Climate Crisis
The UN’s “Code Red for humanity,” issues the direst warning yet on the state of our planet’s health and the outsized role we have played in creating this crisis. We are confronted with overwhelming evidence that our world is hurtling towards a future with irreversible and catastrophic consequences. And we know the suffering has not been and will not be borne equally.
Resolving the climate crisis cannot be achieved if we focus merely on technical solutions and overlook principles of justice in our climate actions. Addressing the social inequities laid bare by this emergency demands a new approach, one that centres care for the health and well-being of our planet and all living communities that depend on it.
Because if we get this wrong, then nothing else matters.
A Collective Responsibility
UBC is committed to addressing the climate emergency and advancing the Climate Emergency Task Force (CETF) report’s 9 strategic priorities and 28 recommendations. Taking climate action requires that UBC ramp up its existing resources and strengthen partnerships across and beyond the university’s boundaries.
Most importantly, we must recognize that tackling the climate emergency is not the responsibility of only one unit, team or individual. It is a university-wide collective responsibility and combined effort, involving Host Nations, administrative leaders, faculty members, researchers, instructors, staff, students, and community partners.
Outcomes
There are 3 core commitments from UBC regarding the climate emergency:
- Address the impact of climate change
- Address past and ongoing contributions to climate change and shifting practices and policies at UBC and beyond that minimize or eliminate human-related climate change
- Embed a climate justice lens
