Youth Climate Action and Justice Archive

Sources: https://aldervillesavanna.ca/index.php/stream-to-shore/ 

http://aldervillesavanna.ca/index.php/what-we-do-6/ 

Sources: https://www.seasonedspoon.ca/workshops

https://kwic.info/event/seasoned-spoon-15th-anniversary-celebration 

Source: https://www.kwic.info/event/global-youth-day-conference-march-23-youth-rising-inspiration-action

Sources: https://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/news/peterborough-region/2018/09/08/climate-change-rally-held-at-peterborough-park.html 

https://actionnetwork.org/events/rise-for-climate-peterborough 

Sources: https://yls.green/program/#Overview 

https://www.kwic.info/youth-leadership-sustainability 

Kawartha World Issues Centre, GreenUp and Fleming College Office of Sustainability

March 1, 2019 at the Mount Community Centre, 1545 Monaghan Rd, Peterborough, ON K9J 5N3 

In 2019, KWIC, GreenUP, and Fleming Office of Sustainability hosted Peterborough's first multi-sector forum on the SDGs called "Understanding the UN Sustainable Development Goals: Canada’s Commitment and the Local Connection". The forum opened with an understanding of Indigenous Knowledge as the original teachings of sustainability and concluded with 120 participants identifying five local key priority action areas for Nogojiwanong/Peterborough:

Prioritizing Indigenous Leadership

• SDG #1 No Poverty

• SDG # 4 Quality Education

• SDG #6 Clean Water and Sanitization

• SDG #13 Climate Action

Read a summary of our community's priorities identified at the 2019 SDG Community Forum here.

Sources: https://kwic.info/sdg-community-forums

https://kwic.info/event/community-forum-sustainable-development-goals-canadas-responsibilities-and-local-connections

https://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/news/peterborough-region/2019/02/24/community-forum-will-look-at-un-sustainability-goals.html

The Seasoned Spoon Café and Trent Apiary

March 11, 2019 from 5:30 - 7:00 PM at the Seasoned Spoon Café (1600 W Bank Dr, Peterborough, ON)

Participants made reusable cloth wrappers using beeswax straight from the hives at Trent University. They are an environmentally friendly replacement for single use plastics such as saran wrap, tinfoil, ziplock bags and other disposables. The perfect solution for all your food transportation and storage needs with zero waste produced.

By using these reusable cloth wrappers, participants are minimizing their ecological footprint.

Source: https://www.seasonedspoon.ca/workshops 

Trent Central Student Association (TCSA), OPIRG Peterborough, Kawartha World Issue Centre (KWIC), and Peterborough Alliance for Climate Action (PACA)

March 15, 2019 at 11 AM at Trent University Symons Campus (1680 W Bank Dr, Peterborough, ON K9J 7B8)

More than 150 gathered at the University to demand climate action from our politicians.

As part of the Fridays for Future movement, March 15th was planned as a global day of action to show our politicians worldwide that they must act now.

Since March 7, 2019 there were almost 1000 events listed to take place on March 15 across 51 countries including 37 events in Canada, making it the biggest global strike day so far.

Sources: https://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/news/peterborough-region/2019/03/15/trent-university-part-of-worldwide-climate-change-walkout.html

https://www.facebook.com/events/394547871346117/ 

Peterborough Youth Empowerment (PYE)

Keynote speakers: Kingston City Councillor Robert Kiley and Environmental Activist Al Slavin

September 11, 2019 from 6 - 7:30 PM at the Peterborough Public Library in the Community Room (345 Aylmer St. N)

Peterborough's Climate Change Forum addressed and discussed the importance of declaring a climate emergency as well as the urgency of providing proper funding for the Climate Change Action Plans of urban Municipalities.

Sources: https://www.kwic.info/event/peterborough-climate-change-forum

https://www.facebook.com/events/345318146420441/ 

Peterborough Coalition for Climate Action and Youth Empowerment Network

September 27, 2019 at 12:00 - 3:00 PM at Millennium Park (131 King St, Peterborough, ON)

As part of an international day of action, community members gathered to demand ACTION from elected officials to mitigate the effects of climate change and to demonstrate solidarity with Peterborough's youth who risk facing the most significants impacts of the climate crisis. The event consisted of speakers, local musicians, vendors and youth participants.

With a turnout of approximately 800 people, the rally was able to give youth and community members a space to spread their voice and concerns in regards to climate action.

Sources: https://www.trentarthur.ca/news/global-climate-action-day-ptbo-sept-27 

https://www.kwic.info/event/global-climate-action-peterborough    

Kawartha World Issues Centre (KWIC), The Seasoned Spoon, and TEACH Outside the Box

November 4, 2019 at the Seasoned Spoon Café (1600 W Bank Dr, Peterborough, ON)

CLIMAGRATION explores the connections between climate change and global migration. By playing the life-size board game simulation, participants gain an understanding of international relationships and politics between the Global North and South, the disproportionate effects of climate change (economic, political, social, ecological), and the recent emergence of climate refugees.

Source: https://www.kwic.info/event/climagration-exploration-migration-and-climate-change 

Organized by members of Peterborough Youth Empowerment (PYE): Hannah Grills, Nico Ossa-Williams, Emma Scarlett, Malaika Collette, Darren Ranawaka and Jacob Douglas. 

January 13, 2020 at Knights of Columbus Hall

A public workshop to ask the school boards to declare a Climate Emergency and introduce more climate-change science into the curriculum. The Peterborough students then discussed what they are looking for from the local boards: more climate education, relevant teacher training, a strategic plan to address the climate emergency, making facilities more energy efficient, and addressing the eco-anxiety mental-health issues of the students.

It is important to prepare the next generation for what is coming, especially as students have an enormous impact on their parents’ actions. Students voices are being heard and the initiation for change is being brought to the school board by students.

60 people were in attendance including students, members of the school boards, teachers, parents, and others.

Source: https://forourgrandchildren.ca/blog/2020/01/16/2020-pye-school-board-emergency-forum/ 

Kawartha World Issue Centre (KWIC) and For Our Grandchildren (4RG) in collaboration with Chris Cavanaugh

February 21, 2020 from 7:00 - 8:30 PM & February 22, 2020 at 10 AM at Hobbs Library in Sadleir House (751 George St N, Peterborough, ON)

An event for participants to come learn with popular educator, Chris Cavanaugh at the workshop focusing on the Cultivating Resistance: Diverse Economic Responses to Climate Chaos.

Understanding, collectively, that a capitalist economic system has driven the current climate crisis, the event invited participants to imagine sustainable, socially and environmentally just economic systems in which everyone contributes and thrives. Using popular economic theory and praxis, they discussed and engaged with diverse economic understandings and collectively explore better ways forward. 

Participants will be able to take what they have learned through the workshops and incorporate it into their daily lives. 

Source: https://www.kwic.info/event/cultivating-resistance-capitalism 

GreenUP

Piloted in July & August 2020 at Ecology Park

The Girls Climate Leadership Camp is a summer camp that gave a small cohort of girls, ages 11 to 13, the opportunity to learn about the impacts of climate change, to develop strategies to support action in their households, and to meet inspiring women-identified climate leaders who are creating positive change in our community. 

GreenUp recognizes that participating in climate solutions is a strategy for survival, for inclusion, and for wellness. Their gender-responsive climate action program will create a safe (and fun!) space for girls to overcome gendered barriers to participation, and will equip them with the tools, connections, and capacity for action. While the climate crisis remains heavy, they know that girls can be a strong and powerful force for change.

Gearing up for a fourth season in 2023, GreenUP’s Climate Leadership camp for Girls, Two-Spirit and Gender Diverse Youth is one of many camps in this region that offers children and youth opportunities to flex their leadership muscles. These camps support and encourage these inspiring climate leaders.

Source: https://www.greenup.on.ca/empowering-youth-as-climate-action-leaders/ 

The Indigenous Environmental Institute at Trent University, Ontario Nature, Plenty Canada, and Walpole Island Land Trust

Purpose

The Youth Circle for Mother Earth (YCME) project aims to create and support a cross-cultural network of young Indigenous and non-Indigenous environmental leaders looking to honour their responsibilities and relationship with Mother Earth. These leaders will act as ambassadors for her land, air, and waters, which includes the natural world and its conservation, protection, and restoration. 

The project is led by the Indigenous Environmental Institute at Trent University, Plenty Canada, Walpole Island Land Trust, and Ontario Nature. The four partner organizations have a successful history of collaborating to address environmental issues which the project will build on and complement.

Website

Contact

christinea@ontarionature.org

Opportunities for Youth

• Join the Coordinating Circle

Kawartha World Issues Centre (KWIC), Sustainable Trent, and Peterborough Youth Empowerment (PYE)

Panelists: Malaika Collette, Shaelyn Wabegijig, and Morgan Carl

October 22, 2020 from 12 - 1 PM on Zoom

2020 had been largely marked by COVID-19, protest and the climate crisis. While 2019 was a year of massive climate rallies and school strikes, 2020 has radically altered the ways youth and communities gather to advocate for climate action.

Youth as Agents of Change panel focused on discussing the ways that climate activism has changed during 2020 and what we have to learn from the pandemic as we move forward towards effective and positive change.

It was an opportunity for panelists to share their unique experiences in activism and what steps they hoped to see moving forward as well as an opportunity for participants to take part in an interactive discussion where they could ask questions.

Through this event, participants were able to learn different strategies for how youth can combat climate change.

Source: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/122698449365 

Malaika Collette, a well known Peterborough Climate Activist, worked alongside 17 other youth from around the world to organize Mock COP26.

When COP26 was postponed due to COVID-19 in 2020, the group held their own virtual youth conference to show world leaders what an ambitious yet realistic COP would look like. Over two weeks, over 300 young people from 140 countries met online, listened to speeches, watched panel discussions, and empowered each other to go out and create meaningful change.

The event closed with addresses from the UN Youth Envoy and COP26 president Alok Sharma, as well as the release of the Mock COP26 Conference Declaration, featuring 18 policies on 6 themes, all written and curated by young people. It was a testament to the power of young people and the platform that the youth have when they are united.

Today, the youth-led organization is mobilizing a global movement of young people, with empowerment and representation at its core, to campaign for, and work with, their leaders to implement these ambitious policies dedicated to meaningful climate action.

Sources: https://www.mockcop.org/phase-1/ 

https://www.mockcop.org/about-us/ 

https://www.mockcop.org/mock-cop26-team/ 

https://www.cbc.ca/kidsnews/post/youth-pull-off-global-climate-conference-after-adults-cancel-theirs 

Kawartha World Issues Centre (KWIC) and GreenUp

Wednesday, February 24 and Thursday, February 25th, 2021 on Zoom

On February 24th and 25th, 2021, KWIC and GreenUP hosted a two-day, virtual community forum on Zoom entitled, “Centering Indigenous Leadership and Diverse Perspectives to Advance the Sustainable Development Goals in Nogojiwanong/Peterborough and the Kawartha Area”.

The 2021 SDG Community Forum highlighted four (of the 17) United Nations Sustainable Development Goals locally through the lens of centering Indigenous leadership and leaving no one behind:

SDG 1:  No Poverty

SDG 4:  Quality Education

SDG 6:  Clean Water and Sanitization

SDG 13:  Climate Action

Prioritizing Indigenous Leadership

Community members assembled to deepen their understanding of how to advance the SDGs in a way that leaves no one behind and prioritizes Indigenous leadership. Collectively, Indigenous leadership was identified as critical to our local efforts to advance sustainable development. 

We welcomed a diverse group of over two hundred participants from near and far in three interconnected workshops. Interconnectedness is a recurring theme in this project. The action teams are aware of how our local priorities and the SDGs are interrelated; one cannot be achieved without the others. Locally, we believe that the steps we take in our community will ripple out into the world in a good way.

By the end of the forum, the urgent need to reach our goals was evident. We have nine years remaining to achieve the SDGs 2030 Agenda; there is much important work to be done. 

Recordings of these sessions can be found here.

Source: https://kwic.info/sdg-community-forums

https://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/opinion/contributors/2021/03/26/greenup-community-forum-localizes-sustainable-development-goals.html 

Kawartha World Issues Centre (KWIC)

February & March 2021 on Zoom

As part of KWIC's Advancing the Sustainable Development Goals in Nogojiwanong/Peterborough and the Kawarthas, training was offered to Trent University students on how to run virtual workshops for students in grades 9-12 on the Sustainable Development Goals.

These trainings are meant to educate and empower youth to create a more inclusive, fair, prosperous and sustainable future.

The SDGs launch is a project of Foundation for Environmental Stewardship (FES), a youth-led, youth-serving sustainable development organization. FES is a UN-accredited organization and has special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations. Since 2017 FES has mobilized over 8000 students from 82 post-secondary institutions at 50 trainings.

Source: https://www.kwic.info/event/sdg-training-trent-students 

Kawartha World Issues Centre (KWIC) in Partnership with Pathways to Stewardship and Kinship

Spring 2021

As part of their Advancing the Sustainable Development Goals in Nogojiwanong/Peterborough and the Kawarthas, KWIC offered free, interactive virtual community and in-school workshops on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with a focus on youth as agents of change in the goals and leaving no one behind (LNOB).

These workshops educate students on the SDG’s and teach them how they can help. 

Source: https://www.kwic.info/advancing%20sdgs 

TRACKS and the Camp Kawartha Environment Centre

In June 2021, the Camp Kawartha Environment Centre tipi was erected in partnership with TRACKS Youth Program and under the guidance of the Trent University First Peoples House of Learning (FPHL).

The space offers Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth the opportunity to explore the intersections of Indigenous and Western knowledge, to build relationships, and to engage in opportunities to learn in an outdoor environment in a hands-on way. 

Source: https://campkawartha.ca/indigenous-ways-of-knowing/ 

KWIC and GreenUp

In June 2021, KWIC and GreenUp published the Advancing the 2030 Agenda in Nogojiwanong | Peterborough (also known as the Advancing Sustainability and Advancing SDGs) project resources.

A Project Final Report, Indigenous Collaborative Programming Report and 5 Action Team Reports were published, showcasing project findings from the 2019-2021 project. Reports can be accessed here.

Source: https://kwic.info/advancing-sdg-reports

October 22, 2021 from 3:00 - 4:30 PM at Confederation Square, Peterborough, ON

This rally brought youth together from local high schools and supportive adults from the community. The objective of this rally was to help people understand the significance of COP26 and get people involved in activism who might not know about these issues.

This was one of hundreds of events taking place across the world on October 22 organized by Fridays for the Future in support of decisive climate action flowing from COP26. 

The climate crisis is an especially important issue for many young people whose futures are the most vulnerable to the long-term and far-reaching impacts of climate change. When youth voices are so often shut out, this is an opportunity to listen.

Source: https://www.kwic.info/event/cop26-youth-climate-strike-ptbo 

Kawartha World Issue Centre (KWIC)

November 17, 2021 from 12 - 1 PM on Zoom

This online event consisted of a panel discussion where youth activists summarized and reflected on their first hand experiences and the events that took place while attending COP26.

Through this panel discussion, participants were able to get a better understanding of their first hand experiences and the events that took place while attending this global UN summit.

COP26 has been considered a conference that is the best last chance for countries to tackle climate change. A recording of this panel can be found here.

Sources: https://www.kwic.info/event/post-cop-26-youth-panel-discussion 

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/kawartha-world-issues-centre-kwics-post-cop26-youth-panel-discussion-tickets-201074026827?aff=ebdssbonlinesearch 

Youth Climate Action Club (YCAC)

March 25, 2022 at 3:30 PM at Confederation Square

This Global Climate Strike was held by the Youth Climate Action Club (YCAC), formed by students between the ages of 9-14 years old.

The event aimed to raise awareness about climate change and call for urgent action at the federal, provincial, and municipal levels to protect the planet.

This strike is one of the many taking part in the Fridays For Future movement. Approximately 100 people attended.

Sources: https://www.instagram.com/p/CbX2ChAujBK/?hl=en 

https://forourgrandchildren.ca/blog/2022/03/28/youth-climate-action-club-holds-rally/ 

City of Peterborough and For Our Grandchildren (4RG)

Partner Organizations: GreenUP’s Ecology Park, The Sacred Water Circle, Otonabee Region Conservation Authority, Peterborough Youth Empowerment, Peterborough Alliance for Climate Action, Camp Kawartha, Kawartha Land Trust, Peterborough Kawartha Rotary, and Catchacoma Forest Stewardship Committee

May 14, 2022 from 10 AM - 3 PM

A fun family friendly community event with The Paddling Puppeteer including activities such as face painting and crafts, as well as to learn about planting and caring for trees, and how they contribute to mitigating climate change. 

Participants received a free tree to plant on their property and were able to use all the knowledge they learned on tree planting and its care take. 

Sources: https://www.peterborough.ca/en/news/trees-for-canopy-conservation-event-saturday-may-14-2022.aspx 

https://kwic.info/event/trees-canopy-conservation 

Peterborough Alliance for Climate Action (PACA) and For Our Grandchildren (4RG)

June 29, 2022 at 11 AM at the MNR Building, Water Street followed by a march down George Street.

This rally took place to call for Just Transition legislation and real action to accelerate the shift off of fossil fuels. 

Speakers called on all levels of government to take climate change more seriously by taking more measures immediately to protect Canada’s climate future, particularly for the younger population. Together, we can show our politicians that the public will no longer accept their dangerous climate delay.

Approximately 60 people took part in the event.

Sources: https://forourgrandchildren.ca/event/end-climate-delay/ 

https://forourgrandchildren.ca/blog/2022/06/30/end-climate-delay-rally/ 

https://act.350.org/event/climatedelay/25454/ 

Kawartha World Issues Centre (KWIC)

July 26, 2022 from 5:30 - 7:30 PM on Zoom

The Action and Justice Creative Reflections are an opportunity to engage with topics surrounding climate action and social justice through a creative outlet. By the end of the two-hour session, participants will have engaged with four different prompts that allow them to reflect and be creative while positioning themselves and identifying various factors that contribute to the topics discussed.

This session provided a comfortable space for participants to explore various climate and environment action-related themes while also having fun by creating art pieces.

Sources: https://www.kwic.info/event/action-and-justice-creative-reflections 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CgCwK46uAVM/?hl=en 

City of Peterborough and Bird Friendly Peterborough

September 23, 2022 from 10 AM - 3 PM at Beavermead Park (2011 Ashburnham Drive) and Ecology Park

PtboEnviroX was an opportunity for residents to learn about initiatives and projects that are achieving greenhouse gas emission reductions and greater environmental sustainability since the declaration of the Climate Change Emergency in 2019.

The purpose of the event was to create a free, accessible and family-friendly atmosphere as well as giving community members a chance to ask staff questions about how Peterborough is tackling climate change issues and how they can get involved.  

The City committed to protecting the community, its economy, and ecosystems from the damaging impacts of climate change.

Source: https://www.peterborough.ca/en/city-hall/peterborough-environmental-and-climate-action-expo.aspx 

Kawartha World Issue Centre (KWIC), For Our Grandchildren (4RG), and Peterborough Alliance For Climate Action (PACA)

September 26, 2022 from 4 - 7:30 PM

Dance for the planet at Trinity United Church, walk for the planet up George Street to Confederation Park, and hold space for the planet around City Hall.

A Gathering to Protect the Planet was held to mark the third anniversary of the Peterborough City Declaration of the Climate Emergency.

This event provided an opportunity to meet with Municipal candidates and discuss climate action.

Sources: https://www.kwic.info/event/gathering-protect-planet 

https://www.instagram.com/p/Ci-2YA9OltH/ 

April 1st, 2023 from 11 AM - 12 PM

About 60 concerned climate change activists gathered outside RBC’s branch on Chemong Road in North End Peterborough ahead of their annual general meeting on April 5, 2023, to help draw attention to their fossil fuel investments and to demand that they divest now.

RBC is the 5th largest funder of fossil fuels amongst the world’s banks and the largest funder of the Coastal GasLink pipeline, currently being built without consent on unceded Wet’suwet’en territory. 

Sources: https://www.instagram.com/p/CqYR2BuOI24/ 

https://forourgrandchildren.ca/blog/2023/04/02/rbc-fossil-fools-day/ 

May 30th & 31st, 2023

2023 marked the 21st Anniversary of the Peterborough Children’s Water Festival (PCWF) and our triumphant return to a LIVE festival at the Peterborough Riverview Park and Zoo on May 30th and 31st. 

Over 1300 students in grades 2 to 5 from 24 local schools attended the festival, chaperoned by 311 teachers and parents. In 2002, the PCWF took root and to date, 30,388 elementary students and 6,684 teachers and parent helpers have attended the Peterborough Children’s Water Festival to celebrate water and their relationship with it. 

Volunteers from our partner organizations, community, and local high schools are essential to the success of the PCWF. Each year volunteers dedicate their time, energy and skills to the PCWF and to the water-related messages that we share. In 2019 the festival continued to welcome many volunteers returning to the Festival ready to share water messages they once experienced at the PCWF as young students. This year we also welcomed volunteers from 11 community organizations and five local high schools. Overall, 120 high school students worked at 36 activity centres to deliver water-related messages, and over 50 community volunteers helped to ensure things ran smoothly. 

Source: https://pcwf.net/ 

For Our Grandchildren (4RG), Kawartha World Issues Centre (KWIC), and Sustainable Trent 

September 15th, 2023 from 12-2 PM

As part of a global movement, over one hundred people gathered in Confederation Square, across from City Hall to demand a rapid, just, and equitable end to fossil fuels as world leaders gathered at the UN in New York. 

Many young leaders took the stand, including students from the YLS program, emphasizing the importance of taking action, now. 

The biggest cause of the climate crisis is fossil fuels. The coal, oil and gas industry is responsible for the climate crisis and drives a predatory and destructive economic system that harms people and the planet, fuelling climate breakdown. Fossil fuels are bad for the climate, ecosystems, our people, our health, our democracies, and our economies. 

The science is clear: the world needs a rapid and just transition away from fossil fuels to an energy and economic system that is efficient, fair, and equitable. A system based on clean energy sources and produced with respect for nature and the sovereign rights of Indigenous peoples. 

Source: https://forourgrandchildren.ca/event/fridays-for-future-canada/ 

Kawartha World Issues Centre (KWIC)

October 2023 - Present (Ongoing)

This project focuses on advancing gender equality and climate action locally through participatory action research via community conversations focusing on gender equality, climate action and diverse local experiences. The community conversations are a multi-generational initiative engaging in accessible, interactive sessions to enable individuals of different backgrounds to speak from lived experience and learn about the targets and progress for the 2030 SDG Agenda. These conversations took place between October - November 2023 and will inform youth workshops in 2024 to local classes and youth groups, educating on how to advance gender equality and climate action locally to make a global and local impact. 

Source: https://kwic.info/returning-mother-earth