On October 27, climate researchers from UBC will gather to tell stories about their work for climate justice, their partnerships with communities from around the world, and how their work contributes to the global struggle for our future.
What is UBC doing to support climate justice and sustainability research? How are scholars addressing climate action in their projects? Come find out at this unique collaborative event.
Climate Stories from UBC is a gathering collaboratively organized by the Public Scholars Initiative, The Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies, UBC Sustainability Hub, UBC Climate Hub, and the Centre for Climate Justice.
UBC's Public Scholars Initiative (PSI) has dedicated funding for PhD students to explore projects and research related to climate sustainability. Several PSI scholars will be speaking at the event, as well as UBC faculty. Speakers include:
- Severn Cullis Suzuki, David Suzuki Foundation Executive Director
- Avi Lewis (Professor, Geography), “Putting the Future First: A Blueprint for community just transition planning in Canada”
- Max Cohen (PSI scholar, UBC doctoral candidate), "Geographies of delay: From Shetland's oil era to the UK's first green energy island"
- Fiona Beaty (PWIAS fellow, PSI), “Transforming how we map to address the effects of climate change on life in and around the Salish Sea”
- Amanda Johnson (PSI scholar, UBC doctoral student), "Grasstic: A plastic made from grass"
- Grace Nosek (PWIAS fellow, PSI scholar), "Rootbound"
- Paroma Wagle (postdoctoral fellow, Geography & English Language and Literatures), "Urban climate justice from below"
- Veronica Relano (PWIAS fellow, PSI scholar, UBC doctoral student, COP27 delegate), "SOS we are oceans"
- Sarah Dickson Hoyle (PSI scholar, UBC doctoral student), "Indigenous leadership in wildfire management"
The event also includes a screening of the short version of the 2021 documentary Terra Libre, and a discussion with Chief Ninawa, hereditary Chief of the Huni Kui Indigenous people of the Amazon, and PWIAS International Indigenous Scholar, Chief Gidansda (Guujaaw) of the Haida Nation, and film director Gert-Peter Bruch.
Moderated by Dr. Vanessa Andreotti, PWIAS Interim Director, Canada Research Chair in Race, Inequalities and Global Change and David Lam Chair of Multicultural Education. The screening and discussion will launch a discussion on Indigenous land rights and resistance in the fight to protect the Amazon region.
The event is open to the public and free to attend. Food and drinks will be served to all participants.
Registration is encouraged for catering purposes.
Location: 5151 Oak Street, Van Dusen Botanical Gardens
Time: 5 to 8 pm
The Terra Libre documentary is also available online for any of those who are unable to make the event.
There are several other climate related events happening during October.
Community-Engaged Research and the Climate Crisis
Thursday, October 20, 9am to 5pm
312 Main Street, Vancouver
This one-day symposium brings together community organizers, movement and youth leaders, media makers/storytellers, and researchers to address key challenges and opportunities in community-engaged research in response to climate crisis. How can we do responsible community-engaged research at the speed of the climate emergency? What role can community-engaged research play in creating change that is both globally impactful and sensitive to local realities?
This event will be in-person, and registration is limited. RSVP
Terra Libre film screening (French version)
Tuesday, October 25 at 6 pm
VIFF Centre, 1181 Seymour Street, Vancouver, BC
Climate justice is at the heart of the "Terra Libre – A Call to Humanity." It exposes the inertia, the renunciation and the compromises of leaders who have become accomplices, and sometimes even actors, of mass ecocide.
Chief Ninawa, a hereditary Chief of the Huni Kui Indigenous people of the Amazon, as well as film director Gert-Peter Bruch will be on hand to discuss the film.
Registration required
David Suzuki x Brandi Morin with Naomi Klein
Sunday, October 30 at 4pm
Presented by the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, UBC Centre for Climate Justice, and the David Suzuki Foundation
The landmark event between these individual powerhouses is in celebration of the revered environmentalist David Suzuki’s launch of the 25th anniversary edition of his seminal book The Sacred Balance: Rediscovering Our Place in Nature. The event will include a closing address by Hereditary Chief Na’moks of the Tsayu Clan of the Wet’suwet’en Nation. The event is co-presented by the UBC Centre for Climate Justice and the David Suzuki Foundation.