October 31, 2018
On October 25, the UBC Climate Hub hosted the first student-driven, university-wide Climate Solutions Showcase on campus. The Climate Hub aims to empower students, faculty, and staff to take bold action on climate solutions and justice on campus and in our communities. Engaging the UBC community through the Climate Solutions Showcase provided the opportunity for people to come together for dialogue, to present research and solutions, and make meaningful connections to further climate action.
Climate Solutions Showcase
The welcome session featured several keynote speakers who brought to light important key messages. Professor Stephen Sheppard, Faculty of Forestry opened with an apology from his generation to our generation for the lack climate responsibility. He reinforced the importance of energizing participatory action through young minds. He reminded students “don’t wait for government, don’t wait for us, just keep doing what you’re doing.” Johanna Wagstaffe, CBC Meteorologist talked about the importance of meteorology as a way of communicating climate change impacts, while Lindsay Keegitah Borrows ended the welcome session with Otter’s Journey storytelling. Lindsay reminded the audience that from stories, we can draw themes and principles that guide our actions.
Throughout the day, students, researchers, faculty, and staff attended various panel sessions. Topics ranged from steps to reducing UBC’s GHG emissions, climate solutions at the international level, food security in a warming world, addressing inequalities when developing climate solutions, interactive workshops and a pecha-kucha style ideas exchange. During the lunch break, booths were also set up for students to talk and network while enjoying climate visualization projects created by undergraduate students. At the Hatch Gallery, art responding to climate change and sustainability were on display, from food security visualization maps to artwork that illustrates the effects of climate change on our planet and resources.
The campus-wide Climate Solutions Showcase hosted by the UBC Climate Hub revealed the tenacity of UBC students to find solutions to address climate change. The event helped empower individuals, open up more perspectives, and strengthen understanding.
Find out more about the UBC Climate Hub.