The Climate Action Mobilizers (CAM) Project is a 2-year initiative that aims to empower UBC students to tackle social and climate justice issues to address the climate emergency. The Climate Action Mobilizers Project is funded by the UBC Climate Emergency Fund. It combines CCEL’s Social Impact Lab methodology for creating social change and ethical engagement, with the UBC Collaborative for Advanced Landscape Planning (CALP) tools to catalyze local climate action.

CAM engages with neighbourhoods and communities to collaborate in the development and implementation of climate action projects to address the climate crisis. Participating students leverage their knowledge and skills, and develop their leadership capacity by working with community members to analyze complex issues and co-create innovative climate action projects. This fuels cross-community, interdisciplinary action for collective impact!

Neighbourhoods Engaged

Through workshops and events aimed to empower communities to take local climate action, we have engaged the following neighbourhoods and communities in the Vancouver area and beyond:

• Killarney
• Hastings-Sunrise
• Trout Lake
• Mount Pleasant
• UBC Point Grey Campus
• Brentwood Park
• Oak Bay

Climate Action Training Series

In collaboration with UBC CALP, the UBC Climate Action Mobilizers lead a series of climate action training workshops called “Cool ‘Hood Champs” in various neighbourhoods across Metro Vancouver. These workshops help prepare and teach local residents on how to take climate action at a community level. Attendees take part in climate walks identifying causes, impacts, mitigations, and adaptations of climate change within their neighbourhoods, learn about BC and City of Vancouver climate policies, identify vulnerabilities and assets in their neighbourhoods, and most importantly work towards collectively developing a climate action plan.

After the Trout Lake neighbourhood series, we asked a few attendees about their experiences. Here’s what they had to say!

Planning Together: Becoming an 8-80 City by 2030

The Climate Action Mobilizers hosted this hybrid event to bring together a variety of community partners, non-profit organizations, and municipal representatives and address the need for sustainable and accessible transportation options.

Planning Together focused on strategizing and planning for Vancouver to be an “8 to 80” city, where communities are built to be accessible for everyone from 8 to 80 years old.

Neighbourhood Climate Chats

During their inaugural event, the Climate Action Mobilizers hosted a number of keynote speakers and local climate experts who led table discussions on key domains for climate action in a World Café format.

This event brought together various groups to discuss what real climate action looks like in local communities, and helped to kickstart a series of community climate action workshops in various Vancouver neighbourhoods.

For Our Kids Climate Walk

UBC’s Climate Action Mobilizers hosted a Climate Walk for elementary and preschool students in collaboration with the Burnaby chapter of For Our Kids, a local climate action group.

The goal was to spread awareness about community-oriented climate action, as well as the causes, impacts, mitigation and adaptation (CIMA) measures related to climate change.

Earth Fest

In celebration of Earth Day, the Climate Action Mobilizers partnered with CALP to celebrate the individual and community commitments made by past Cool ‘Hood Champs at the Everett-Crowley Park Committee’s Earth Fest event. 

They joined with over 100 Earth Fest attendees to celebrate Earth Day through various activities, including the planting of native trees and shrubs.

Dorm to Table

As part of UBC’s Climate Emergency Week, the UBC Climate Action Mobilizers are hosting a microgreen growing workshop for students. During the workshop, participants will hear about local food systems from Duncan Chambers (Owner of City Beet Farm), receive recipe inspiration from Andrea Carlson (Chef, Burdock & Co, Harvest Community Foods), and learn how to grow their own microgreens.

Other ways to get involved!