Free Public Talk (Online & In-person)
Thursday, June 23, 2022 | 5.30PM – 7PM PDT
The University Climate Change Coalition (UC3) Vancouver Summit invites you to join for a panel discussion asking the question, “How do we use the resources and influence of universities to catalyze partnerships and innovation for accelerated climate action across industry, government, and greater society?”
The Race to Zero will provide a forum for knowledge-sharing on the work that leading-edge universities are doing in the climate solutions space. It will examine opportunities that universities have to build collaborative climate solutions, highlight the role of research in policy-making as well as showcase case studies of innovative projects and initiatives that are helping to catalyze and scale-up solutions and action from higher education climate experts.
Attend remotely via webinar or in-person at the the Marine Drive Ballroom (2205 Lower Mall). Light refreshments will be available to in-person attendees at a pre-event reception starting at 4.30pm.
Agenda
Opening remarks from UBC President Santa Ono.
Video from former Minister of Environment and Climate Change of Canada, Catherine McKenna, speaking to the role of post-secondary institutions in climate action.
Panel discussion featuring:
- John Robinson (University of Toronto Professor in the Munk School for Global Affairs and the School of the Environment and Presidential Advisor on the Environment, Climate Change and Sustainability);
- Walter Mérida (UBC Associate Dean of Research for Applied Science, Senior Advisor to the President and Vice-Chancellor and Professor of Mechanical Engineering);
- Dr. Peter Schlosser (Vice President and Vice Provost of Global Futures, Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory, Arizona State University); and
- Cynthia María Villarreal Muraira (Directora de Desarrollo Sostenible y Vinculación, Vicepresidencia de Inclusión, Impacto Social y Sostenibilidad, Tecnológico de Monterrey).
About UC3
Launched in 2018, UC3 member universities combine their expertise, knowledge, and resources to tackle and accelerate climate action. Fostering cross-sector collaboration, the initiative hopes to solve the multifaceted problem of Climate Change.
UC3 universities commit to:
- Taking bold action on climate change and delivering on the most ambitious goals of the Paris Agreement by making plans to constrain global average temperature rise below 1.5°C, increasing resilience, and improving inclusivity
- Implementing strategies included in the 2020-2025 UC3 Strategic Plan
A founding member of UC3, UBC President and Vice-Chancellor Santa J. Ono has led the coalition for the last three years.
The University Climate Change Coalition (UC3) Vancouver Summit brings together 23 of North America’s leading research universities with support from Second Nature. In June, representatives will convene in Vancouver to leverage relationships and expertise to accelerate local climate solutions and build community resilience. The UC3 Summit will host The Race to Zero on the evening of June 23, which will be open to the public.
Carbon pricing and decarbonization
One key strategy in the UC3 Strategic Plan focuses on encouraging operational climate leadership on campus.
Operational leadership that addresses climate change not only helps campuses reduce emissions and become more resilient, but it also helps universities operate more efficiently and effectively by generating cost savings, increasing capacity for long-range planning, and creating more attractive, convenient, and productive places to live, work, and study.
Throughout the conference this week, operational and research liaisons from each member university will share knowledge of collaborations and actions at their home university, to disseminate learnings across the sector.
“The coalition enables members to share insights and harness knowledge in addressing complex challenges and problems associated with climate change. Collaborations have included unlocking financial mechanisms such as internal carbon pricing to help increase investments in decarbonization of campus infrastructure and buildings to innovative approaches to climate engagement programming,” said John Madden, Director, Sustainability and Engineering, Campus + Community Planning.
