Support community wellbeing in the face of the climate crisis

Climate change impacts increase and magnify community risk of depression, anxiety, PTSD, fear, eco-grief, stress, irritability, anger, and the expression of emotional distress as physical pain, like stomach or headaches.

A holistic approach to wellbeing must be community-based, intersectional and systemic, with a focus on improving wellbeing through community building and collective action. Both Vancouver and the Okanagan experience a range of climate-related events and hazards every year, and UBC has emergency plans to support the majority of responses. As the frequency and severity of climate-related events increase, we must build community resilience and wellbeing more strongly into risk reduction and emergency preparedness.

Progress

SHORT TERM (1-3 YEARS)

UBC is beginning to develop mental health, resilience & eco-anxiety supports, skills, and services for UBC community members through a lens of climate and racial justice, and greater public discourse around climate change and public health impacts. In the future this may include adapting institutional emergency preparedness and response plans.

Climate Wellbeing Engagement Network: A student-led initiative via the UBC Climate Hub that developed climate wellbeing resources, several climate wellbeing toolkits, and hosted ten climate wellbeing workshops. May 2020. Learn more.

Climate Creatives Workshop Series: Six two-hour UBC Climate Hub workshops to encourage students and community organizers to dream just and resilient futures beyond fossil fuels, mass extinction, policing, segregation and exclusion. Mediums included filmmaking, creative fiction, poetry and comic-making. Sep 2020. Learn more.

Academic Briefing on City of Vancouver Climate Emergency Action Plan: UBC community members participated in a City of Vancouver briefing to provide feedback on three climate emergency strategies going to City Council for approval. Oct 2021. Learn more.

Nature Prescriptions: A series of hosted group walks through campus green spaces, gardens, and parks with a specific focus on learning about nature (trees, plants, creature relations), and the mental health and wellbeing impacts of climate. Sep 2021. Learn more.

Thrive Month: The UBC Climate Hub is running a climate mental health and resilience workshop during Thrive month in partnership with UBC Wellbeing. Nov 2021. Learn more.

Climate Wellbeing Resource Kit: An online wellbeing resource kit including reports, resources, articles, podcasts, books, and websites on climate wellbeing information, coping strategies, and hopeful narratives. Oct 2021. Learn more.

Embed climate in UBC mental health literacy resources: The UBC Wellbeing Mental Health & Resilience Committee is developing mental health literacy training, program learning outcomes, and competencies for students, staff, and faculty, and creating a shared hub for training resources. Updated: Nov 2021.

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