepreneurs for Social Change
6:30-8:30pm
By considering short-term achievements to realize long-term goals, social entrepreneurs can be transformational in delivering the SDGs. Join us for a panel discussion with sustainability-focused organizations from Vancouver to talk about how social enterprises are responding to the SDGs in innovative and scalable ways.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4
Wellbeing Design Lab, 2321-2260 West Mall
The Power of Plant Forward Food
11:30am-1:00pm
In celebration of SDG Week, join UBC Wellbeing and the UBC Food Services Culinary Team for a culinary demonstration highlighting the power of plant-forward food and just how simple and tasty it can be! You’ll have a chance to sample snacks from the chef, then participate in break-out discussions to help inform the future of plant-forward food on campus. Bring your appetites and your passion for all things plant-forward!
The Stories That Trees Tell Us About SDGs
1:00pm-1:30pm
Following the Power of Plant Forward Food event, you may join a tree walk that links the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with trees on the UBC campus. Tahia Devisscher and Laura Super, co-facilitators, will zoom in from the local to global scale and link stories to trees and the SDGs. We will share our stories and learn about citizen science on campus as well as information about trees related to urban planning, human health, and planetary health among other topics. Personal stories from participants are welcome and encouraged.
This is a hands-on walk with a portion on measuring trees for ecosystem services, which relates to carbon sequestration and other tree-supported benefits. We will meet at CIRS and end the walk at the EOS building.
BC Hydro theatre, Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability
Greenest City Panel
5:30-7:00pm
The Greenest City Action Plan launched in 2008 with a goal to make the City of Vancouver the most sustainable in the world. Join us for a panel discussion with Jean Swanson (City of Vancouver Councillor), Andrea Reimer (UBC Governor), Dagmar Timmer (Greenest City Advisory Board committee member) and Matt Horne (City of Vancouver Climate Policy Manager), to find out where the City is at with the Plan and what we can learn from shortcomings in its implementation, as we move forward with future policy action.
THURSDAY, MARCH 5
BC Hydro theatre, Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability
Indigenous Perspectives
3:30-5:00pm
Recognition of displacement and colonization in Canada and at UBC is necessary as part of taking action on the SDGs. This panel will encourage discussion on how Indigenous perspectives and voices globally should inform action on the SDGs to ensure more equitable implementation.
Jack Poole Hall, Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre
Career Connections
5:30-7:30pm
Sustainability Career Connections aims to foster meaningful and professional connections, while educating UBC students and alumni about sustainability-related businesses and organizations in the Lower Mainland, with the aim to highlight career opportunities in sustainability beyond those that are environmental.
FRIDAY, MARCH 6
The Future of SDGs
4:00-6:00pm Roundtable
6:00pm Keynote
Join UBC Sustainability Ambassadors – in partnership with the UBC SDG Alliance – for a panel and roundtable discussion on the roles that students, faculty, and staff play in advancing the SDGs. To deliver an inclusive and equitable conversation, we strongly encourage participation from groups that have been historically excluded and systematically marginalized from the sustainability discourse.
The roundtable will be followed by a keynote by Dr. Mark Jaccard, who will discuss how climate-concerned citizens can overcome myths that hinder action to prevent extreme climate impacts. Dinner and refreshments will be provided following the keynote. Please bring a cup and container to minimize waste.
BIO Since 1986, Dr. Jaccard has been a professor in the School of Resource and Environmental Management at Simon Fraser University – interrupted from 1992-1997 while he served as Chair and CEO of the British Columbia Utilities Commission. He has a PhD in energy economics from the University of Grenoble, and his research focus is the design and application of energy-economy models for assessing climate policies. Internationally, Dr. Jaccard has served on the IPCC, the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development and the Global Energy Assessment, and domestically on the National Roundtable on the Environment and the Economy and the Canadian Institute for Climate Choices. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and the CD Howe Institute, and in 2009 was named British Columbia Academic of the Year. He is one of eight professors at Simon Fraser University awarded the title, Distinguished Professor. He has published over 100 academic papers. In 2006, his Sustainable Fossil Fuels won the Donner Prize for top policy book in Canada. His latest book, released in February 2020, is The Citizen’s Guide for Climate Success.
Why SDG Week?
UBC was ranked #1 in the world by Times Higher Education Impact Ranking for taking urgent action to combat climate change in 2019—but is that enough? Universities have the potential to integrate the SDGs into higher education through cross-disciplinary research and teaching. SDG Week aims to encourage the UBC community to find out more about the interconnected nature of the Global Goals, to view and understand sustainability challenges and solutions from a holistic perspective, and to learn how we, as individuals and as a community, can take action.
Who should attend?
Anyone in the UBC community is welcome and encouraged to attend! Events are inclusive to students and academics from all fields of study, as well as to those without previous knowledge about the SDGs or the concept of “sustainability.” We strongly believe that the SDGs are inclusive, and that collaborative action from all disciplines is required to meet them.
Questions?
Please send any questions to sustainability.ambassadors@ubc.ca.
References
United Nations. (2015). Transforming our world: The 2030 agenda for sustainable development (No. A/RES/70/1). New York, NY: United Nations.
United Nations. (2017). The sustainable development goals report 2017. New York, NY: United Nations. Retrieved from https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/files/report/2017/TheSustainableDevelopmentG... Report2017.pdf