Rebuilding society to be greener, cleaner, and more resilient in the wake of COVID-19
In the fall of 2019, climate action was at the forefront of public consciousness. While tangible changes were still limited, momentum was building. As fall turned to winter and the SARS-CoV-2 virus appeared, the rapid growth of infections and deaths from COVID-19 quickly pushed climate action to the background. While most agree that the climate emergency hasn’t changed, it suddenly seems, to some, to be less urgent than the current threat. However, does it need to be an either-or situation? If anything, the COVID-19 response demonstrates that extreme measures are possible in the face of significant threats.
Hear from UBC experts from the Faculty of Science and Faculty of Forestry as they answer audience questions about what lessons we can learn from our response to the COVID-19 pandemic and take forward to tackle our climate emergency. Moderated by Saranaz Barforoush, Instructor, UBC Graduate School of Journalism.
This is the sixth webinar in our COVID-19 series.
UBC Experts
Kai Chan - Professor, Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability (IRES) and Institute for Oceans and Fisheries, UBC Faculty of Science
Stephen Sheppard, MSc'78 - Professor, Forest Resources Management, UBC Faculty of Forestry; Director, Collaborative for Advanced Landscape Planning
Recorded May 27, 2020.
Links to helpful information referenced in webinar:
From Stephen Sheppard
- CALP website
- Citizens Coolkit (iCoolkit): fun DIY toolkit for people to make their homes and neighbourhood more climate friendly
- Cool ‘Hood Champs: climate action training program for community centres
- Community Energy Explorer: online educational platform for learning about and mapping low-carbon energy options
- Our Future Community: educational mini-videogame for high schools on local climate solutions
- Future Delta 2.0: commercial-style educational videogame for youth on future community solutions in Delta BC
- Visualizing Climate Change: popular science book on what local climate change solutions look like
From Kai Chan
- CoSphere
- The Citizen’s Call for a Global Economy, to start getting organized for transformative change
- The CleanReset Call from the Clean50 group of leaders toward clean capitalism
- Commentary re: COVID-19 and preventative action, preparation
- Commentary re: COVID-19 and systemic vulnerabilities
- Commentary for International Biodiversity Day last year
- Guest blog for IPBES on actions to tackle the ecological crisis
- Webinar re: the IPBES Global Assessment co-hosted by a handful of prominent Canadian NGOs
- Q&A session following the webinar